Technical X1/9 & Rotary engine

[2re]

I've read many places that these wankel engines are small and lightwight.
And it seams that the mazda engines dos not deserve a reputation for being unreliable.

It seams to me that this type of engine would be perfect for the X.

And if the engine proves easy to install! I was thinking perhaps to import from Japan a half wrecked Rx7-Rx8 with front intact and port as much as posible over to the X.

What do you think?

 

[2re]

Bad idea

 

[bludvl_x19]

Yeah, kind of. Its potentially problematic for a number of reasons.
1. I do not know of any front engined/front wheel drive, or rear engined/rwd Wankel powered vehicles (exception granted to the Mazda Le Mans sportscar.) This is bad because the X1-9 is mid engined/rwd, so there are major packaging issues there.
2. Fuel economy is shocking with a rotary, expect 15l/100kms with highway driving.
3. Rotaries need rebuilding regularly because the apex seals are the best way of coping with a bad situation, but arent ideal;
Lastly, and this is my personal opinion, they sound absolutly crap.


Entirely up to you however..

 

[fiatfactory]

It has been done before ... go to xwebforums and do a search.

Main issues apparently are...

1. which transaxle were you thinking of using? The stock x19 transaxle certainly wouldn't handle the power levels of a good rotary. This problem has been resolved with the use of Fiero or a Porsche transaxle in the couple of examples I know of.

2. Next are the ratios of the transaxle you decide on... remember that the rotary makes very very very very (did I mention very) little power under about 4k... but then will make plenty between 6 and 10k.. the stock ratios in most transaxles will have you able to do 150kmh in 2nd gear... imagine what sort of revs you would be doing in 4th at 100kmh with this setup...you would be well out of the powerband and have to shift down to 2nd for the slightest hill.

3. The exhaust comes out right where the rh axle wants to be... and rotatries are very exhaust sensitive (if you want decent power)

and besides, compared to the sound of an Italian engine on webers, they sound like fingernails across a blackboard.

SteveC

 

[2re]

Thanks for the input guys

Since i'm new here i'm not allowed to post any links until I have 5 posts so I can't share with you the threads I found at Xweb.

I haven't found a single YouTube etc, flick with a rotary X
But I found the threads at Xweb and from what I read it can be done, but its not easy.

Would love to find some more info about a guy named Karl Schaeffer who's got a rotary X named "Fiat mutant" The car looks almost stock and he's won a few races in the street class I think.

Yes stock sound is not the best but with modifications they can sound awesome.
Older engines has terrible fuel economy but i'm hoping to use one of the more recent versions like the new 13B-MSP

Thanks