Oil related failure in the Renesis rotary engine

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Sorry to 'thread wander', but how about those old airplane radial engines where the crank and pistons were stationary, and the CYLINDERS turned with the propeller! Talk about torque steer!
As I understand it, this is why Sopwith Camels could make great turns in one direction, and not in the other. Useful, if you knew how to use it.
 
Originally Posted By: Anies
The Renesis engine has been and will always be a High RPM monster. Mazda recommends dino oil because the oil is supposed to burn off as this is part of the lubrication process of the system. IF there is no burnoff you will encounter issues with the seals etc.

The use of synthetics is prohibited as they have a higher resistance to burn off and can cause seal related failure as well due to improper lubrication.


Hm IDEMITZU makes rotary oil exclusively for MAZDA Rotary and it is ester based full synthetic oil, so it it safe to say that ester based oils like Redline would be safe to run in rotary engines.

IDEMITSU Racing Rotary Lubricants / Call 704-933-6222 to order yours today!

As the largest Japanese lubricant manufacturer, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. has supplied Japan's lubricant needs since 1911. With over 40% market share of Japanese automotive OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) engine oil and lubricant supply, Idemitsu has the knowledge, experience, and technical expertise to design engine oils and other lubricants to specifically meet the unique requirements of Japanese makes and models of automobiles. This expertise was exhibited as Idemitsu developed the engine oil for the 1991 LeMans winning Mazda 787B! This was a crowning moment for Mazda, Rotary Engines, and Idemitsu alike.

After supplying to OEM's in the United States for over 20 years, Idemitsu has introduced its quality and brand to the U.S. aftermarket by launching three new rotary engine oils in July, 2004: Synthetic Rotary Engine Oil 10W-30, 20W-50, and Synthetic Blend Rotary Premix oil. Benefits of these products include extended bearing, apex seal, and turbocharger life.

1991 LeMans

As Volker Weidler, Johnny Herbert, and Bertrand Gachot, drivers of Mazdaspeed Co Ltd's Mazda 787B, awaited the start of the 1991 24 Hour LeMans race, Idemitsu engineers were standing by, arguably as nervous as the drivers. Idemitsu had spent years developing the technology behind the engine oil used in the 787B and were hoping for a problem free fast race by the Mazdaspeed team.

250,000 people gathered on June 22, 1991 to watch the historic 24 Hour LeMans race, and 250,000 people weren't disappointed. They were witness to the first rotary engine driven winner in the history of LeMans. Weidler, Herbert, Gachot, and the Idemitsu engineers could now relax and celebrate the win…

The 4708cc 787B finished the race by completing 2 (362 in total) more laps than the closest competitor. The 787B covered a total of 4,923 kilometers (3,059 miles) at an average speed of 205 km/hr (127 mi/hr). For those few who doubted the rotary engine's capability, no doubt could exist any longer.

idemitsu 10W-30 synthetic

idemitsu 20W-50 synthetic


Idemitsu Racing Rotary Engine Oil 10W-30 and 20W-50
(Full Synthetic) $7.50 a quart / $84.95 a case of 12qts. (better value!)

* Formulated Specifically For High Performance Rotary Engines
* Contains Special Molybdenum Agents to Reduce Friction, Which Increases Horsepower & Torque
* Improved Sealing Performance of the chamber, facilitating more power generation
* Minimizes Exhaust Port Clogging
* Superior Shear Stability
* Exceptional Wear Protection & Durability to protect main bearing and eccentric shaft
* Extends the life of turbochargers by reducing bearing coking
* Contains special molybdenum agents to reduce friction, which increases horsepower & torque

With the precise base oil mix of PolyAlphaOlephins and PolyEsters, Idemitsu Rotary Engine Oils are able to minimize those deposits on your apex seals.

Allows for better sealing of the chamber, facilitating more power generation.

Extends the life of turbochargers by reducing bearing coking.

Specially developed additives facilitate even tooth load on the front stationary gear to allow for higher loads and higher RPM.

Premium anti-wear agents create a strong film between the main bearings and the eccentric shaft, reducing metal-to-metal contact and minimizing bearing wear.

Developed to reduce entrained gas generation. Entrained gases reduce the oils ability to prevent metal-on-metal contact, thereby increasing main bearing wear.

\Includes Molybdenum as a friction modifier. This compound reacts with the metal surfaces to create a low-shear boundary. The low shear characteristic reduces friction, increasing efficiency and power output.
 
Originally Posted By: Crashbox
I really hate to see these lubrication problems with such a unique engine; IMO the Mazda rotary (Wankel) engine is one of the most fun powerplants ever put in a vehicle!

Way back in the mid-70's a friend of mine bought a used Mazda and let me drive it. I distinctly remember watching the tachometer needle going quite a ways up while I was driving it and it was as if the engine was saying, "Come on, let's hit the redline"! That thing was a BLAST to drive. And it had the oddest distributor cap- the four wires were situated on a single half of the cap, not evenly distributed around its circumference.

I do hope they can fully iron out the issues that seem to be plaguing the engine with tighter emissions reg's.


The weird distributor exists because a rotary engine needs 2 spark plugs per combustion chamber, fired in rapid succession to ignite the fuel.

Then the other rotor is staggered so that it is on compression while the other is on the exhaust.

And that is why a strange distributor was needed.
 
Originally Posted By: peterdaniel
I think its really sad that a wonderful, incredible engine like the rotary, has managed to fall into the hands of some really really REALLY stupid and dumb people who haven't a clue as to the capabilities or needs of a rotary engine. ...

Its called, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DRIVING!! if you don't want to or can't take the time to understand then please, do us all rotary fans a favor and sell your car, and get a nice safe Toyota. trust me, you won't be missed. ...

I say, good riddance. The world has enough problems already dealing with dingbats, morons and stupidity. If those same people want nothing to do with the rotary engine, they I say C-YA!!

Yes, the rotary does not have the same life span as a piston engine. ONCE AGAIN, if the buyer had ANY clue or mechanical knowledge or understanding, then would see an engine that produces 180 hp per liter, that produces 3 power "strokes" per crank rev and only has 3 moving parts. ...

And if all you want is a brain dead experience and want nothing to do with being a part of the machine, then it is not for you. Then again, the way I look at it, its not a question of if the Rotary is right for you... Are YOU right for the rotary... and you won't hurt my feelings one bit if you say or the answer is NO.

Mazda for awhile was buying back RX-8's because of peoples complaints about oil usage and flooding. They bought them back 100%. And this is straight from 3 GM's and Service Managers mouth... The cars were tested and found to be in perfect operating condition. They bought them back anyways, so that they can ( and I quote " To shut them up already.. it was worth buying back the cars, so they would stop flooding the service bay with bogus warranty claims in which nothing was ever found other than operator error. end quote.

In other words, go buy a nice boring toyota.
Sorry, but sounds like the Wankel rotary is not right for you either, LOL. It produces 1 power pulse per rotation of the eccentric shaft. Note that the eccentric shaft spins 3x faster than the rotors. Also, the Mazda buy-back program was introduced because they had overrated the horsepower in the US models.
 
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