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by Jim in a Nautilus COAT on August 17th, 2009
The Wankel engine is less thermally efficient than piston gasoline engines. While the apex seals would seem to offer superior sealing along the surface of the combustion chamber, they must also seal at the ends, and this is not easy to do. Also, to preserve seal life, oil must be deliberately metered into the combustion chamber. Even with this concession, seal life is short compared to piston ring life on reciprocating engines.
Compared to a piston engine, port injection time is significantly shorter for the Wankel. Finally, the combustion chamber design produces a squeeze front in the flame at the trailing edge of the chamber. This causes the engine to emit more unburnt hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide than 4-cycle piston engines.
by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on August 17th, 2009
I never knew all of the mechanical reasons why it was not popular, but what I heard most say was that there simply were not enough mechanics or garages to work on them if you were not near a dealership.
by qwerty on November 12th, 2009
the vanes
(rings in a piston engine) did not wear well or have a long life
This engine had the advantage of high (17k) rpm because of the lack of a reciprocating crank shaft, but the longevity of the the seals did it in
by Mink90 on November 12th, 2009
They wear down more quickly than their traditional piston counterpart. Plus fuel mileage isn't that great for the size of the engine. The current engine is 1.3L and only gets 22 MPG highway. However there is a trade-off for the amount of power it makes.
I'd buy one just for the fact that I can say Wankel when I talk about my car.
by Nancy on August 17th, 2009
There was no information about it (at least that I heard) on the video. My only guess is that it didn't have enough power for an automobile. Maybe the top speed was only like 30 mph or something! I once owned a Chevette...easy to fix and excellent on gas; but people would pass me, like I was standing still; while I was trying to get up a hill and give me dirty looks. I'm sure they didn't realize I was flooring it; LOL! Maybe it was something like that. What do you think?
by Evil Pregnant Master on August 17th, 2009
hm could be looks of it or the fact it would not fit in most of the cars, is the only thing i can think of.
by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on November 12th, 2009
It had major blowby issues and was terribly inefficient because of it. You can't get a good seal in the compression chamber.
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You're reading The Mazda rotary (Wankel) engine had only THREE moving parts, which means that much less could go wrong with it, and it had fewer reasons for repairs, yet it was never popular at all. What caused its lack of acceptance by the motoring public?
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Comments
Always good to hear from an automotive expert.
Thanks for the education, Jim.
Here's +6 for ya
by Anonymous on August 17th, 2009
Thanks.
by Jim in a Nautilus COAT on August 17th, 2009