Rotary vs. Internal Combustion

[baller4life2468]

I have been researching the difference between Internal combustion engines and Rotary engines.
And it all sounds like jumbled words to me.

Can someone who understands cars explain the difference to me?

Thanks,
Baller


PS. I don't know where this thread goes. So i put it here.

[Apache Warrior]

A Wankel Rotary Engine is an Internal Combustion Engine. A Piston Engine is an Internal Combustion Engine also.
A Wankel Rotary Engine Piston rotates around an axis.

A Piston Engine has pistons that go up and down.


The benefits of a Rotary Engine is you can not red line it. If a piston engine rotates to fast you can throw a piston rod.
Apache

[H0ly-H@nd-Gr3nade]

Rotary (Wankel) Engine:




Piston Engine
Oil Change - Castrol Motor Oil (this picture is also very good)




EDIT: Found another rotary picture added above.

[Apache Warrior]

Rotary (Wankel) Engine:



Piston Engine
Oil Change - Castrol Motor Oil (this picture is also very good)

Show off.
Apache

[H0ly-H@nd-Gr3nade]

More info now that I am not in a rush:
Both are considered internal combustion engines.

Rotary engines are simpler, lighter, and have less moving parts (so less energy lost due to friction). Also, the rotor is geared directly to the output shaft, so there is no need for connecting rods, or a conventional crankshaft.

[Donziboy2]

More info now that I am not in a rush:
Both are considered internal combustion engines.

Rotary engines are simpler, lighter, and have less moving parts (so less energy lost due to friction). Also, the rotor is geared directly to the output shaft, so there is no need for connecting rods, or a conventional crankshaft.

They also burn a small amount of oil since there is no chamber for oil to sit in like a piston engine.
Anybody wanna buy my next set of spark plugs? There only about 35$ each and there is 2 per rotor.

[jaspurr]

But you missed the most impoetant point. Which gives MORE POWER Arh arh arh!

[Donziboy2]

But you missed the most impoetant point. Which gives MORE POWER Arh arh arh!

More power yes, but my 1.3liter Renesis averages something like 20mpg... That's if i'm not racing it around like a young pup with a zippy little care
It will give a v8 a run for its fuel tank when you get on the gas.

Only thing they really lack is torque.

[Duke{CLR}]

Only thing they really lack is torque.

But what does it sound like? My favorite is the 12 cylinder engine on the P51 Mustang followed by a R-2800.

[Donziboy2]

YouTube - Top Gear - Mazda RX8 - BBC

I think thats an 04 he is showing and that the most expensive package i believe although I don't see the nav system.
Same color and body as my 05 except i have the basic with no fancy interior red.
He is right they where stupid enough to send him factory tires with that car. Most ppl ditch them for pretty much anything aftermarket lol.

[DougBob]

First, the better comparison here is four stroke piston internal combustion vs rotary internal combustion.

Of course the piston is capable of power.
The rotary is suppose to be capable of better GPH, but it's debatable.

I believe the easier transferrance of power in a piston engine can provide a better MPH with the proper engine balancing. Currently piston engines really do not have heavy fly wheels that could provide a better supply of spinning power reducing the load on the engine at maintaining a constant speed. This is the same principle of the old single cynlinder A John Deere.

My preference, I like piston engines.

[mapes]

Rotary has a lot of benefits. It's just working on piston engines is easier and parts are more available.

Personally I prefer two stroke motors... way more power than 4 stroke...

[WalkinTarget]

As a previous owner of an RX7, the coo! thing about a rotary is its smooth power band. It doesn't have any peaks or valleys, it just pulls away right up to its 7k redline.

You see these things on race tracks all the time, as they are SUPER cheap to buy and mod. Most guys just drop a Holley 750 cfm carb on it (you can't float the valves like a piston engine) and a motorcycle tach on the hood, rev it up to 5 grand and drop the clutch. Its simplicity is its advantage.

[Donziboy2]

The 8's go past 9k Walkin

[WalkinTarget]

Ya man, I saw that !! Just crazy how much you can wring from those rotaries !! I pass an RX8 for sale on my way home every day. Depressing to know I will never afford it, but life goes on, and I'm happy to have the man toys I have, so I can't complain.

I keep threatening the wife that I want to buy another 1st gen RX7 and see what I can do with it.