Wankel Engines, a blind alley

[Laverda Dave]

This is a very good watch if you have 10 minutes to spare.
https://youtu.be/-3HBAvkc4a0

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Interesting video - I don't think it mentioned the NSU RO80 who pre-dated Mazda into mass production. I used to sell the RO80's in the 1970's although not popular they had an almost cult following especially from folk who did big mileage they also sported something they called negative scrub radius I think it was on the front suspension. On a test drive I would get up to 70 mph on a local deserted dual carriageway - take my hands off the steering wheel and do what was pretty much an emergency stop - the car would always pull up dead straight hands free! Not so good was the gear knob actuated microswitch for the strange clutch mechanism - it would have been a better car as either a manual or an automatic not what it was - shades of a Smart for2.

The Norton Interpol was very popular with Derbyshire Traffic Police at the time who had little trouble with them as they were on the road 24/7/365. I do think that had they enjoyed the decades of development that the piston ICE had it could have been a great engine for cars not just stationary engines. The later two plug NSU engines had a massive catalytic convertor fitted to deal with unburnt fuel & oil thus cleaning up what came out of the tail pipe - if you looked underneath an NSU with a warm engine in the dark the exhuast glowed cherry red for the whole of the front section - there was a safety press/dealer  release telling you not to drive on grass with them!

[Bryanj]

Many years ago when in the trade i was at a wholesalers near wembly (Mobyke i think) and there were a pair of DKW rotary engine press bikes there i was offered as they were no longer needed, unfortunately the "press" had neglected to put oil in the one that ran premix so it was very ill, the other had an oil pump  and tank and was ok but the price was not right so they stayed there.

[K2-K6]

My missus works for Mazda and the RX8 drinks oil like mad, something like a litre every 1000 miles. I was offered one dirt cheap but turned it down as I couldn't be bothered pouring oil in every 2 weeks.

Quite good then compared to Sohc using approximately 4 litres every 1500 miles 

[SteveD CB500K0]

I depends whether “drinks oil” = “burns oil” or “uses oil”


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[K2-K6]

I was solely thinking from a cost perception in oil "consumed" in general terms.

Obviously all engines have an oil cost against mileage whether changed, burnt inappropriately or burnt as part of the lubrication strategy. 

A SOHC engine accounts for X litres every 1500 miles even in perfect condition. They're certainly not good in overall use terms.

[cbxman]

My missus works for Mazda and the RX8 drinks oil like mad, something like a litre every 1000 miles. I was offered one dirt cheap but turned it down as I couldn't be bothered pouring oil in every 2 weeks.

Wow!  I had an RX8 and loved it. As said elsewhere there must have something wrong with it.  Mine used very little oil, but after 104k miles the tip seals had had enough.  I wasn't going to spend 2k on it for an engine rebuild.  Shame, it was quick but thirsty -  never got more that 20 mpg soft peddle or loud. Ended up trading it in for a camper van.

Cheers,
Jerry