Rotary Engine - why hasn't one been developed for a quad?

[razer]

Or has it? These engines seem ideal as the future engine of the quad. High revving, awesome power to size ratio, low vibration, reliable, and cleaner than a 2 stroke. They already use them in marine craft and automobiles (and I think aircraft), why the heck not in quads?

Is there even a small enough rotary engine on the market to try it out as a project? I'd love to see that done.

[jgray]

Not positive here, But I beleive the Bombardier uses it.. Check into it..

Jason

[bigbadbrad]

if i remember right there was some in cars in the 70s but they were un reliable and i dont think bombadier uses rotaryt in their quads

[jello]

rx7?

[Str8Wicked]

Rotary's are very good motors which can put out extreme hp since they can rev so high. Usually the only thing that ever goes wrong with them is blown seals from over revving the engine. With blown seals you have to re build entire motor.

I don't think they have a rotary small enough for a quad that anyone has developed. I think it would be to much HP for the normal rider to handle if they did come out and with a lot of liablility I'm sure no company will come out with one.

[Extremeracer167]

I think when u are talking about the Bombadier u are thinkin ROTAX. The same ppl that put the engine in the old Rebel Star quad.

[JLanphear]

Yup, the RX-7 has a Rotary engine. They stopped making them in 1995, but the RX-8 has got one also.

As for reliability, there are many claims that they are even more reliable than a piston engine because they have a lot less moving parts, but a lot of the older rotary's did have some problems. A lot of people claim that is was because the mechanics didn't know how to fix them (which I can relate to).

The new Mazda Renesis engine puts out like 280hp in Street Form and it's only a 1300cc engine. That's 200 and something HP Per Liter, which is pretty darn good.

At that ratio they could make lightweight 400cc engine that puts out something like 90hp.

Anyway, that is the limit to my knowledge.

-Josh

[razer]

I found a company that makes a 530cc that puts out 75HP at 6500 RPM's and it weighs only 60 lbs.

I also found a cart engine that puts out 42 HP and only weighs 38 lbs.

Imagine doing a few easy mods to those engines?

As for reliability, these engines are used in aircraft so I don't think people would accept unreliable engines in their personal planes. That's one application where you would insist on reliability. The big reason for their demise was bad fuel consumption and pollution considerations. Both have since been fixed, but it was a little too late.


If I can get my hands on one of these engines, I may make a project bike.

[Foxrage]

My uncles RX-7 is fast i think that would be a good idea if the quad companies havent already looked into it yet.

[airheadedduner]

Suzuki had one in a street bike in the 70's. I would think that not matter how small you made it it would be too wide to put in a quad frame.

[lil400exman]

zuki never made one man airhead i think ur name finally lives up to your actions......just messin with ya man
but i htik it would be great and the only thing about it is bad feul consumtion is the fact the us governemnt hindered it so much take all the exhaust off and replace it with aftermarket and man hol on the car it totally different...it get now 35mpg compared to 12......

[Ralph]

i am almost positive the ds650 are rotary...

[JLanphear]

Originally posted by Lrd Mx400ex
i am almost positive the ds650 are rotary...

Nope, it's a single cylinder 4 stroke.

The type of engine is Rotax which refers to Bombardiers Manufacturer.

My sled has a Rotax engine in it, but it's a 3 cylinder two stroke...I have a piston from it here on my desk at work.

Maybe that's what you were thinking?

-Josh

[Ryan]

That would be a good ideah if they did do that for quads, just how the he!! do you change a piston in one of those things:huh Some imports use the rotary engine, they are real small engines but they are really fast.

I know for a fact that the Bombardiar does not have a rotery engine. Its just a regular old engine like all the other quads.

[Ralph]

Originally posted by JLanphear


Nope, it's a single cylinder 4 stroke.

The type of engine is Rotax which refers to Bombardiers Manufacturer.

My sled has a Rotax engine in it, but it's a 3 cylinder two stroke...I have a piston from it here on my desk at work.

Maybe that's what you were thinking?

-Josh

lol i confused rotax with rotary

[DGR Designs]

yes not rotary in bombardier. it's rotax. they make helicopter engines also.

well, a rotary sounds like a good idea, but if it were perfect and simple, it probably would have been done by now :rolleyes:

[2 QuicK]

Good call jamie. :)

[razer]

Mating the tranny seems to be the big problem. I'm surprised Mazda never stepped up and joined forces with one of the makers to supply them with engines. Looks like rotaries are being used in Jetski's and watercraft like that.

Freedom Motors looks like they will be making the perfect motor pretty soon. Maybe I'll grab one of those engines when they come out just to play with it.

[exrider360]

They did make a rotax engine the engine was put into a 250r frame with lot of lonestr parts and all that good stuf they only mad for like a year and it was expensive.

[JLanphear]

Originally posted by lil400exman
zuki never made one man airhead i think ur name finally lives up to your actions......just messin with ya man
but i htik it would be great and the only thing about it is bad feul consumtion is the fact the us governemnt hindered it so much take all the exhaust off and replace it with aftermarket and man hol on the car it totally different...it get now 35mpg compared to 12......

No, he's right...Suzuki did stick one in a bike. It was in the early to mid 70's...I think it was called the RE.

-Josh

[RideRed04]

Originally posted by exrider360
They did make a rotax engine the engine was put into a 250r frame with lot of lonestr parts and all that good stuf they only mad for like a year and it was expensive.

Key word there is rotex. We are talking about rotary. A rotary engine works kinda like an oil pump. There is a good diagram at www.thewaythingswork.com. Rotex is a brand made in austria (the one by germany, not the one down under) and is a normal engine (they make 2 and 4 strokes). Rotary is a style of engine and anyone with the technology can make one.

I hope this clears everything up.

[Juggalo]

Originally posted by exrider360
They did make a rotax engine the engine was put into a 250r frame with lot of lonestr parts and all that good stuf they only mad for like a year and it was expensive.
thats the rebel star quad. it wasn't a 250 frame but it had 250r geometry.


forgive me for soundin dumb but whats the difference between a rotary engine or a normal engine. i have heard of rotary valves before but not a rotary engine. would somebody care to explain them to me?

[Blysster]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/rotary-engine.htm

It' quite interesting if your bored.

[Ryan]

Why not make a steam engine for quads? ;) :huh

A rotary engine is pretty cool. It uses a triangler piston and it spins which brings the gas around and , I dunno check the website but its quite interesting. If they can do this for a Jet ski then they should put these in snowmobiles. The new 4 cyclinder 4-stroke 1000 yamaha looks pretty sweet. If they had a rotary engine it would put out alot more hp then the 1000 would.

[Ryan]

... Check this site out for the animation picture.http://www.howstuffworks.com/rotary-engine4.htm

[MichaelS693]

The Miata's have them i believe

[Rip_Tear]

I think everyone got screwed up here, I thought this thread was about Rotax engines too... We really need to Read instead of just assuming...

[quadman]

sure they have good high rpm power but no low end, ill stick with a v8:D

[toby400ex]

whoa, now that is funky, i also got the whole not knowing what a spark plug thing cleared up, i feel so smart now.:D

[airheadedduner]

Originally posted by JLanphear


No, he's right...Suzuki did stick one in a bike. It was in the early to mid 70's...I think it was called the RE.

-Josh

I will see if I can dig a pic off it. My dad and I talked about finding one and putting it in a quad. HMMmm... Maybe I will have to scratch the yzf quad project:cool:

[Texan32]

Originally posted by MichaelS693
The Miata's have them i believe

hat is not correct. I know this has been stated already, but some still don't get it.

ROTAX is a COMPANY that builds engines. They make motors for planes, helo's, jetskis, quads, and sleds. THE ARE A NORMAL 2 or 4 STROKE STYLE ENGINE. I looked around to see exactly what makes them special, but ha havent been able to find that info. Rotax has always been known for making a bulletproof motor. I just read in an Air Force mag today. You know those un-manned photograph/spy planes the military uses? Those run a Rotax engine.

ROTORY is a specific engine design. the link Ryan88 posted is as good as it get for trying to describe them. Wankle is the guy that actually invented the motor. He produced the first rotory engine back in the 20's. The Mazda RX7 was they latest car to use that motor. But, the EPA put a ban on the production/use of the rotory engine in cars because of the extreemly high emissions it emitted. Supposedly, the Mazda MX8 is supposed to have a newly designed rotory engine that meets EPA standards.

A few here talked about rotory engines in Jetski's. I have never heard of this. Yes, they were/are used in some boats, but to my knowledge not jetski's. I think the main reason you won't see a rotory in a quad is becaus ef the size issue.

[YZROOSTINYA]

ROTARY=stle of motor, sometimes referred to as the weinkel(sp?)

COMPLETELY differant than ROTAX

rotax is a brand name like FORD ,CHEVY,JOMAMMA get it!

a single rotor motor is equivlant to a 3 cylinder engine in terms of power. that is why the mazda RX-7 has a TWIN ROTOR, similar to a v6

the thing about a ROTARY is there is no valves. and there is always a powerstoke occuring, when there is intake occuring there is also compression and power due to the triangle. the prob with the turbo rx-7 was detonation because they ran so hot.

the new rx-8 uses the same motr with updated technology

also the MIATA has a typical 4 STROKE inline 4 CYLINDER MOTOR

[razer]

http://www.freedom-motors.com

Click on applications, then click on the picture of the boat and you will see a jetski. If that place produces the engine, that's the engine to get. It would be the ultimate quad.

[MichaelS693]

Originally posted by Texan32


hat is not correct. I know this has been stated already, but some still don't get it.

ROTAX is a COMPANY that builds engines. They make motors for planes, helo's, jetskis, quads, and sleds. THE ARE A NORMAL 2 or 4 STROKE STYLE ENGINE. I looked around to see exactly what makes them special, but ha havent been able to find that info. Rotax has always been known for making a bulletproof motor. I just read in an Air Force mag today. You know those un-manned photograph/spy planes the military uses? Those run a Rotax engine.

ROTORY is a specific engine design. the link Ryan88 posted is as good as it get for trying to describe them. Wankle is the guy that actually invented the motor. He produced the first rotory engine back in the 20's. The Mazda RX7 was they latest car to use that motor. But, the EPA put a ban on the production/use of the rotory engine in cars because of the extreemly high emissions it emitted. Supposedly, the Mazda MX8 is supposed to have a newly designed rotory engine that meets EPA standards.

A few here talked about rotory engines in Jetski's. I have never heard of this. Yes, they were/are used in some boats, but to my knowledge not jetski's. I think the main reason you won't see a rotory in a quad is becaus ef the size issue.

thanks for straightening it out for me....i didnt feel like reading the other posts cause they were so long..... hmm i learned somethin new today lol:cool: :D