me too, sine I have weighted the renesis and compared it with many engines, and the renesis better compares with 4 pistons 2 litters engines than anything else in weight and fisical size

 

When you look at cars of this type they all have one thing in common. They all sing! No American V8 can do that. American V8's just don't sound that good. I know there are a bunch of rednecks that are probably loading up their arsenal to kill me for saying this as the will surely disagree but they are just rough angry sounding beasts. Compare this to a European V8 (or 10 or 12), or even a rotary. These engines are sonorous and smooth sounding by comparison. The noise they make is a pleasure to the ears. An eargasm by comparison to the ruckus that an American engine tone has. Comparing engine notes of these 2 vastly different engines is like comparing the devil's flatulence with a choir of singing angels. There's no match. There is more to it than just sheer power. You need a total package. It has to look good handle good and sound good. Something that American car companies haven't figured out yet. A rotary admittedly isn't light for it's size but that weight all all focused into a small compact package. The weight from a handling standpoint is also very friendly not to mention the placement within the chassis is easier to do due to it's size. If this car is light, it won't need 400+ ft lbs of torque to be fast. Cars like this look like they live, breathe, and sing at high rpms. An LS1, as powerful as it is, will never do this.

 

do you have any numbers? im quite interested in seeing how much the renesis weighs. i myself have not weighed any motors but ive done a few motor swaps in my time. the renesis is small, but its made of cast iron. it is about as heavy as it can get for its size. yes, it will be lighter then a i4 that is pysically larger and made of the same material but then again, isnt that obviouse? when i think "light weight motors" i think aluminum, magneisium and titanium. so again, rotaries arent that light for their size and displacement.

now make a iron sleeved aluminum renesis and youll be talking really light weight!

 

awww man.. i love the way pushrod v8s sound

 

Copied from the Tech forum "weight of RX8 parts"

Hi Power Engine Fully Dressed (Flywheel but no clutch) less Airbox - 267.5lb (per Racing Beat)

 

+1 . Difference of Opinion.

 

The engine as a bare keg is something like 102 lbs. not aven a bare smallblock could compare to that.

 

Yes and no.

If 267 lbs is correct, then it weighs about 10 Lbs more then a 1200cc VW engine fully dressed. Then again, is 1.3 liters the correct displacement for the 13B? If displacement were measured per crankshaft revolution, the VW would only be 600 cc.

Personally I see the 13B as a 2.6 liter in contrast to an equivalent 4 stoker, but thats just my own opinion.

I've driven an 80's model Miata with an early 13B fitted and a Weber carb. Hauled ***. Sucked gas. Lots of fun. The difference in weight was something like 50 Lbs less.

 

Sure wish the most advanced country in the world would step out of the 19th century.

102lb = 46kg

Personally, I thought a 13B-MSP engine (bare block) was around the 90kg area...??

 

OK, lets do something, Im on vacation right now, as soon as I get back im going to do some comparison, weight fisical size etc, of several engines, I did it once a couple of years ago, the diference between must 4 bangers of 2 litters displacement and a rotary was that the accesorys of the rotary where bigger and heavier,the engines undresse only with intake mani and exhaust weighted about the same. I dont have acsses right now to an all aluminun v8 but I stand by my statement that the engine in fisical size and weight its similar to must 4 banger of 2 litter displacement

we used to joke, my mecanic is a big guy and he used to put 13b bloks in cars with he's own hands

 

I love the sound of a v8, but like the rotary better and the more rotors the better it sounds

 

the rotor housings and front case are aluminum, each end plate and intermediate plate are the only things that are iron and the iron walls are thinner than previous 13bs. and the rotors and the flywheel are all lighter than previous rotaries as well....

GHOST----
"now make a iron sleeved aluminum renesis and youll be talking really light weight!"



you just lost all credibility of being a knowledgeable rotary person. there are no cylinders to put sleeves in you ******* idiot. get off these forums

 

According to Sport Compact Car (Oct 2005) The New MX-5 uses the RX-8 underpinnings but has a different subframe. The Renesis won't fit. Changes to make it fit may destroy the car's handling.

Too bad because a RX-5 roadster sounds like fun!

DB

 

hahaha.. this is a joke right? you do realize that the concept of a sleeve doesnt only apply to a piston motor. for an sleeved aluminum rotary, youd simply replace the inside wall of the rotor housing with an iron sleeve thus saving weight without sacraficing the durability. the main concerns on this forum reguarding this idea is heat and molecular expansion. its been discused on this forum before. its also common sence that if it was plausable, this would be the way to sleve a rotary. think outside the box.

temper temper man.

 

Here you go:

http://www.rotaryeng.net/two-piece-end-house.jpg

http://www.rotaryeng.net/2pc-end-house.gif

 

so use o rings to combat differing thermal expansion rates if im looking at it correctly... so when can i buy one? and the alu rotors.

i wonder how much weight you could save by going alu rotors + lightened e shaft + alu housings. imagine how fast that would rev up.

 

I always thought a new body miata MX-5 with a renesis motor would just be an amazing car. ~2500lbs with 232hp 10.7:1 lb/hp ratio puts you right around Lotus Exige and Porsche Caymen S territory without needing a turbo. I hope you try it and put up lots of pictures during the build!

 

Everything any of you have talked about has been done.

www.racingbeat.com

They make super lightweight rotors, and aluminum end/intermediate housings.

The stock end/intermediate housings weigh roughly 26 lbs, after being made of aluminum, they lose about 50% of that weight, per.

I would think, that with all its lightening procedures, Racing Beat could make a 13B under 90lb short block.

 

ive heard of racing beat lightening up the renesis rotors by machining but not by remanufacturing them with aluminum. i also havent heard of them making alu irons.

do you have a link that i can check out. id like to learn more about it. i didnt see anything on their website.