Japan's rotary or America's V8

[rgibbs205]

Hi, Members! I was wondering if you guys could give you opinions on if a Mazda rx 8 rotary engine or a Pontiac GTO V8 was better in terms of power and speed? Which one cost less in maintenance? Thanks for reading.

[kingofthering]

V8 for most people but rotary for the enthuasiast

[Sweeney921]

Rotary engines are usually unreliable, and have practically no power/torque until ~5000rpm. They also get really terrible mileage.

EDIT: I just checked the stats, and the GTO's V8 embarasses an RX-8 wankel.

[SLoppYJeeP]

Well look at the displacement, im not sure of the numbers here, but the GTO's v8 does have 4 if not 5 times the displacement of the rx-8. Ive driven an rx-8, and once those rotars get over 5000, the power they make is incredible, not to mention the sound and smoothness. As for reliability, i would regard any japanese car produced these days, regardless of engine type, as more reliable and better built then any american car.

[rev440]

Well look at the displacement, im not sure of the numbers here, but the GTO's v8 does have 4 if not 5 times the displacement of the rx-8. Ive driven an rx-8, and once those rotars get over 5000, the power they make is incredible, not to mention the sound and smoothness. As for reliability, i would regard any japanese car produced these days, regardless of engine type, as more reliable and better built then any american car.

Lmao Yeah american cars arent reliable at all thats why they sell 700k F150 a year vs a est 100k tacomas or less. The numbers speak for them selves

[SupraMan22]

Lmao Yeah american cars arent reliable at all thats why they sell 700k F150 a year vs a est 100k tacomas or less. The numbers speak for them selves

I beg to differ.


The v8 is better than the rotary basically as many have listed already. But just because i like the design and the tech in the RX8 im going to go with the rotary on this. Just cause i like the car.

[crisis]

Lmao Yeah american cars arent reliable at all thats why they sell 700k F150 a year vs a est 100k tacomas or less. The numbers speak for them selves

They also sell plenty of Exploders too but no one outside America would touch them. They had to replace them in Australia with this!

[Blitz_]

They also sell plenty of Exploders too but no one outside America would touch them. They had to replace them in Australia with this!

hah! that so called car opens up a can of woop ass on any American Equivalent, far better than the Explorer in a vast range of aspects. Should be in America to be honest, SUV's there are shockingly ugly.

[livedead]

They also sell plenty of Exploders too but no one outside America would touch them. They had to replace them in Australia with this!

Didn't you see the video that showed the people lighting the explorer on fire and putting holes in the gas tank "for effect?"

I had an RX-7 once. That was enough of the rotary wankel for me. Gimme a 351 Cleveland any day of the week.

STi here I come!

[Fleet 500]

I had an RX-7 once. That was enough of the rotary wankel for me. Gimme a 351 Cleveland any day of the week.

A nice engine, that 351 Cleveland. One of my high school friends had a '67 Mustang with a built 351-C. He ran 4.11 gears and used to street race for money. It ran around 13.0 in the 1/4 mile. This was in the late '70s.

[Slicks]

The LS2 shits all over the Rotary. It has a great torque curve, sounds so much better, and is not heavy by any means (385lbs dry).
The Rotary eats oil like it does gas, and form what Ive heard are not very reliable.

[charged]

The LS2 shits all over the Rotary. It has a great torque curve, sounds so much better, and is not heavy by any means (385lbs dry).
The Rotary eats oil like it does gas, and form what Ive heard are not very reliable.

Eat oil, where are these facts coming from Slick, sounds like a massive generalization again. A guy I know races a 13b and its heaps more reliable than some high stressed V8's that he always beats . He freshened up his motor before the Nationals, before it had raced for 4 seasons, 6 races a season of 15-20 laps plus probably 12 prcatice days . You do the math slicks. The other pic of Torana with a 650 hp 350 Chev gets freshen twice a season and it costs more to freshen a V8 than it does a rotor.

As the old saying goes V8 for towing a rotor for going
P.S Check out the lap times the V8 gets smoked
http://www.iprasa.mx.com.au/cars/sutton.htm


http://www.iprasa.mx.com.au/cars/eldridge.htm

[Slicks]

Eat oil, where are these facts coming from Slick, sounds like a massive generalization again. A guy I know races a 13b and its heaps more reliable than some high stressed V8's that he always beats . He freshened up his motor before the Nationals, before it had raced for 4 seasons, 6 races a season of 15-20 laps plus probably 12 prcatice days . You do the math slicks. The other pic of Torana with a 650 hp 350 Chev gets freshen twice a season and it costs more to freshen a V8 than it does a rotor.

Go to any RX7 message board and look around. Its the PCV system, and like in most performance cars oil gets through it and into the intake. In the Rotaries case, lots of oil.

As the old saying goes V8 for towing a rotor for going
P.S Check out the lap times the V8 gets smoked
http://www.iprasa.mx.com.au/cars/sutton.htm


http://www.iprasa.mx.com.au/cars/eldridge.htm

One example like this really shows nothing.

[charged]

Go to any RX7 message board and look around. Its the PCV system, and like in most performance cars oil gets through it and into the intake. In the Rotaries case, lots of oil.


One example like this really shows nothing.

True there slicks in this class of racing theirs restrictions on rotaries and turbo's- no PP only BP on rotors and 36 mill restrictor 50mm away from compressor wheel in turbo's. The V8 are restriction free except for max capacity of 6000cc,Why is it when V8 race in different classes there always restrictions on turbo's, rotories etc, but never V8, if the mighty V8 is so SUPERIOR why doesnt it run certain performance restrictions ? . If the engine is a turbo rotor there will be some oil in the catch can, thats only natural. By the way my nephews car runs a 36 mill restrictor and makes 374hp@ 6570rpm and 450 ft lb of torque@ 3800rpm, not bad for a 2 litre Jap buzz box and we get roughly 100-200 ml of oil in the catch can over a race weekend.

[Slicks]

True there slicks in this class of racing theirs restrictions on rotaries and turbo's- no PP only BP on rotors and 36 mill restrictor 50mm away from compressor wheel in turbo's. The V8 are restriction free except for max capacity of 6000cc,Why is it when V8 race in different classes there always restrictions on turbo's, rotories etc, but never V8, if the mighty V8 is so SUPERIOR why doesnt it run certain performance restrictions ? . If the engine is a turbo rotor there will be some oil in the catch can, thats only natural. By the way my nephews car runs a 36 mill restrictor and makes 374hp@ 6570rpm and 450 ft lb of torque@ 3800rpm, not bad for a 2 litre Jap buzz box and we get roughly 100-200 ml of oil in the catch can over a race weekend.

I couldnt tell you why V8s dont have more restrictions, I dont know what class, or even racing series your talking about.

If you dont already know this, engines dont come with a catch can...