So I just wanna make sure kragen knows what they are talking about.

Since Ive been having trouble with my rpm i figured id get an aftermarket one since running new wires to my old will cost a lot of money i dont have. So i asked the guy how easy they are to install and he asked what kind of car i had?

I Said,"a Mazda RX7."
He Said..... " OH " a "Rotary huh? Lemme Get my manager."
Manager says, "since [my] rotor has 3 sides and [I] have 2 rotors, it would be considered a 6 cylinder and [I] would have to program it as a 6 cylinder in order for it to give the correct reading."

I said, "OK."

So i dont really know if they are right but it doesnt sound right... anyone know if this is right?

I figure ill ask here cuz i always here members saying non rx7 owners know **** about rotaries.

Aure

 

I'm assuming your talking about replacing your stock non-functional tachometer with an after market one ?

Try a search on tachometer and see what comes up. I'm sure others have done this in the past. no experience doing it myself.

 

^^^ yea already have. Ive been having a problem with this for a while.

 

Program it as a 4 cyl, and hook it up to the trailing coil.

If you really wanna find out if they know anything, ask them for a timing belt/chain for your car........

 

Or ask them for an aftermarket camshaft! lol

Yeah, set it up for a 4 cyl and your set. A 4 cyl has 2 ignition fires per revolution, just like a 2 rotor rotary.

 

The Rotary does indeed have 2 firing cycles per revolution, unless the leading has been updated to the direct fire. This is why I advise using the trailing coil.

Camshaft, good one....

 

Yeah i have the dlidfis setup - so set it to 4 cylinder and hook it up to leading?

 

4 cyl yes. But hook it to the trailing.

 

Direct fire/wasted spark shouldnt change anything.
All that does, is fire both leading plugs simultaneously off a common coil with two posts or two coils with common primary leads.Its getting the same,single signal from the dizzy/CAS.Instead of using the distributor cap to route a single spark to individual chambers,it just shoots them both.Its all handled in the secondary system of the igntion,and the tach reads the primary signal.Nothing has changed inside the distributor or with the timing or pickup wheels.

Set it to 4cyl.....

 

Got It. Knew i shouldnt have taken their word, i was about to buy it too but i decided to hold off till i confirmed.

Thnx... now imma go back and mention all this stuff just to mock them.

Aure

 

just for future reference i will tell you my feelings about kragen.

for lubes and vac hoses and stupid little stuff like that i have no problem going to kragen. anything above or beyond stupid accessories or hoses and wires, for the most part in my area at least, i have not found many of the employees to know much about rotary engines. most of their employees in my area arent even remotely trained in mechanics at all they just look up parts in the computer. mostly i would just search here and on the other rotary sites and then use them for only small stuff. most of my parts come from delco (my dad works at a shop), factory motor parts (shop hook up), or from napa and global. only things i ever buy from kragen or autozone are brake cleaner/pads/shoes, gear oil etc...

 

This is true. The main reason I reccomend hooking a tach to the trailing, is a leading ignition failure is rather noticeable. A trailing ignition failure isn't as noticeable, unless the tach is also acting up.

 

at least they knew what a rotary was, my kragen never has a clue.

 

Well they dont really know "rotaries" except that rx7's are rotary powered and small stuff.

The guy at kragen said a buddy of his had one and that he also wanted to buy one becuz you can "stack" as many rotors as you can fit into your bay.

I told him i dont think it is "as many as you can" but you can stack like for right? like 20B?

He said he was pretty sure you could and that it was simple.... i said OK and walked away.


I also went back and bought that Tach Gauge and he asked if i figured it out and I told him what you guys had said.. he told me he was pretty sure you guys were incorrect but hell leave it up to me and to contact him if i needed help.... i said OK and walked away.

LOL anyone want his number he is the asst. manager and he "knows" rotaries!

HAHA
Aure

 

He obviously has no idea how a rotary truely works.

The 3 rotor 20B and 4 rotor 26B are basically just 13B two rotor engines that have small stub shafts on one or both ends,and special housings with the needed gears and support bearings for the extra rotors.Creating the proper shaft to allow multiple rotor additions is the trick.It might seen simple to just slap more rotors and housings together,but how do you CONNECT the power from all those rotors together?They have to be connected securely,but you also have to be able to assemble and teardown the engine....and a single,one-piece crankshaft will not allow this to happen.It can and has been done,but its far from simple/easy.

Like I said,he doesnt REALLY understand how rotaries work.

 

lol well hey even i thought the 20b was a 4 rotor engine so i feel stupid.

 

Bailing wire and bubble gum oughtta hold up real well for stacking all them rotors together....... LOL

We all know rotaries work on magic, or is it voodoo???????

 

Many of us RX-7 owners know how our cars work better than most mechanics or technicians at Mazda dealerships, let alone an employee at Kragen or any autoparts store.

 

This is true,and with so few rotary certified mechanics,maybe we all outta bum-rush the Mazda dealers and demand jobs!!