going past redline on any rotary.. is that good or bad? People are telling me that rotaries love to rev... and that passing redline won't damage the engine.

My big question is that when I was driving today - went down to 7,500 - been there before, no problems have arosed yet... although when I went down to about 7,500k tonight... I spelled a really awful smell. Either something was heating up or what. I can't explain the smell, as I don't know.. So, is this the case? Revving that high... did I do something? Or am I just being paraniod?


EDIT: I'm sorry, I should add that .. (might not be of any help) I do have a oil leak.. near the OPSU ... and by the fuel fliter.. if that helps any.

and I ment 7500 sorry

 

75K ?

Damn, thats a whole lot of rpms to climb

7.5K is not a lot. Its actually quite attainable even in a TII. For a NA I suppose its everyday's work...

Whatever you smelled couldnt come from the rotors or the housings, so its not your engine frying

It could be coolant, oil/gas burning in the exhaust fumes, your clutch (slipping the clutch at 7.5K will get you a nice smell ), or maybe too much perfume ?

 

I'd have to say bad because you aren't gaining anything by going past redline. In fact, I believe the optimal shift point is somewhere between 6k to 6.5k depending on any mods done to your motor. As far as damaging your engine is concerned, I don't think you'll hurt it as long as you aren't burying the tach all the time. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I belive it has to do with limitations of the stock oil pressure regulator and not getting enough oil to the e-shaft to protect it and keep it cool. Does that sound about right, everyone? I have no idea about the smell.

 

Revving the engine past redline can be good for the car. It will help with carbon build up, but it will put more wear and tear on the engine. But carbon is what kills alot of engines in 7s. I have a 88 vert with 135k+ on original engine that I've driven the s**t out of, with no problems. It sees the redline at least once or twice every time I drive it.

 

Redlining a piston engine is very dangerous. Valves start to float, letting fuel into the cylinder when it shouldn't be there, detonation occurs when it shouldn't and all the internal parts start trying to get out. On a rotary engine, you have to remember that there are only three moving parts. The 2 rotor and the shaft. The RPM gauge tells you have fast the shaft is rotating. The rotors are rotating at 1/3 the speed of the shaft. So at 8,000 rpms, the rotors are going at 2,666. Another thing is that a piston in a boinger engine has to go up, stop and come back down. The rotors in our engines don't ever stop and change direction. (Well they shouldn't anyway.) The rotation does want to throw the rotor to the outside of the center of rotation, so sustaining a red line RPM can try to launch the rotor, but hitting redline to shift isn't as harmful as in a piston engine. In fact I read somewhere that a stock engine shouldn't be revved past 10,500. As far as the smell you smelled, it probably was a burst of emissions if it smelled look rotten eggs.

 

Don't go over 8500 on a stock engine, unless you want clutch parts flying everywhere...

 

Did it smell like burning sulfur? Like someone lit a match?

 

She asked about engine damage. Who needs a freakin clutch

 

When it explodes and kills/maims you, you won't need it.

 

Ain't never heard of a clutch killin someone But i guess anything is possible.

 

sorta.


EDIT: I'm not good at recongizing vivd smells, I can just tell you it doesnt smell normal. If someone was with me, and drive it down to 7-7500....then that'll be a totally different story.. and I can give you more details.. but alais.. i'mstupid in this department.

 

Just like this...

5.1MB MPEG

 

Sounds (smells?) like the clutch is slipping?



-Ted

 

Hmm, even if the clutch was slipping - I wouldnt think it would have such a vivd smell to it. I've slipped my clutch a few times (no, not intentionally) and never gotten that smell...

I hope I'm not burning my clutch.. It IS a new clutch at that.

 

The thing with that sulfer smell I have smelt it on my old s-10, my ex-probe, and my bro's t-bird and I have no idea what it is....really wierd, and it only happens when revved high.

 

Clutch explosions ae very violent. People have lost legs, feet, their lives, etc. Thats why scattershields are mandated in organized drag racing.

 

maybe you let a silent one get out

 

I was told that the sulfer, or rotten egg smell is something to do with what the exhaust gasses oxidizing with the stuff in the catalytic converter, or that lack of it oxidizing. One or the other. its hard to explain the smell of a burning clutch. Nothing else smells like it.

Watch out for that clutch gremlin. Felix says that at 8500rpms, they like to unbolt your clutch from the flywheel

 

yeah, that 7500Rpms must have scared the crap out of you

 

So nothing can be done about it - if this is the right smell? Hm.

Everyone has told me it's save to rev high - and all the way to 8k. I know it doesnt matter now as my car is completely bone stock... but when I mod it... it'll matter when revving that high.

Ahh I dunno. I just hoped I didn't screw anything up

 

Does it smell every time you redline it, or was it just that one time? My convertible will smoke a little at high rpms (7500), and that has a bad smell (burning oil).

 

Ok this may sound stupid...............BUT!

Can you verify the conditions of the shifter rubber boots? Mines are cracked, and when I shift at redline you CAN smell the trans fluid!

Hope this help!

 

Reving passed redline is never "GOOD" You shouldn't try to rev passed redline... But sometimes it comes so quick, that you may slip by it accidentally.. Don't freak.. But don't do it on purpose.. that's just plain Dumb

as some have said, it's probably more productive to shift at about 6500....

Just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you should

 

every time i haer some one say it's not good to shift past redline or it doesn't help to shift past redline.....an rx7 get's it's wings