Renesis 8,5k+ RPM. What Apex Seals and Life-Span??
 

What kind of Apex Seals does the Renesis engine have? The redline is 9.000-10.000 RPM right? Steel Apex Seals wouldn't be good and Carbon Seals last for like 20k Miles. Ceramic Seals??

What would the life-span of the engine be?

Well gee, let's get out the ol' crystal ball...

It is not fully carbon. It is mixed with aluminum and other materials. The seal should last well over 100,000+ miles if taken care of....non-modified car.

Now...where did you get that ideal that it would only last 20k.....are you smokin' something?

Redline will be set @ 8000. It might raise on the production cars....it is unknown at this time.

General wisdom is that the carbon-aluminum apex seals will only last about 20k on a street/race car.

I don't see why Mazda can't use the current 2mm 3pc iron apex seals, they can handle the RPM. It's the larger seals (3mm) that cannot be revved high.

I don't understand why they don't use titanium alloy seals. Perfectly smooth, won't chip or break, lightweight, forever in an aluminum housing. They just cost more.

Titanum galls VERY easily. Having worked in a bike shop, the number one rule with titanium is you very liberally slather it with grease or anti-sieze if you don't want it to gall! ESPECIALLY when dealing with aluminum and titanium in direct contact. (BTW rotor housings may be aluminum but they are lined with chrome-plated steel)

RX-8 will have a 9k redline.... btw,

I think they should go with 2 peice 2mm ceramics myself. You would have excellent sealing quality at all rpm's and a much longer life span. I know ceramics may seam like overkill for a NA engine but, Mazda needs to do whatever is nessecary to make sure the Renesis is extremly reliable. Also ceramics in a mass produced rotary should be alot cheaper to produce. They are already saving money not offering a turbo charged version. Think about this, 300k plus miles out of a high performance rotary would be fucking insane.

The factory likes to add $1000 for a $100 CD Player I'd hate to see what they would charge extra for anything different inside an engine. Even if it was cheaper to make the seals somehow I don't think they would tell us that especially if they last longer. I don't believe in overkill:D

shouldn't the regular 2mm 3pc seals work better in the renisis because they are supported all the way around (no exhaust hole)?

mike

I would think so!