I'm looking into swapping a turbo 13b into my first-gen MR2. If at all possible, I'd like to use the stock transverse 5-speed (FWD-type) tranny. I realize this probably means an adapter and possibly a flywheel/starter fab effort, but I'm willing to take that part on.

The main question/issue I have is this: I've been told that a rotary can't be mated to a FWD-type because the exhaust ports line directly up with the right axle shaft. I haven't actually mocked the swap up to see if this is true or not, but more than one person has told me it's a problem

To get around this, I'm wondering if I can "rotate" the rotary around it's eccentric shaft axis to either get the exhaust ports above the axle, or below it. Can one rotate/reposition a rotary like this? Besides a new oil pan and pickup tube, why can't I do this? I'm guessing I'd have to rotate the engine ~20-40 degrees or so. Can a rotary be run in a "clocked" position like this? Are there oil drain back issues that would prevent it?

Thanks in advance for you comments/input.
Cheers,
Mark

 

I think it you rotated so the main pully was facing the passenger side of the car You could put two 2 foot pipes right off the exhaust ports striaght out the back of the car and you'd be set.

The only problems with rotating in terms of tilting it, you'd have to work with the coolant filler neck and the turbo/turbo manifold. It's a large peice, it accounts for a good portion of the mass on the engine.

 

I guess I'm not quite sure what you mean by rotating it so that the main pulley would face the passenger side of the car. The FWD (front wheel drive) type transmission is on the drivers side, with the engine on the right side. In this configuration, if I were to mount a rotary to the tranny, the exhaust ports would face directly back toward the rear of the car. In fact, this is the problem. They face directly back at the passenger side drive axle, which passes directly in front of them.

I'm asking if I can rotate the engine relative to the tranny, such that the exhaust ports face either upward or downward to clear the axle.

Will a rotary run in this kind of position?
-Mark

 

AH!!! Ok I gotcha. Yes You do need to worry about the oil pickup however You will also need to make an oil filler tube that will reach down over to the oil filler neck. That really sucks that the axle is right there, it would be in an almost perfect position. Your oil filter is going to be in an almost unreachable position so you'll need to consider a relocation kit for that. You'll also need some fancy bracketry for your throttle cable. All in all I think if it was going to be a stripped down motor with no accessories (p/s, a/c, emissions) It should work just fine.

 

You need to do some reasearch/surfing at www.atkinsrotary.com and google rotary powered airplanes. I seem to remember some of them located in the planes sideways.

-billy