I was wondering if anyone knows any info on how to do a single rotor engine. Where to get the parts etc. I want to put it in a vw beetle.

 

y?

 

just cause/ one rotor easy to rebuild. I'm just looking for simplicity. I know that atkins rotary used to sell one but they don't have it on their web site anymore.

 

Well overall the rotary engine is pretty simple to rebuild after learning about it. Not very complicated at all. If it does blow you would still have to tear down the engine and such, do the cleaning and replacing.

 

Yeah I know just thought it would be a good project for a daily driver.

 

I hear you, I would love to have a single rotor motor in one of my rx2's.
that would be sweet, to get it ported and put a small turbo or sc on it it.
talk about HUGE number like well over 100hp per liter. I thought I once
heard that Pinapple made a few single rotors but havent heard anything
lately. Be sure to post up what you find out. I would assume that all you
would really need is a new E-shaft fabbed up. Matt22

 

You can fit a 13B or 12A easily into the VW engine compartment, the rotary is much narrower and only about 1/2" longer. Kennedy sells the adapter kit w/flywheel that you'll need to bolt it in. Use a stock 12a and double your 1600s hp or 13B and make as much as a 2 litre.

I'm currently building a '63 Notch with a FI turbo 13B and Porsche 5 speed.

Why in the hell would you strip down a rotary when you can double your HP, get good gas mileage and fuel injection? Jeebus.

-jb

 

ya but think about the coolness factor of having a single rotor.

 

Eh to me its not worth it, itll be taking something already good and trying to do something totally different. If you're thinking of a Turbo or anything just go with a 13BT 2-rotor, otherwise it'll be a project with alot more little this and thats.

Btw, my new father/son Beetle project will probably have a 13B-Carb'd Bridgeport, standalone ECU and other stuff. Just wanted to toss that in on the VW project.

 

I've seen Atkins' single rotor engines up close, on display at the Northwest EAA fly-in that's held every July in Arlington, Wa.

This engine is only about 5 inches shorter and only 35 lbs lighter than the stock 12A. Max hp (with necessary mods) is on the order of 100--- about the same as that of a stock 12A.

If you must have a rotary in a bug you should be able to make a 12A fit if you mod the engine cover to accomodate it and place the rad and oil cooler elsewhere. But the bigger issues would be an adapter to fit the transaxle to the rotary and the question of whether the stock VW transaxle will handle the excess power. A Porsche unit maybe?

My personal choice for a rotary swap would be either an Opel GT or a Porsche 914. In fact, one of our local gurus is in the process of putting a 20B into a 914. Can't wait to see the performance of that one when it's finished...

 

For about a grand you can pick up a transaxle that can take up to 1000HP. Ill post the link later. Also Kenndedy makes adapter plates for about 300 to 400 that allow a VW transmission to mount up to a rotary engine. A Porsche transmission adapter would also work.

For the added power you can always use a VW bus tranny, it handles a little bit more.

 

Nice to know there are options that pre-empt the need to design and manufacture our own on a lathe and milling machine.

If I recall, the engine used in the VW Bus put out a whopping 39 hp. Hard to imagine the need for a stronger tranny than the Bug, even fully loaded...

 

I'm also looking to do this to my bug also, but I want at least a 2 rotor. I'll be on a junkyard hunt soon.

 

Beleive or not it is actually considered an upgrade as what is told to me. Search and you will find one that put a 12A in his bug with a exhaust and such. On his forum Im told that the VW bus tranny is actually stronger. Just to what is told to me. The Porshe trannies ARE much stronger though, but costs alot more $

 

That's a rather pleasant surprise, especially considering how inexpensive those transaxles are. Any figures on the max hp they can handle?

 

http://www.geocities.com/zenjoe/vw.html

Zenjoe's site, which shows a complete swap for a 12A and gives you alot of information about electrical and cooling the engine.

http://frost.bbboy.net/vwengineconve...wforum?forum=1

And that forum for swapping a rotary into a bug. The transaxle for 1000HP is somewhere on that forum. I looked for a second and couldn't find it, should be fairly easy. I hope this helps with your questions .

 

Thanks for those links. I was wanting to put a 12a into mine. They should help out a lot.

I heard the rule of thumb with the porsche/bus tranny was 200hp or more will start to cause some problems. I don't know from experence yet though. Someone please clear that up, if I am wrong.

 

200HP may start to mess with the VW Bus Tranny, but the Porsche is designed for a car with alot more, so it should handle more (in theory).