The Wankel Rotary Engine

Release on 2015-08-13 | by John B. Hege

Rotary. Motorcycles. Motorcycle manufacturers had also been watching the Wankel over the years, and many of them ... Norton's first rotary cycle was the work of a development engineer named David Garside, an enthusiastic proponent of ...

Author: John B. Hege
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786486589
Category: Transportation
Page: 182
View: 900

Conceived in the 1930s, simplified and successfully tested in the 1950s, the darling of the automotive industry in the early 1970s, then all but abandoned before resurging for a brilliant run as a high-performance powerplant for Mazda, the Wankel rotary engine has long been an object of fascination and more than a little mystery. A remarkably simple design (yet understood by few), it boasts compact size, light weight and nearly vibration-free operation. In the 1960s, German engineer Felix Wankel’s invention was beginning to look like a revolution in the making. Though still in need of refinement, it held much promise as a smooth and powerful engine that could fit in smaller spaces than piston engines of similar output. Auto makers lined up for licensing rights to build their own Wankels, and for a time analysts predicted that much of the industry would convert to rotary power. This complete and well-illustrated account traces the full history of the engine and its use in various cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles and other applications. It clearly explains the working of the engine and the technical challenges it presented—the difficulty of designing effective and durable seals, early emissions troubles, high fuel consumption, and others. The work done by several companies to overcome these problems is described in detail, as are the economic and political troubles that nearly killed the rotary in the 1970s, and the prospects for future rotary-powered vehicles.

Language: en
Pages:

WALNECK'S CLASSIC CYCLE TRADER, AUGUST 2008

Authors: Causey Enterprises, LLC

Categories:

Type: BOOK - Published: - Publisher: Causey Enterprises, LLC

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Language: en
Pages: 240

Classic Car Museum Guide

Authors: Lance Cole

Categories: Transportation

Type: BOOK - Published: 2020-09-19 - Publisher: Pen and Sword Transport

A new, comprehensive guide to motoring and transport museums offering a fresh conversation on their role and the portrayal of our motoring history. Written by a long-established motoring writer with wide experience of driving and the fettling of old cars all over the world. This new motor museum companion includes:

Language: en
Pages:

Triumph : A Century of Passion and Power

Authors: Lindsay Brooke

Categories: Transportation

Type: BOOK - Published: - Publisher:

Books about Triumph : A Century of Passion and Power

Language: en
Pages: 182