Re: [AMC-list] Pacer motor mounts oddities

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

Biggest problem with rotary engines was emissions -- seems like it was 
just NOX emissions, but I forget. GM couldn't solve the problem, Mazda 
used a chamber in the exhaust system to burn it all up before it left 
the tail pipe. Apex seal longevity became a problem, but was solved with 
high-tech materials (teflon). They are no more fuel efficient than any 
other internal combustion engine. They have fewer moving parts so would 
be cheaper to mass produce, but are difficult to rebuild. The entire 
rotor chamber has to be replaced. The blocks are made "sandwich style" 
to make this relatively easy, but it's expensive now because there just 
aren't many of them out there. More cost effective to buy a 
re-manufactured engine. If GM had mass produced them that wouldn't be 
the case though.

Other than theoretically cheaper to manufacture the only advantage is 
compact size for the power produced. A 150 hp rotary is roughly HALF the 
bulk and weight of a piston engine. The only way to really take 
advantage of that is to design a car around it. GM would have had to 
build a completely new plant (or completely re-tool one) to build them. 
They had the emissions problem and the high initial cost and just 
decided the pay-back would be way too long, so canned it. Mazda solved 
the emissions problem a few years later, but GM never picked it back up. 
Just think, it would have paid for itself by now and FWD cars would be 
so much easier to work on in the engine compartment if they had taken 
the long view instead of short, and they would have saved money on 
engines and labor. Hard for the hot-rodders to do much with them though...

--
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars"
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://www.amc-mag.com
(free download available!)

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