LocostUSA.com

Still around and playing with cars!

Last year my car was running so well that I decided to pull out the old four port rotary and swap in a Rennesis engine. Had a friend who is leaving the country, so asked him to build me a 6 port Renny before he left.

Everything is different on this engine so I needed to fabricate an ignition system, exhaust, engine mounts, oil system, and so on. Running a carb right now, and will go to fuel inject after the intake system is modified.

Probably the biggest problem has been the intake (it would not fit under the hood). Cutting the intake made altering the internal valves and such. Will not end up with the same runner lengths as Mazda, yet will still have working intake valves.

All I need now is more time on the engine, with 3 hours on in now requires a lite right foot.

Still watching all the stuff you guys have been doing. It keeps my mind running even if I don't have time in the shop.

Thanks JEB

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● Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. ~ Enzo Ferrari
● I have a dream: My car has a new type of engine: a half-turbine half-reciprocated engine. I invented it! ~ Dr. Felix Wankel
● It has occurred to me, amateurs built the ark and professionals built the titanic.

Video! We want video! And more feelthy peekchurs!

Will do!
JEB

_________________
● Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. ~ Enzo Ferrari
● I have a dream: My car has a new type of engine: a half-turbine half-reciprocated engine. I invented it! ~ Dr. Felix Wankel
● It has occurred to me, amateurs built the ark and professionals built the titanic.

Been noticin' that signature, Sir... "JEB"... Your last name wouldn't happen to be "Stuart" would it?

JD Kemp

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom

JD now don't go confusing those folk. He's from up North and they have a totally different viewpoint of history than we do down south.

You're just going to make him feel inadequate.

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mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.

You sir have a sharp eye.
My middle name is Stuart.
Mom from the Nouth, and Dad from the South, yes a mixed marriage.

_________________
● Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. ~ Enzo Ferrari
● I have a dream: My car has a new type of engine: a half-turbine half-reciprocated engine. I invented it! ~ Dr. Felix Wankel
● It has occurred to me, amateurs built the ark and professionals built the titanic.

Ok, I have put about 500 miles on the new engine and it is so different my old engine. My last engine was a Bridgeport 13B, with an aluminum flywheel. The old engine was peaky and could be tough to drive on the street. It liked to be a full throttle, and nothing else. It was loud, very loud. I went though a myriad of different exhaust setups. It was loud enough I was called ahead of time and asked to not come to specific venues. The last one was a Racing Beat presilencer and muffler (thank you for the testing Locofinn). It was live able.

The new Renisis is a whole different ball of wax. Still 13b based with vastly different porting. I swapped out the flywheel to a 2 pound heavier flywheel. Spins up like the Bridgeport, yet has the torque to cruse in the lower range. Very manageable on the streets and not peaky. Much quieter, even a little disappointingly quiet.

I have a good deal more fine tuning with the engine, hopefully will get to that this winter. The big step will be to go back to fuel injection using the modified intake in the photo above. I will add photos too.
JEB

_________________
● Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. ~ Enzo Ferrari
● I have a dream: My car has a new type of engine: a half-turbine half-reciprocated engine. I invented it! ~ Dr. Felix Wankel
● It has occurred to me, amateurs built the ark and professionals built the titanic.

I once got singed while standing near the Detroit Grand Prix track, when a RX8 lifted heading into a turn. Car must've run a bit rich -- okay, dumped a ton of fuel? -- as the flames belching out of the rear were enough to singe a few hairs on my arm. And I wasn't even within 10 feet of the fence!

So would your Renny have this undocumented feature?

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***************
Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.
Girlfriend thinks I'm nuts for building this....

JEB, that is a nice looking intake manifold! Congrats on the successful Renny conversion. If it were me, and FI was in my future, I'd skip the tuning part of the Weber and go straight to the FI. If the FI didn't work out, then go back and spend time on the Weber. But that is just me. Whatever you do, I'm sure you will do just fine.

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my active Cushman Truckster resurrection log: over HERE
or my archival Locost build log: over HERE

Thanks Chuck, the plan is to play with the carb until the rains come to Washington state (a couple weeks from now). I will keep on putting down the miles for as long as I can.

Fuel injection will come with the rains! Soon, very soon!
JEB

_________________
● Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. ~ Enzo Ferrari
● I have a dream: My car has a new type of engine: a half-turbine half-reciprocated engine. I invented it! ~ Dr. Felix Wankel
● It has occurred to me, amateurs built the ark and professionals built the titanic.

Been awhile since I have been here, yet that does not mean I have not been working with ROTUS.
Have the Renny running well on a custom manifold and a haltec.

Overheating remains an issue so I went for a far larger radiator, requiring ROTUS to get a nose job.
I section the nose cone and stretched it to fit the new radiator. I will post some photos of the nose being sectioned.
all the best
JEB

_________________
● Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. ~ Enzo Ferrari
● I have a dream: My car has a new type of engine: a half-turbine half-reciprocated engine. I invented it! ~ Dr. Felix Wankel
● It has occurred to me, amateurs built the ark and professionals built the titanic.

Drove the car a great deal this year and it was just a blast!
Took the car autocrossing twice. First time made it to the event, through tech, and then the starter died. Next event made it through and ran. It was GLORIOUS! After the last gate ROTUS blew oil out under the engine compartment and it looked like I was on fire.
ROTUS is all cleaned up and now has a baffled oil/air separator. Hoping to get the car on the dyno and tune above 6,000 (where the auxiliary ports open).
Looking forward to next year!
All the best
JEB

_________________
● Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. ~ Enzo Ferrari
● I have a dream: My car has a new type of engine: a half-turbine half-reciprocated engine. I invented it! ~ Dr. Felix Wankel
● It has occurred to me, amateurs built the ark and professionals built the titanic.

Those words are very energizing for those of us who are still toiling on our builds.

Thanks,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886