LS this, and big block that on this Team Imports special we present you with the official data for the 12-ROTOR Rotary engine capable of producing mind blowing figures!
source : enginelabs, motorauthoroty
In the race to produce as much power as possible from an engine, it seems that the average builder turns to anything from the GM stable of power-plants. LS this, and big block that, are ways to create impressive dyno figures. Still, there are other types of engines out there and builder Tyson Gavin is one to explore alternative routes. In fact, Gavin is currently working on a tri-bank 12-rotor rotary engine for use in marine applications. But imagine this on some of the best low budget sports cars or in a sport compact car. This engine is perfect for hatchback sports cars.
That's a lot of rotors.
With the 12 rotors, displacement measures 960 cubic inches.
According to Gavin, the engine is designed to be flexible enough to use in pleasure boating at around 1,400 horsepower for up 400 hours between scheduled maintenance, or it could be turborcharged with a pair of 122mm turbos (10 pounds of boost) to make 2,400 horsepower for about 200 hours for poker runs and other spirited adventures. Both those power numbers are on 87 octane fuel. Jumping up to 25 pounds of boost on race gas could elevate the power levels beyond 3,600 horsepower. And 50 pounds of boost could result in over 5,000 horsepower. For steady state running, recommended rpm will be in the 8,500 to 9,000 range. But an all-out drag version could spin up to 14,000 rpm. There are only 19 moving parts in the 12-rotor engine, which should improve durability. Which means that very smooth thus ideal for luxury cars !
With the 12 rotors, displacement measures 960 cubic inches.
According to Gavin, the engine is designed to be flexible enough to use in pleasure boating at around 1,400 horsepower for up 400 hours between scheduled maintenance, or it could be turborcharged with a pair of 122mm turbos (10 pounds of boost) to make 2,400 horsepower for about 200 hours for poker runs and other spirited adventures. Both those power numbers are on 87 octane fuel. Jumping up to 25 pounds of boost on race gas could elevate the power levels beyond 3,600 horsepower. And 50 pounds of boost could result in over 5,000 horsepower. For steady state running, recommended rpm will be in the 8,500 to 9,000 range. But an all-out drag version could spin up to 14,000 rpm. There are only 19 moving parts in the 12-rotor engine, which should improve durability. Which means that very smooth thus ideal for luxury cars !
He and his team have barely been able to lean on the engine during dyno testing, and they've already seen torque ratings of over 800 pound-feet at just 3,200 rpm. The challenge at the moment, per Engine Labs, is keeping air and fuel flowing into the engine. At the moment, a single 1,300-cfm carb supplies the induction needed, but the team is planning to move to an electronic fuel injection system.
Builder Gavin believes the epic engine is capable of some delightfully extreme figures. Standard pleasure cruising could be done with power output in the 1,400-horsepower range. Add in a pair of turbos and the figure could be pumped up to 2,400 horsepower in top performance cars. Those numbers come with using standard 87 octane, mind you. Push the boost up to 50 psi, swap in racing fuel, and now we're potentially dealing with 5,000 horsepower. Would future high performance sports cars reach those numbers ?
We can't wait until someone tries to put this engine in some amazing sports cars... seriously, if you're going to do that, please call us so we can have cameras rolling when you press the throttle for the first time. This engine is still, too powerful for even the top sports cars to handle.
