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Anatomy : Rotors
Written by Wesley Mahler   
24.11.2005

Rotor Anatomy

All rotors are triangular shaped like the rotors pictured below.  There are many different types of rotors, theses rotors picture ones from a older generation RX-7.  The rotors are squished between the side housings, and move in planetary motion inside the rotor housings.  If you look closely, none of the rotor actually touches the the housings, or side housings.  In order to create a seal, there are seals that instead press against the other parts. There are apex seals, corner seals, and side seals in this rotor example. Underneath each seal is a spring, and the spring pushes the seals against the housings, and side housings creating the working chambers. Without the seals there would be no compression in the motor.

The oil seals hold the oil inside the eccentric shaft bearings, and the balance corrections are there to make sure the rotors are well balanced.  An unbalanced rotor would result in a very awkward running engine, and be very inefficient.  The internal gears mesh with the stationary gears, and the rotor bearings surround the eccentric shaft.  The face is where the intake, compression, ignition, and exhaust takes place and the combustion chamber recess is where it stores the energy, and release it.  Overall, theses rotors are quite heavy.

Performance engines sometimes will lighten the rotor, a very costly modification.

Typically they remove material from the sides of the rotors, thus making them spin faster.  As far as side, the rotors picture are 13B rotors, the 12A rotors are skinner, and the 10A rotors are skinner again.  The 20B rotors and the RENESIS rotors are the same width as the 13B rotors.
Last Updated ( 15.10.2006 )