It is ok for your rotary engine to consume oil.

[Glenn Butcher]

Hi all,

Thought I would put this in as a sticky thread - as there are always many questions asked about oil consumption in a rotary engine.

The rotary engine burns a small amount of sump oil as a part of the engines normal function.

This oil comes from the sump, and is injected directly into the combustion chambers to help lubricate the apex seals, which also helps with compression.

Oil consumption varys from RX to RX depending on how old the engine is, how it is driven etc.

A general rule is around 1 litre per 1000miles. But if you are doing track days, it is possible to use 2-3 litres for a day session.

Always keep the oil level near full, again if you corner hard and the oil is low it can potentially move away from the oil pick-up in extreme cases.

[normski]

:( , I don't know what everyone else thinks, but, for a relatively standard twin rotor, 1ltr per 1000 miles is too high. My thing was putting, over 400BHP out, on a good engine, ( till I killed it), Anyway, every 3000, I don't think I put a 1ltr in it, about half that, if any.


Look for leaks, try the old paper trick under the car. look for blue smoke after she worms up and your driving it, They always kick out a bit of blue on start up, thats normal, but excesive amounts after she is worm, Opppps! problems. Also does she start first or second time, or is hard to start. Often, if it's hard to start it's good sign the engine is getting very old and need some hart work.:wave

[MikeLMR]

if you are driving hard 1 litre/ thousand is not unlikely. Remember it is meant to be burnt and the oil pump is controlled either by the ecu or by the throttle position depending on the age of the car.

Some of the newish VW engines nearly use this much without oil injection :rollin

[Bobfish]

okay, mine uses WAYYYY more than 1 litre per 100 miles...more like 1 litre per 400 miles i think...

not had chance to properly check, i will do soon though you guys have got me worried

[Rotary_Menace]

1 liter per 1000 Bobfish

okay, mine uses WAYYYY more than 1 litre per 100 miles...more like 1 litre per 400 miles i think...

not had chance to properly check, i will do soon though you guys have got me worried

[Prof]

so does mine bobfish - but there are no leaks except possibly my old turbo - I drive it quite hard - but the oil always looks ok - no dowel leaks that I can see.

One thing to check - is the oil filter - sometimes these don't seat too well and can leak around there.

[Spectre26]

WOW, didnt realise how much mazda had cracked down on the oil consumption till i read this sticky...

On my last trip to the UK in july i hit over 2000 miles in my RX8 in just 10 days. I had to top my oil up of cause but the liter bottle of oil i keep in my boot wasnt even empty at the end of my stay!!!

So to be conservative i would say 2000 miles per liter!

But to be honest i did drive my 8 like a loon, due to deprevation of a good car for the past 3 mths of my life. My fuel bill hit close to 300pounds. So maybe the key to low fuel burn is to dive it like u stole it! :p