brrp...brrp...brrp

JDT · Post by **JDT** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:10 pm

I just torn down a km-914 this afternoon. Cleaned it all up and installed a new set of apex seals.

What a neat engine these are. And the German machining is wonduhbar.

Some day I may put one in a Deere just because I love the sound.

EricR · Post by **EricR** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:14 pm

Oh I think that sound is neat too- rode a '70 303 wankle Panther a lot that belonged to some freinds when I was a kid. Hated starting that thing when hot though!

Liquifire 4/6 · Post by **Liquifire 4/6** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:40 am

Todd, those wankels are the neatest engines I've ever seen. I haven't had much to do with the 303 model 914, but I had a Skiroule RTW with the newer 295 rotary a few years ago. It certainly had a unique sound.....and the torque was phenomenal right from the lowest RPM's (even though I heard people say they had little power down low). Gotta tell you a little embarressing story about that mill. The sled was in real rough condition, so after riding it one season, I decided to pull the engine out since it was the only good part left on the sled. Having removed all the mounting bolts and disconnecting the wiring and exhaust, I leaned over the engine and grabbed it as I would any other mill.....yanking it upward with all my might (because engines are heavy, ya know). Turns out it was way way lighter than it looked like it could possibly be........Up it came, right into the base of my chin...and wouldn't you know it, I had it timed to coincide with my tongue hanging out of my mouth. Well, I dang near ended up cutting my tongue off when the my teeth were trust upward against it. I weighed it afterward (the engine, not my tongue) and with the carb removed, the entire mill was only a hair over 16 kg. Absolutely amazing engineering. I wish they still made them.

JDT · Post by **JDT** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:22 am

I had a 73 RTW myself a few years back. It was in very nice shape. I sold it to Dan Pickenpough and it is sitting in his Vintage Snowmobile Museum in CO.

I have several Wankle Powered sleds, most of them are Cats. One that I do not have is a Polaris so I am always looking for one.

My experience with the rotary engines is that they either start on the first pull or the twenty first pull. The 295 version addresses some of the fuel delivery problems seen on the 303. It also actually has more HP than the 303 but slightly less torque. But both will suprise most riders with their performance.

This engine is out of my 69 Scorpion Mark I. It had one damaged seal and was a little weak.

But the engines are so simple. One moving part, no gaskets(the machining is perfection), two bearings and very lttle weight.

The big brother to the 303 is the 505 which was used in the OMC models. That put out 45 HP and moved the overweight widetracks to 60 MPH is time was not as issue.

But I still love the sound... at idle or WOT.