Lubricant and Fuel Requirements and General Performance Data of Wankel Rotary Piston Engines

This paper presents a discussion of the requirements and performance data of the relatively recently manufactured rotary piston (RP) engine. In comparison with the older reciprocating piston engine, the lower octane requirements, lower NO_x emission, and lower space and weight requirements are assets of the RP engine. Oil requirements and the wear problem are investigated; the RP engine has performed satisfactorily with conventional engine oils developed for reciprocating engines, and the wear problem is largely solved. In order to prevent premature engine damage or failure, the pre-ignition susceptibility of the RP engine must be reduced; possible solutions presented are: low content of ash precursors in the lubricant, selection of optimum base oil components, and design modifications.