wankel engine - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

fr0st · 12-08-2005, 10:55 AM

ever seen a ol' acrtic cat with a wankel engine in it?

anybody seen this before? i'ves seen the rotary engine that goes in one but not the sled... what year is it?

didn't seem to be very reliable... not like mazdas' anyway.

Fr0st

**smallengineguy** · 12-08-2005, 01:43 PM

I think they were in the 73 Panther.

steve03052 · 12-08-2005, 02:02 PM

Here's a pretty good list: Wankel Snowmobiles

I've never seen one running. I understand that when the shaft seals go you're all done. The parts haven't been made for 30 years, no posible replacement.

upersleder · 12-09-2005, 12:13 AM

my friend had one, ran good till it died, then junked it.

jimmyv13 · 12-09-2005, 11:09 AM

I have been a rotary fan for about 15 years. Not with sleds though, I've had at least one wankel powered RX-7 since I turned 16. I feel much more comfortable working on rotaries than piston engines. I had to teach myself how to work on them because I couldn't afford to send it to a shop.

I woludn't mind getting a rotary powered sled, just to have one. I wonder how they keep them quiet because rotary exhaust pulses are REALLY loud.

upersleder · 12-17-2005, 02:22 PM

http://www.monito.com/wankel/snow.html

skidoo_magoo · 12-17-2005, 02:49 PM

RX-7's are pretty sweet. not a huge fan of the RX-8's though.

bet theyd be pretty good in a sled though. less moving parts and quite a bit smaller.

jimmyv13 · 12-18-2005, 12:28 AM

Yeah, most of the beloved RX-7 owners that I know don't care too much for the 8. It's horribly underpowered, but looks pretty good.

skidoo_magoo · 12-18-2005, 10:25 AM

yeah i liked it quite a bit till i saw some numbers. 248 hp. i also think the RX-7 looks better. they can sound a bit obnoxious, but theyre cool.

so did that engine have problems in a sled? i think i heard it overheated. wonder why they dont use them anymore at all...

BangerBoxoff · 12-18-2005, 03:57 PM

interesting site

Arctic Cat, the snowmobile manufacturer also had a lawnmower as a novelty item in 1973. It was the "Grass Cat" with an NSU 4 hp rotary engine.

Bimskala87 · 01-03-2006, 02:03 PM

I have a 72 arctic cat panther with the 303 wankel, pretty decent engine, has a slight problem right now, hoping to get it fixed. The exhaust really isn't that loud. Not a bad little sled really. Just needs a little bit of work. Went about 40-45 when it was running good. And that was in a short stretch.

b00stingsx · 01-06-2006, 12:28 PM

Anyone have engine pictures of the sled? I am totally into rotarys, had a 86 rx7, funnest car I ever owned!!! ^^ the link up there didnt work for me, anyone know more details about this snowmobile engine?? 1 or 2 rotor?

Big Schott · 01-29-2006, 11:38 AM

OK Wankel guys... My dad got into the Wankels in the late 80's and happened to tavel for a living in Minnesota. In his quest He was able to find a 1972 Panther (we still have and run it quite offen) a 1969 Lynx (sold to my cousin, still runs good) and was able to find 8 engines form 2 dealers in the Brainard MN area. We rebuilt 3 of them and they all still run.

But that is not all one of the dealers fould LOTS of old parts in the atick and sold them to him as a "bushel basket". Lots of inner rings new in the pack, a few parts like the intake elbow and a coupel clutches and pieces parts. The best was yet to come in the boxes that he opened he fould a new muffler , a new engin mount and ........... A never fired 303 Wankel! Thats right a Brand new 303 Wankel that has never been ran. It has the original caps over the intake and exhaust and is clean.

I'll get some pictures for you and post them in the future.

skidoo_magoo · 01-29-2006, 12:57 PM

they were single i believe...

i heard they had some overheating issues but ran ok. so why stop making them?

Big Schott · 01-29-2006, 02:15 PM

They were single rotors in the 303 and also in the 1974 version (I think it was a 295 and had electric start).

Carbon killed the Wankel. The carbn builds up and scratches up the side plates and you loose compresio.. We have honed them 20 thousandths (I think that was what we took off) but this can only happen onece or twice.
With the new additives that you can get you can take care of the carbon and the engine should run good.

The engine does run HOT they have a Fan that is the size of the engine that blows air through. At night the Muffler glows cherry red and keep you feet nice and warm even in the Below zero temps.

PS. If you have never heard a Wankel at low RPM they are fun to here.

**RJ Gleason** · 01-30-2006, 12:09 PM

SHOW US THE PICS>