Solving the Utterly Useless Fuel Economy Issue in the Mazda RX8
An interesting blog & article on an amazing body and suspension. I’d own one now if I had the plan to make improvements. Perhaps one day.. Here are some clips from the post and the link so enjoy:
35 MPG RX8 by Paul Lamar
This is a method of downsizing the rotary engine for highway cruising. Right now the RX8 engine is running at about 3250 RPM at 65 MPH and getting 25 MPG. My guess it is using about 30 HP to go 65 MPH. That would be a fuel burn of around 2.6 gallons an hour or 15.6 pounds per hour or a BSFC of around .52. BSFC is defined as the number of pounds of fuel burned for every HP generated in one hour. Here is a very old BSFC map from a NSU Wankel rotary engine. No doubt the RX8 engine BSFC is considerable improved over this engine never the less the basic principles still apply. I don’t have a corresponding map for the RX8 engine in case you were wondering.
A turbo compound rotary could achieve a BSFC of about .38. Turbo compound engines use small turbines extracting HP from the 50% waste energy in a gallon of gas and feeding it back into the output shaft. A well known technology from the 1950’s used in airliner piston engines. One of the problems with these A/C engines was the failure of an exhaust valve would take out the turbine. Needless to say the rotary has no exhaust valves. The 8 HP turbine would be geared down by at least ten to one. Working backwards a BSFC of .38 would be a fuel burn for 30 HP of 11.4 pounds per hour or 1.9 gallons per hour or a MPG of 34.2 MPG at 65 MPH.
To say AMSOIL founder Al Amatuzio leaves behind a legacy is an understatement. He created the first synthetic motor oil in the world to meet American Petroleum Institute (API) service requirements, fathered a beautiful family, built an AMSOIL family of dedicated employees and independent Dealers, and supported numerous causes through his philanthropic ways.
Al loved the Duluth/Superior community. He grew up here and built his life within this close-knit community. Despite numerous offers to relocate the AMSOIL business out of this community, Al remained loyal to his roots.
While Al had many passions, he held a few near and dear to his heart. We’d like to share them with you here.
AMSOIL Northland Law Enforcement K-9 Foundation
Al always had a special place in his heart for dogs and was particularly fond of German Shepards, which are a fixture in many police departments. The Northland K-9 Foundation was created to support the law enforcement K-9 programs of the Duluth, Hermantown, Minn., and Superior Police Departments, and the Douglas and St. Louis County Sheriff’s Offices. “He would tell us if we needed a dog to call him,” said Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken. “He would outright pay for them, and it was multiple dogs. He was a great man and tremendous benefactor to this community.”
Animal Allies
Animal Allies Humane Society strives to ensure a lifetime of loving care for every pet by reducing overpopulation, increasing adoption and fostering humane values. They are guided by a humane ethic to build communities that universally value animals, understand their needs and take action to meet them.
Animal Allies presented this photo to Al as a token of their appreciation, and it proudly hangs above one of our drinking fountains at the Corporate Office here in Superior.
Douglas County Humane Society
The Douglas County Humane Society is dedicated to preventing cruelty to animals, relieving suffering among animals and promoting humane education. The Society provides shelter, medical care and adoption services to abandoned, lost and misplaced animals. They provide services for approximately 1,000 animals each year from the City of Superior and Douglas County.
Boys & Girls Club
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northland is dedicated to ensuring that our community’s youth have greater access to quality programs and services that empower their lives and build great futures. Their mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center
Located in the Duluth Depot, the Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center chronicles local service history dating back to the Civil War. This research center includes photographs, journals, stories and biographies of veterans from northeastern Minnesota who served this nation from the Civil War through Iraq and Afghanistan.
Al began to build his legacy as a proud member of both the Merchant Marine and the U.S. Air Force. He served 25 years as a fighter pilot and squadron commander with the Air National Guard out of Duluth, Minn. Al, nicknamed “Ammo” by his fellow pilots, was twice honored as our nation’s top pilot.
The passion behind Al’s philanthropic history will live on in the Twin Ports and in the hearts of everyone whose life he changed.
