It was 1991 when Mazda won the 24 hours of Le Mans with their famed C787B race car which was powered by a four rotor version of the company’s rotary engine called the 13J (also built as the 26B). Instantly, rotary engine fans everywhere wanted a four rotor mill. It was never made as a production line engine but over the years people have gotten creative and stacked the rotors in about every form you can think of, building their own and even larger versions. This being said, using factory parts has it drawbacks and this video goes over those drawbacks and shows an-all billet version of the engine going together. Sure it looks like an overgrown blower, but this is actually a big horsepower maker.
Filmed in Australia where the rotary engine has a really strong following (chased only by the USA on this front) we are at the Promaz engine building shop to see how they assemble one of these and to learn some of the tricks of the trade as well as some of the inner workings of these amazing billet parts.
You are looking at probably $45,000 worth of engine before it has even been completed here. These things with boost can produce 1,500+ horsepower so it’s not like there isn’t payoff but it’s big money for a very specific way of making horsepower.
Watch the build and appreciate the engineering!
Press play below to see an all-billet four rotor engine get bolted together –
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