A few days ago, there was a story about a RX-7 flywheel that
"just exploded". Some of the "facts" were just wrong, as I
have never heard of one letting loose "when cruising down the
road".
Yep, the RX-7 & "other guy" were involved in a street drag race.
No one on the street, nor close. Pretty late at night. The
RX-7 had just tach'd well beyond 10,000 rpm when the clutch was
dumped. That make a lot more sense.
Lots of other little errors, too, about the story. Hey, if you
were involved in drag racing in the middle of the night, would YOU
tell the cops "I was dumping the clutch at 10,000 street drag
racing... or Gee, I don't know happened?" Thankfully no one was hurt.
No names on this one. The Eugene paper did "embellish" story
a bit, as did someone even more. Cool fiction to drive a point
home that flywheels will let loose. Mazda's have a double whammy
as they use a LARGE nut on the end of a "crankshaft". And can hit
some very high rev's. I remember when A Rotary Powered GLC managed
to let loose isn't flywheel the same way. Driver and Navigator walked
away with minor burns & lack of hearing (flywheel parts cut fuel line,
the electric's... fire was out as soon as it started...).
Why on earth someone would someone be working on the fuel system, yet
note "change the flywheel" on the invoice is well beyond me. Especially
when he noted "first Rotary I had worked on". The cracks form under the
eccentric nut. No way to "visually" inspect the flywheel bolted up in
the car.
Cheers,
Tom
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