Reliability won't be an issue if you (1) maintain clean oil, (2) change oil filter often, (3) keep the boost down < 24 lbs.
Boost isn't really the issue, it's the tune and heat management. You can pop a turbocharged rotary pretty easy, regardess of the boost. My expererience is that anytime you force feed something, you are more likely, albeit not guaranteed, to encounter more problems.
On readily available pump gas in CA which is 91 octane, 17psi is starting to push the limits of the octane rating with rotaries. I've run water and methanol injection systems before and have run up to 22 psi with 91 octane. Probably could have gone higher but I get scared
The capacity of the SL-C with all the additional bodywork vs. a sandrail to cool a high hp turbocharged rotary is a bit more limited I imagine.
I ran a wankel 20B 325 rwhp 20 lbs boost in a 1,600 lb sandrail for 5 years, no issues. Then built another wankel 20B 480 rwhp with 28 lbs boost, wow!!
Those numbers are very, very low for the amount of boost you are running, even for a 13b. Heck, I made a tick over 430 rwhp @ 16 psi on my 13bt. Those power figures might make sense if you were running the 20b's stock twin turbos with stock ports. In comparison, with a mild street port and a GT42 on a 20b, at 15-17 psi people are making 550 - 600 rwhp.
FWIW, I do not spend the extra money on ceramic rotor seals. The argument there is if your running hard enough to fry the standard seals then it's minimal more that the ceramic seal will withstand. But when the ceramic seals give then you will more than likely tear up the rotors along with it. Not so with the standard seals.
Too late!
I've only run NRS ceramic seals in all of my rotaries since 2000 and they're already in the engine. I've popped engines with them and swear they have saved me from popping engines in other cases. As far as them tearing everything up in their path (or not) in the event of a failure.
I've experienced both cases:
RX7Club.com - View Single Post - NRS Rotorsports ceramic seal test results
RX7Club.com - View Single Post - NRS Rotorsports ceramic seal test results
And here is the whole thread in case you have several hours to kill:
NRS Rotorsports ceramic seal test results - RX7Club.com
I've never believed they are "bulletproof" but there are many other adavanteges to them over stock seals. Less wear, better sealing, no floating, reusable and more. Now, NRS even offers ceramic corner seals and they will go in the engine next time it is apart...just because
Funny thing is, when I first got involve with rotories I was told how unreliable they were.
Like I said, it's all in the tune.
As long as you don't overheat them, naturally aspirated rotaries are arguably one of the most reliable engines out there. Than again, I am a rotard as my LSx friends like to call me/us.
So I had my engine builder build two "long blocks", so to speak, one for a spare. Guess what, that spare has been in storage with shrink wrap for the last 5 years! (Probably won't even find it now)
If I find it for you
, can I keep it?
Finders keepers, right!
For reference, 15 psi and 18-19 psi, respectively:
