155: Building The Worlds Best Sounding 5 Rotor

David Mazzei may well have the best-sounding turbocharged rotary on the planet, but how he chased down that elusive F1 V10 sound with this masterpiece of an engine is somewhat unexpected. Rotary engines are often labelled as temperamental and unreliable, but David Mazzei of Mazzei Formula believes the opposite. In his view, rotaries can be among the most reliable engines when properly understood. 👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: In this episode of Tuned In , David shares his journey from a childhood fascination with technology and cars to becoming a rotary engine expert. He discusses the challenges and rewards of owning and daily-driving his first RX-7. We dive deep into rotary tuning, starting with the fundamentals—air-fuel ratios, exhaust gas temperatures, and the critical relationship between ignition timing and engine reliability. David also shares his views on engine building, apex seals, and porting, and explains why rotaries deserve a far better reputation than they’ve been given. We explore the evolution of his five-rotor engine, what it took to bring such an ambitious project to life, and the challenges of building something this complex. David breaks down the science behind its unforgettable sound and reveals how his background in music helped him dial in and replicate the pitch of an F1 V10. David’s passion for the rotary engine is undeniable. He’s a wealth of knowledge, and what he’s achieved with his MF5 Superlite is nothing short of extraordinary. If you have even a passing interest in rotary engines, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. 👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: Follow David here: Instagram: mazzei_formula Youtube: mazzeiformula Facebook: David Zachary Mazzei Timestamps: 0:00 Building The Worlds Best Sounding 5 rotor 4:11 How did you become interested in cars? 17:20 How did daily driving your first RX7 at 17 go? 21:55 Rotary reliability 29:16 How did you learn to tune? 37:24 Can you explain the different rotary engine ports? 40:15 Driveability with modern ECU’s on a bridge port or peripheral port? 46:15 EGT’s on rotary engines 55:15 Air fuel ratios and timing on rotary engines 1:06:05 Can you explain rotary split? 1:12:33 How did the 5 rotor project develop? 1:23:17 Is the turbo charger irrelevant to the sound of the engine? 1:30:30 How do we go about building a 5 rotor? 1:38:23 Billet vs factory cast blocks 1:42:46 What’s your opinion on apex seals? 1:46:25 Should we be running premix in our rotary’s? 1:53:37 How important is injector timing? 1:57:25 Final 3 Questions

You can listen to 155: Building The Worlds Best Sounding 5 Rotor online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

155: Building The Worlds Best Sounding 5 Rotor is an episode from Tuned In by High Performance Academy.

This episode is 125:26 long.

This episode was published on Feb 11, 2026.

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