ATKINS ROTARY ROTOR THERMAL PELLET DUMMY
Fits 1986-2011 RX7 & RX8 models, doesn't work for RX7s before 1986.
The factory thermal pellet acts like a thermostat for the oil system. When the oil is cold it does not allow full flow to the rotors for cooling, only enough for the bearings. As the oil warms up it allows more & more oil to flow. When this fails, it does so in the cold mode, thus not allowing oil to fully flow to the rotors, which overheats them and causes damage to the oil control rings.
This does not increase oil pressure.
When the factory thermal pellet starts going out the thing clients comment on the most is excessive oil smoke at start up, which tends to go away as the car warms up and the catalytic converter cleans up the exhaust. Some people even notice the oil pressure being slightly lower.
The replacement pellet keeps the engine oil in warm mode so that oil is always flowing to the shaft thus fixing the problem of the faulty factory thermal pellet.