ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH PILOT SUBCHAMBER AND IGNITION ELEMENT

A rotary engine includes an insert having a pilot subchamber defined therein and communicating with the internal cavity of the engine. A pilot fuel injector has a tip in communication with the pilot subchamber. An ignition element extends into an element cavity defined through the insert adjacent the pilot subchamber. The element cavity is in communication with the pilot subchamber through a communication opening defined in the insert between the element cavity and the pilot subchamber. The communication opening is smaller than a portion of the ignition element adjacent the communication opening such as to prevent the portion of the ignition element from completely passing through the communication opening upon breaking off of the portion of the ignition element from a remainder of the ignition element. An outer body for a rotary engine and a method of combusting fuel in a rotary engine are also provided.