Is this normal? Or did I mess up some part of the assembly process that leads to so much drag with only rotors and shaft being turned (no accessories installed yet)? 
 
  Any suggestions would be welcome (but I hope I don't have to disassemble the whole thing again!) 
 
Phil 20B to install in an RV-10 in IL 
 

I hate to say this but, I would take it apart.

 

The corner pieces sometimes fail the super glue before you get the iron on the rotor housing, and they end up in the damnedest places. Also, the side seals like to raise up on one end or the other if just touched while moving the iron into place.

 

The oil scrapers make most of the drag, and must be deep seated into the grooves before assembly. They will raise up anyway but once they have been seated they will reseat during assembly. Use plenty of oil.

 

The drive springs for those are handed and one kind goes on the rotor front of each rotor, and the other goes on the rotor back of each rotor. When new they have paint dots to indicate front or back.

 

This is so the spring drives the scraper around the circle. Otherwise, the scraper will slowly turn backwards and wear out the "O" rings and the spring. I have to think about that each time. I have never seen the assembly tape, so I don't know how deep he goes on that. I mark the direction of rotation on each rotor, to help my feeble mind. One end of the spring is rounded and fits in a drilled hole in the rotor. The other end is square and fits into a notch on the back of the scraper ring.

 

I have an old apex seal sharpened just at the very end, to align the down corner seal before inserting the apex seal and glued on corner piece. 

 

Assemble the crank nose and thrust assembly with the crank straight up. Build up the stack of pieces on the crank nose and torque them up. Then check end thrust. .0015" to .003" or whatever your book says.

 

While the front pulley is in place, turn the engine over three times, to be sure you can, and to be sure that no pieces got loose. The starter motor will not stop turning when it feels an apex seal corner get trapped.

 

Once you have this done and all feels well. Support the crank with an adjustable strut. Just shove up on the flywheel end of the crank. Take a strain on it. Now remove the front pulley bolt and pulley, and reassemble the front cover. This is to be sure that the crank does not slip to the rear and pull the thrust spacer out of the front thrust bearing while the bolt is out.

 

Once assembly is complete and the front pulley bolt is torqued, check the end play again. Turn the engine over three times. That should be it............

 

Mount the engine. Fill the oil galleries. Fill the filter. Fill the pan. Spin the engine with the plugs out and ignition off until you get oil pressure. You did pack the oil pump with bearing grease right? Recheck the oil supply in the pan. Connect the coolant system. Remove all of the air from the engine. Start the engine.

Run for 15 seconds at fast idle, watch for oil pressure. Shut down and check for air in the coolant.

I do it 4 times. It always has more air. Then 30 seconds twice checking for air and oil leaks.

 

Giggle like a 10 year old girl. Have a beer.

 

 

Lynn E. Hanover