Listen to Lynn,
I once left my rotary sit for approx six
weeks as I converted over to Tracy Crooks Ec2. The oil had been washed
out of the engine by the failure of my HALTECH aftermarket EFI which failed
with the injectors fully open. Gasoline poured out exhaust pipes. I
had the intake manifold off for some modifications – in any case, when I
attempted to start the engine with my new EC2 – there was NO compression,
Nada! I spent a week poking through the exhaust port to loosen five of
the six seals – but, nothing would cause the sixth one to budge.
Had to take the engine off and tear it down and even then broke the sixth seal
trying to take it out.
Apparently with the six weeks of humid
summer weather and little/no oil on the seals – a light coat of oxidation
formed and caused the seals to stick.
I now go out and start my engine about
every 2-3 weeks. If a longer period I pour some light oil down the spark
plug hole and rotate the engine by hand a couple of times.
Lynn knows
of what he speaks as I can personally attest.
Ed
From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net]
On Behalf Of Lynn Hanover
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008
9:19 PM
To: Rotary
motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Activity
Jerry, things are real quiet on your part, how is your
project coming?? We do miss your activity like when you where on the
Tailwind Activities. My project is receiving the finishing touches and
will be ready to go when the snow clears in the spring. It is looking
like I don't have enough prop (68 x 72) on the Rotary, will need to get it out
of the garage after the new year and run it some more with the tach that Bob
White put together for me. Farmer John
The rotary has ports open to the outside all of the
time. Humid air can enter the engine as it goes through heating and cooling
each day. In a barn, in a hanger, even a heated shop. I use motor oil in the
intake and turn over the engine a complete cycle, (three crank
revolutions) and tape the exhaust pipe shut. Turn over three revs monthly when
out of service.
More of them have died sitting still than running.