Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: flyrotary@lancaironline.net
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 17:21:45 -0500
Message-ID: <redirect-2997752@logan.com>
From: Dale Rogers <rogersda@cox.net>
Subject: [FlyRotary] My "new" engine
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Hi All,

   Well, I got my "new" engine cleaned off, and I've begun to 
disassemble it.  I got a bit of a surprise after I washed off the 
engine-degreaser softened layer of dirt.  The engine had been in 
a fire.  Good thing I only paid $200.  Still, it doesn't look 
like the fire was very widespread or last very long.  Most of the 
damage is localized around the throttle body.  One thing I missed 
during my original inspection (besides the signs of a fire) was 
that the secondary injectors had been removed and plastics plugs 
inserted.  I'd bet those add up to more than $100 (sigh).

   As you may be well aware, I'm a "greenie" about rotaries.  
I've tried to soak up as much knowledge as possible from this 
list and from forums like www.nopistons.com/forums/ , but now 
that I actually have an engine to work on, I'm finding that 
there are a lot of things about it that my Chilton manual simply 
doesn't cover.  So I have a lot of low-level questions.  Perhaps 
y'all can save me some time, and give me a pointer to a really 
comprehensive manual on the 2G engine?  Or maybe, everything I'll 
actually need to know is in Tracy's book, and I can just throw 
away anything I don't see mentioned?  (Tracy, a money order will 
be on it's way Thursday.)

   My immediate concerns are: (1) the engine turned over fairly 
easily for 20-30* of arc just hand-on-belt-pulley; with a wrench 
it went through ~two turns then started binding; guessing that I 
had an apex seal stuck high, I backed it up, squirted WD-40 into 
intake and exhaust and started turning forward again; after 
several iterations of this, I succeeded in getting it to turn 
indefinitely.  Did I do any harm turning it backwards?

(2) I can hear the "whuffs" of compression/release, as I turn 
the eccentric shaft, even if I turn very slowly; but I can't 
*see* anything through the exhaust port that *looks* like a seal.  
I know two mm isn't much, but ... ??

(3) The cause of the engine fire; there is a small amount of soot 
on the inside of the throttle body, but that could have been from 
someone opening it after the fire had started.  How can I play 
detective here, before I've destroyed the evidence by disassembly
/cleaning?

(4) Extent of damage from fire - primary injectors are sooty, but 
no obvious distortion; that's more than I can say about the 
injector connectors, I don't think I can get them off without 
destroying them.  How likely is it that the injectors survived 
the heat?  Will a leak/flow test be adequate to vet them?  
Same-same for the oil injectors; tubing to them is melted away, 
except the last six or so inches above the OMP.


   Not immediate, but I'd like to start working out a solution: 
the induction system - a six-port is going to be more of a 
challenge than I originally thought.  My original plan was to 
keep the stock throttle body and maybe the manifold adapter(?) 
that bolts to the housings.  The adapter is far more complicated 
than anything I've seen on you folks' sites.  Then too, losing 
the barrel valves looks like it will hurt low speed operation 
(a lot?) _unless_ I can isolate them to a secondary throttle 
channel.  Trouble is, the stock throttle works just the opposite 
of what I would have thought, from just looking at the picture - 
the double bore is the primary.  I know, I should only need low 
speed while taxiing and descents; still, I don't want the engine 
sputtering on the ramp.  Over on the canard-aviators list there 
was a long thread about "GIB" fear, and I was thinking that, once 
I get things to the point where we can actually fly together, 
having an engine sputtering just before takeoff would not do 
much good for my spouse's confidence.

   All the alternative TBs I've heard mentioned (except, maybe, 
using Webbers as TBs) are single control.  I suppose I could 
press an old AFB carburator into service as a TB only, but I 
have a feeling that I'll be in for a lot of fun getting things 
like a TPS to work with it.  What have I overlooked here?

   BTW, my "complete" engine (full intake, and exhaust plenum - 
no accessories, like starter or alternator) weighed 235 lbs. on 
m 250 lb. shipping scale.  Does that sound about right (or do 
I need to get my scale recalibrated)?

Thank you all, for the knowledge imparted already,

Dale R.
COZY MkIV-R #1254