Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #63782
From: Todd Archer archerwt@gmail.com <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Rotary engine did not start -
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:22:20 -0900
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Sounds like you got it sorted, Dennis.  I would imagine you are good to go.

A standard shutdown practice for injected RX7s (FCs: leaky injectors common) is to goose the engine the instant before turning off ignition.   With the ignition off and the engine at =>3k, keep your foot to the floor.  This ingests a bunch of air without the fuel.  Minimizes the build-up of raw fuel for the next start.  Pretty much the same as the standard lean-cutoff shutdown in carbureted aircraft engines.

Todd Archer


On 11/29/2017 5:04 PM, Clouduster clouduster@austin.rr.com wrote:

 

I had a no-start of my RX-8 in my RV-7A about three weeks ago.  I had rebuilt the engine starter and after re-installing it, I started the engine 3 times to make sure the starter was performing properly.  Everything was OK.  I got in the airplane 2 days later and the engine turned over but  did not start.  I ran the P 680 battery down trying to start it.  I discovered I had NO compression on any of the 6 rotor faces!  I checked the ignition, injectors and cleaned the plugs.  I also squirted some fuel into the spark plug holes to try to get it to fire.  I finally squirted 2 stroke oil into each rotor face using the prop to rotate the engine.  I sprayed  2 to 3 squirts per rotor face using a hand oil  dispenser.  The engine fired several times but did not start on the first try – I let it sit 3 hours and tried again.  It started and after about 10 seconds it ran smoothly.  It filled the hanger with smoke burning  the oil!

 

I figure I must have left some unburned gasoline in the engine when I tested the starter and this washed most of  the oil out of the seals while sitting a couple of days. Hence no compression.  This is only a guess -

 

I ran it on the ground several times and have flown it about 5 hours  – everything appears back to normal!

 

PS – I don’t ever measure the rotor’s compression.  I only turn the prop thur by hand – compression is back to  normal.

 

Dennis Haverlah

RX-8 in RV-7A

About 800 hours

 

 

 

 


Subscribe (FEED) Subscribe (DIGEST) Subscribe (INDEX) Unsubscribe Mail to Listmaster