Message-ID: <3FF5A488.BA619A8@mitchellair.com>
Date: Fri, 02 Jan 2004 11:04:08 -0600
From: Doug Raupp <dougr@mitchellair.com>
Reply-To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: FIRST ENGINE START
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In a message dated 12/31/2003 6:56:18 PM Central Standard Time, 
sladerj@bellsouth.net writes:

<< Lynn,
 Since you're in a talkative mood....
 I'm almost ready to fire up my 13B for the first time. It was rebuilt
and
 internally greased to keep it good. For the past 4 years it's been on
my
 patio exposed to the Florida humidity with the holes plugged.... most
of the
 time. It makes a nice sucking & blowing sound when turned by hand.
 
 >  Be sure to establish that there is oil pressure. Then coolant
 > flow.
 
 Anything else you'd suggest before the first run? Flush out the oil /
water
 galleries? What with? How do you check that there's coolant flow?
remove a
 hose? >>

Remove the plugs. Take off the oil filter. Pour oil into the outer hole
in 
the filter adapter. The hole where the oil leaves the adapter and enters
the 
filter. Oil flow direction is outside in. When the oil stacks up and it
won't 
take any more, turn the engine over backwards. Eventually this will
prime the 
pump. Let it sit for a while and do the same thing again. Look into the
exhaust 
ports and push in on each apex seal to be sure none are stuck in the
rotor. 
Turning the engine backwards and keeping the adapter full of oil. Now
pour some 
oil into the center hole of the adapter. This hole takes filtered oil to
all of 
the bearings.  

Check the oil level in the sump. Spin the engine with the starter for 2 
seconds while watching the filter adapter. Oil should gush out of the
outer hole. 
Once this happens, fill a new filter full of oil. Pile wadded up paper
towels 
up around the filter adapter. Put oil on the filter gasket. Invert the
filter 
and quickly screw it into place. 
Clean up the spilled oil.  

Disconnect the oil pressure sender line at the gage. Spin the engine
with the 
starter until oil squirts from the sender line. Reconnect the oil
pressure 
gage.

Now the pump should be primed and some oil from the inverted filter is 
charging the upper oil passages. Spin the engine with the starter. Be
sure to have 
the ignition system disabled. Some can be damaged without a plug to
fire. Watch 
the oil pressure gage. Oil pressure will come in fits and starts as air
is 
forced through the bearings. Then after a few seconds of cranking
pressure 
should come up to 25 to 35 pounds.

 Let the starter rest a bit and do it again. Soon oil pressure will come
up 
right after the starter turns it over. Adjust the throttle system to
fully 
closed butterflies. Make sure both return springs are fully functional.
Hook up 
the header and the ignition. Put the plugs back in. 

Squirt in some fuel from your specially marked oil can. Turn on the
ignition 
(timed at 20 degrees BTDC total). Keep your hand on some part of the
ignition 
system, a switch, a wire that can be pulled off, whatever. Should
anything go 
wrong, turn it off. 

Crank it up. There will be some smoke from the preservative. It may be
much 
louder than you expected. First, check for oil pressure. Then hold your
hand on 
the water out let on top that goes to the radiator. It should start to
warm 
up within 60 seconds of starting. If not shut it down and let some more
air out 
of the upper engine. The high mounted pump is bad about loosing a prime
if 
any air goes by. You need oil pressure first. Then coolant flow second.
Have a 
test oil pressure gage where you can see it or have an informed helper
watch 
that gage.  Run it for one minute Shut it down and dance around the
room. Look 
in a mirror. See the big grin? Have a beer. 

Check for oil and coolant leaks.

Run it for two minutes checking as above. Put a fan in front of the
radiator 
and run it for an hour. With lots of ventilation. That should do it. If
that 
engine was fresh, 2 hours at fast idle, about 2000 RPM is enough break
in. Move 
timing to whatever the engine builder likes. Change the oil. 

Lynn E. Hanover   

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