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Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:37:43 -0500
From: Ernest Christley <echristley@att.net>
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To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Ceramic Apex Seals....curiosity RE ceramin/carbon/steelst
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Chris Barber wrote:
> Since I am likely about to replace my apex seals, at least in my rear 
> rotor, I was surfing around the net looking at options regarding apex 
> seals, O-rings, gaskets etc.  The reality is, I will probably use 
> Tracy's seals, however, while on Mazdatrix looking at stuff, I once 
> again noticed the ceramic apex seals available there and their $300.00 
> price for EACH one, thus costing $1800.00 for a set. YIKES.  I am pretty 
> certain we have all looked at these and wondered about them.  Personally 
> I pretty much dismissed them as not enough of a balance for what ya 
> get.  Then I realized that I am not really certain what that $1800 buys.
> 
>  

The argument I've heard for the ceramic seals is that they are nicer to the chrome surface of the rotor housing.  My 
answer to that is at 100hrs/yr, how long do you seriously expect to run the engine before a teardown?  Ten years will be 
1,000 hrs, and the cheap seals have proven to be more than adequate for that.  Do you really want to run for more than 
10yrs without cracking the image open?