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Subject: Engine Not Starting
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 11:53:49 -0500
Message-ID: <15839C662A43B844B6E393DBFEAA90BF0265C877@dalexc101p.prod.fdic.gov>
Thread-Topic: Engine Not Starting
Thread-Index: AcVsUkYG3LPKIlJAS8uterubwB+zWQD4If3A
From: "Rogers, Bob J." <BRogers@FDIC.gov>
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>

I would like to share my recent experience of not being to start my
Mazda 13B rotary engine and the solution.

I am building a Mustang II kitplane, powered by a 1987 Mazda Turbo
Engine.  The engine was rebuilt by me and installed on the airframe
several months ago.  It has an aftermarket 60-1 Turbo from Turbonetics.
The ignition and fuel controller, as well as the propeller reduction
unit, are from Tracy Crook's Real World Solutions.  My first engine
start was several months ago and I have started the engine and run it at
idle and up to 2,500 rpm for up to 20 minutes at a time (all on the
ground) on numerous occasions.  The engine has been starting and running
very nicely.  The radiator and oil cooler seem to be working very well
even without any air flowing over them, because the engine does not
overheat on the ground for quite some time (up to 20 minutes).  I do not
have a thermostat in the water cooling system, but the oil cooler
thermostat is still in place.  I have not attached my propeller yet.

About a month ago, I had some trouble starting the engine and it may
have gotten flooded. From that time until this last weekend, I could not
get the engine to start.  I removed the plugs, wiped them off and dried
them, and cranked the engine to blow out all excess fuel.  The plugs
were practically new with only a few hours of ground running on them.
They are very clean looking, but with some black around the ceramic
portion deep within the plug.  Each plug fired when tested outside of
the engine.  These are stock NGK plugs as specified for the engine.

I tested each and every component of the engine electrical and fuel
system and found everything to be working properly.  I put in new fuel,
checked the injectors for leaks and proper firing and confirmed that I
was getting 40 psi fuel pressure to the injectors.  Timing was checked
and re-set.  The engine still would not start.  I could not even get one
little ignition event.  Battery was fully charged and I used a jumper
cable from my car as a booster.  Cranking speed was at its maximum.
Compression was 85 - 90 psi for each rotor face.

In frustration, I e-mailed Tracy Crook, who suggested that I try starter
fluid and NEW plugs after I cranked the engine with plugs out to remove
any excess fuel.  The starter fluid did no good when I tried the process
with my original (really clean looking and dry) plugs.

However, when I took Tracy's advice and put in NEW plugs, the engine
started immediately and ran perfectly.  I do not understand how a
flooded engine can make the plugs incapable of firing in the engine when
they fire just fine outside of the engine, especially when all of the
excess fuel has been blown out of the engine by cranking with the plugs
out.  Maybe someone on the list can explain how this can happen.  It is
a mystery to me.

The lessons I learned are:

1.  	Listen to what Tracy says.  He knows what he is talking about.

2.	When you flood your engine and cannot get it to start again
after trying all the usual tricks, go ahead and spend a few extra bucks
for a NEW set of plugs.  For some reason, the new plugs make all the
difference.

3.	Always stop the engine by turning off the fuel pump, so that
there is no fuel pressure in the line.  Otherwise, unburned fuel may
leak from the still pressurized injectors into the rotors and increase
the chances of hard starting or flooding the next time you try to start
the engine.