Hi Roger,

A breath of fresh air on the list, someone actually
doing something other
than blowing hot air about FEMA or peer reveiws :>)

I do not understand the spark out of the engine and
possibly none inside
unless the cranking compression is making it harder
to actually arc.
Maybe someone else understands it.

Thanks for sharing an experience!
Bernie Kerr, 40 hours on NA 13B/Vans 9A and down for
some updates and
time away from the hangar

On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 11:53:49 -0500 "Rogers, Bob J."
<BRogers@FDIC.gov>
writes:
> 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
> s 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.
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