flyrotary@lancaironline.net Mailing List Archive

Jim, It was very clear - I put coolant in the system and it drained from the block (from between the two housings where the O ring was pitched - before I started the engine. Now this was the outer "O" ring. Now, when the inner "O" ring fails you generally only see it in the exhaust or if you pull a plug from affected chamber you can see the water vapor blast from the sparkplug hole as you pull the engine through. If you have a coolant pressure gauge you will generally see it increase due to combustion gas getting into the coolant galleys. Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Brewer" <alpha@concordnc.com> To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2005 11:23 AM Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Rotary Diagnosis please Ed, When you pinched the coolant o-ring how did you discover you had a problem? Did you get coolant into the chamber? Was it leaking before or after you started the engine? Why did you think it was the o-ring versus something else? Did you mean you had all the pieces and then put the engine together in 30 min. putting the front cover on in the process? That is a great tip on lifting the eccentric shaft......the wife didn't like getting all that oil on her hands.;-) I may have to come take lessons to improve my speed as I have several other RX7s that need rebuilds. Jim (rookie rebuilder) On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 23:29:51 -0400, Ed Anderson wrote: Actually, I have put one back together in 30 minutes. But, I did not have to take off the front cover and I already had all the seals inplace and the engine back together. When I took it out and put it on the plane and put coolant in it, it leaked. Found I had one of the outer coolant "O" rings fall out and get pitched between rotor and side housing. It took me 2 hours to get it off the aircraft and probably 20 minutes to take it apart. It took another 30 minutes to put it back together after replacing the "O" ring. Off with the flywheel nut, counterweigh bolts, tension bolts and it comes apart, just about that quickly. The hardest thing I find to do working by myself is lift the e shaft and slip the center housing over the front lobe while hoping none of the coolant O rings drop down from it. I find what worked best for me is a 2x4 under the pulley end of the E shaft and that 2x4 sitting on the end of another one with a block under it. I step on the one using it as a lever and that pushes the e shaft up far enough to complete the job. Yes, Jim, it does get faster the more times you do it. Just hope you remain slow {:>) Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Brewer" <alpha@concordnc.com> To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> Sent: Friday, August 19, 2005 9:58 PM Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Rotary Diagnosis please Thanks, Kelly. I have a manual and I measured the oil seals but I may have missed measuring the height. These rotary engines are simple with subtle complexities. I think Ed said he could build on in 30 minutes, of course he's had experience.;-) Maybe after I've rebuilt this one several times I'll get it right. :-( Jim On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 01:47:37 +0000, Kelly Troyer wrote: Jim, My Mazda factory manual says the oil seals should be .220 to .228 in height, the width limit of the oil seal lip (shiney part) is .020 and the protrusion limit (installed in the grooves) should be .020 minimum..........Get a manual if you do not have one already.........It will have all the engine tech data and will help you make heads or tails of what I just stated.........These little metal seals keep oil out of the engine and are very critical..........FWIW -- Kelly Troyer Dyke Delta/13B/RD1C/EC2 -------------- Original message from James Brewer <alpha@concordnc.com>: -------------- Yes, I replace the oil seal o-rings. Yeah, it was smoking when I got it. Very low compression on one rotor. Replaced parts with Tracy's overhaul kit. Bearings in rotors were not replace but looked ok and measured fine. New apex seals and side seals. I didn't replace the metal oil rings on the rotors as they looked fine. How critical are these anyway and what are the symptoms of failure/damage? Jim On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 20:49:27 +0000, Kelly Troyer wrote: Jim, You did replace the rotor oil seal O-rings I presume ?? Was it smoking like that before overhaul ?? -- Kelly Troyer Dyke Delta/13B/RD1C/EC2 -------------- Original message from James Brewer : -------------- Guys, I need some help on my recent 13B rebuild for my '87 RX7. Thanks to all previous replies on the crank angle sensor/TDC settings I was able to get it to crank and run. Now for the diagnosis of my present problem: Engine starts and idles with a slight amount of smoking. As the engine warms up and I increase the RPM I get a considerable amount of smoke. The smoke does not smell "sweet" like it is burning coolant but maybe it smells different in a rotary. Smoke is white not black. With limited running I haven't noticed a drop in the coolant or coolant in the oil. Before I pull the engine and go thru it again I would like to pinpoint the t;> problem before teardown. I thought I was careful about the o- rings. I used Hylomar for the grooves as per Bruce Turrentine's tape to keep them in the grooves. Am I getting oil past the oil o- rings? Other sources or causes for my smoke? Tests I need to run? Help! Ed, Lynn, Leon or others. Jim Brewer Albemarle, NC -- Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ Archive and UnSub: http://mail.lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/ -- Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ Archive and UnSub: http://mail.lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/ -- Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ Archive and UnSub: http://mail.lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/ -- Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ Archive and UnSub: http://mail.lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/ -- Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ Archive and UnSub: http://mail.lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/