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Don, I once had all six seals on my 13B freeze up after
sitting only six weeks - but with the intake and exhaust manifold off during
humid weather. My old HALTECH fuel injection system malfunction and flooded
the engine with gasoline to the point it pour out the exhaust
stack.
Six weeks later, When I tried to start it, the
engine would whiz over on just the starter -no compression. I tried all
the traditional methods and got 3 apex seals loose. Then I took off the
exhaust header and got a piece of 1/8 - 3/16 thick piece of brass (don't
use iron or be tempted to use a screw driver) strip from local hobby
shop. I rotated the engine until one of the stuck seals was showing in the
exhaust port, I carefully positioned the brass
strip through the exhaust port and onto the apex seal. I then
gentle apply pressure to the seal several places over the portion I could reach
through the exhaust port.
However, since you apparently got your engine to run, I
would have expected that to free up the stuck seals. So it could be that a
seal is not stuck - but is not compressing - in other words if the apex seal
spring had collapsed/broken for any reason, you would probably not get
sufficient compression to start.
So depending on how much work you are up to, you might
take off your exhaust header and check on whether you can get motion out of the
seals. When you press on the with an brass or aluminum bar they should
move in/out of their slot by approx. 1/16 -1/8".
Good luck and hang in there, it can be frustrating getting
all the early bugs out.
Ed
This method freed up two of the three remaining stuck
seals. But, nothing I did through the port would free up the sixth apex
seal. I ended up having to disassemble the engine and even then broke the
sixth one taking it out. It turns out the rotor's all had a veneer of
oxidation/rust - apparently from being exposed to the humid air for six
weeks.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 9:42
PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Not Flooding!
Rotarians,
Thanks for all your replies of
a couple of weeks ago. Tried most of what you all suggested and still
couldn't get it to start. It just kept flooding. I kept pulling
the plugs, blowing them out and trying to start it. Frustrating is not
the word for it. I did notice that if I turned my controller to number 8
and hit the primer switch, all the plugs would fire, the prop would move a few
degrees and then my plugs would no longer be wet, and when I charged the
battery up, I could try again. After much trying, I called Tracy and
sent it in to him. It turns out that there was a missing capacitor from
the factory that enables the unit to use the 2 wire Renesis CAS. It ran
fine during Tracy's initial test, but he used the 3 wire 13b CAS. He
soldered on the sensor, Now tests them all with both CASs and sent it
back. Tracy, thanks for the troubleshooting and the quick turn around. I
learned way more about this engine than I wanted to know, (but it is
probably a good thing in the long run).
I put it back in the plane and tried to fire
it up. Could tell that it was trying and not flooding as bad.
Finally after a couple of battery recharges, with the
mixture very lean and no prime and the throttle full open, it
started, with difficulty, revved high before I pulled back the
throttle and it died. It shook a lot! Maybe more than a
Lyc. With a lot of trouble, I was able to get this to happen 3
times then called it a day with a partial success. Came back the next
day, to similar results. After about the third time, in 3
hours, I thought to check to see how hot the exhaust was. #1
was warm, but #2 rotor was stone cold. Figured I was only
starting on one rotor. One by one, switched out the plugs, coils,
injectors to no avail. I was just about to pack up and
it occurred to me that some one (Lynn?) said some
thing about it not being able to start if there is no compression
and the way to get some, (if the seals are sticking) is to add a little
oil through the spark plug holes. I did this to rotor #2, Started
it lean with difficulty. It started the same way and then suddenly took
off to high revs and smoothed way out. Smooth is nice! I backed off
the throttle and no matter what I did it died again. It
ran for perhaps 15 seconds. Both exhausts warm! I quit for the day. I went out for short time
today, got it to start like this again, with oil, but ran the battery
down. Packed it away and went flying to get current again.
So I ask for your thoughts
again. I seems that the seals are not sealing on #2. How do I
get them to loosen up? I assume they are just stuck from sitting
for a little over 3 years. I did turn the engine over a couple of
turns every couple of months and a lot more the last few
months. I suppose that #2 could have gotten something in
it during the building process ever though I was careful, but I am
hoping that the seals are just sticking and there is a way to un-stick
them. I thought that just running the engine would do it, but no
joy. Your suggestions please. I will continue
plodding along.
Envious of you who just turned it over and
it ran.
RV-8 completed
Don Walker
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