Yes, unfortunately true. I was having those problems trying to get the coolant to circulate. I thought I was getting a handle on it. The system was thoroughly burped. At 2000 RPM the coolant was level at about 140. At 3000 it would cool to about 100. This told me that I was just circulating a little better at the higher RPM. After about 5 min at 4000 RPM the coolant temp was still only 150 when coolant began to spray the canopy. I thought for sure I had a big enough catch can. At first I couldn’t figure out where the coolant was coming from. Until, to my utter dismay, I discovered it was coming from the oil vent line. L
I had coolant dripping from the exhaust and spilling out around the injectors. I was so disgusted with the whole project I didn’t even want to think about it. The next day I pressurized the cooling system and found a very slow leak of coolant into the front rotor chamber (as evidenced by the spray of coolant into the eye as I peered into the open spark plug hole and turned the prop – highly NOT recommended).
I still have good compression all around, I just need to replace the water o-rings. I am going to use the TES o-rings. But even that won’t help if I can’t solve this damn circulation problem. I am really at whit’s end. There is no reason I shouldn’t be making coolant go round and round.
With my work schedule re-building the engine will only set me back about … 3 months. Will make it thought to get to the next rotary roundup.
David Leonard (working on the cowl while I await parts to re-build the
engine)