In a message dated 1/5/2011 9:31:12 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,=20 cbarber@texasattorney.net writes:

I may be the current leader of discovering failure modes in=20 this allegedly robust engine <sigh> :-) before flight. Ed,= I=20 leave the gliding championship to you. I must admit that the ide= a of=20 pulling the engine is not quite as daunting since I have moved past th= e=20 proof of concept mode and have got my flight ready install pretty much= =20 set. This makes the engine removal, and then the re-install much= more=20 of a methodical process than a somewhat overwhelming dismantling...gue= ss=20 practice makes perfect. <sigh>.

All the best,

Chris

Perhaps not the world leader. I built an engine that ended up in a Mi= ni=20 Cooper, in an "Inline" orientation with a Narrowed Ford 8" rear axle. Fron= t=20 suspension was from a Chevy Chevette. Same one was in the Corvair and the= =20 Pontiac Fiero. Home built 3" square tube chassis. He let it sit for two ye= ars=20 then ran a weekend of Autocross with no oil pressure. Thought it was the= gage no=20 working. He gave that rotary away and put in a Chevy V-8.

The rotary has poor compression due to long seal lengths and many end= gaps.=20 It does have enough compression ratio, but that is a calculation that leav= es out=20 any leak rate. The rotary has a high leak rate.

Rate must include a time factor, and that time factor is how fast can= the=20 starter turn the engine. It can turn the engine faster with poor compressi= on. It=20 has that, so the starter sounds very effective. The poor starting with the= prop=20 installed vice the better starting without the prop should be evidence of= this.=20

The large combustion chamber produces poor fuel vaporization, and man= y fuel=20 droplets will condense and cling to the interior surfaces. This is a very= lean=20 mixture as far as starting is concerned. The correct amount of fuel per po= und=20 may have been injected to run the engine at a fast idle, but it is of no= value=20 without vaporization.

A faster starting RPM reduces the time available in the leak rate and= =20 reduces leakage, improving compression, raising charge temperature (heat= of=20 compression) and improving starting performance.

If the vaporization improves, the effective mixture is enrichened.

The rotors are made of Nodular iron. The apex seals of cast iron with= =20 electron beam heat treating of the wear faces. They are a close fit in the= =20 grooves. Both exhaust ports and intake ports are always open to the outsid= e=20 world. As fuel droplets flash off they lower the rotor temps and the air= gives=20 up its water, inside your engine.

The apex seals stick in the grooves the first time they can. Stick a= plug=20 in the exhaust pipe right after shut down. Always run the air filter durin= g=20 operation and after shutdown until the engine is cold.

I have been building engines and rebuilding other builders engines,= since=20 1980. I have never removed a broken apex seal spring. I suggest that you= have a=20 stuck apex seal. Try a freeing product that includes a rust remover like= =20 Hydrochloric acid. As soon as the seal comes loose, run the engine for as= long=20 as is possible (water temps). Then spray in some motor oil and turn the en= gine a=20 few revolutions.

The acid eats iron rust and nonferrous metals like candy. Wear eye=20 protection and rubber gloves. Outside off the concrete.

Motor fuel is a cleaning solvent. Even with a bit of oil in it.

The spark plug in use may add to the poor starting problem. If no act= ual=20 loading is expected like high speed taxi or flying, then the plug hea= t=20 range is of little matter (medium or retracted tip shape. Gapped at= about=20 .020". The multiple ground plugs that look like airplane plugs are easy to= short=20 out, and look like a capacitor. A single ground strap (small square wire)= =20 shortens rise time and concentrates energy in one location.

Until the engine is broken in, you might premix one Oz. or more= per=20 gallon of whatever top oil. Sealing will be great and starting easy.

If you remove the rear iron. Clamp all of the stack together with=20 bungees/springs and, or safety wire. Even the rear rotor housing. So long= as=20 none of the pieces can move apart, no problems will spring up.

Full throttle and load limited to 6,500 RPM, is racing in anybodies= book.=20 Nobody in racing uses a spark plug that can be found in a Mazda=20 dealership.

Lynn E. Hanover

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