flyrotary@lancaironline.net Mailing List Archive

Thanks Lynn and Bob,

I was planning on disconnecting the oil exit and seeing if the oil pump worked, but you have given me much better directions to follow. I would not have primed the pump first, but now I will. I won’t be getting back to the airport until this weekend, hopefully Sunday night or Monday I will have good news to report.

Chris

From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Lynn Hanover
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 11:53 PM
To: Rotary motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] No pressure

She’s alive!

I had my first start today. She sounded good, but the oil stayed at 3-4 PSI, so I shut her down. I opened the line from the oil cooler to filter to see if I was pumping anything. There was a little oil there, it didn’t gush out, but it was there.

So now I have to figure out why I don’t have pressure. I’m open to any ideas or suggestions.

Chris

New engine or fresh rebuild??? Pump not packed with Vasolene or STP.

The oil out hose from the front cover can be disconnected from its destination. Proped upright, and filled with engine oil. After a long while, the oil will leak backwards through the pump, wetting the pump parts.

You might over fill the sump with 4 quarts of oil to reduce the suction lift for the pump. Once you are sure that oil has moved back into the pump, wrap a bundle of rags around the hose end, but leave the end of the hose open. With everything off but starter power, spin the engine. After a second or so, oil should squirt out of the hose.

Let us assume that this worked. Now go to the next part of the circuit, say the filter(s). The filters are full of oil right? If not fill them up solid. Remove the filter adaptor, and fill the inner and outer virtical passages. The out goes down to the oil pressure relief valve and that run is tapped for the pressure sender. The inner is at a bit of an angle and runs to the rear main bearing. This intersects the upper dowel gallery, that carries oil to the front main bearing. So, it is possible to fill all of the oil passages prior to cranking the engine. And this is the correct method to use. You do all of this with the plugs out and all but the starter disabled. You should get 40 to 50 pounds of pressure on the gage just at cranking speed. Now with oil obviously being pumped out of that hose, hook it back up. Leave the filter off, and spin the engine until oil comes out of the filter adaptor. Then install the filter (not a Fram) and remove the oil pressure sender from the block. Spin again until oil squirts from the sender hole. Install the sender and spin again watching the gage. Once you see a solid pressure reading on the gage, you are ready to start the engine.

Lynn E. Hanover