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From: Lehanover@aol.com
Message-ID: <1b668a.67b34feb.3a8abddf@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:18:23 EST
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Low compression in rotor 2 ... still
To: flyrotary@lancaironline.net
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When we built racing VW engines we used the coldest plugs because plugs  
were free. We installed a thin sheet copper gasket instead of the fat thing 
that  comes on the plugs, because gaskets are free. You can use anything you 
want. 
 
The result is that less volume is available in the cold plug (Surface gap)  
and the plug going deeper into the plug hole takes up more volume. So, more 
 compression all around. So plugs can make a big difference.
 
If assembled by the book you should have over 100 pounds of compression. If 
 the starter is spinning up the motor to spec and the throttle was wide 
open  during the test. Note that the spec does not include the starter motor 
spinning  up a prop for the test. So your result will be below spec if the 
prop is  mounted, and a real car battery with real car battery wires in the 
same length  are not in use. 
 
Car batteries and garden tractor batteries are rated at 70 degrees. Below  
70 degrees your result will be  less effective plate area. 
 
The rotary is cold blooded. Old people talk for its hard to start from  
cold. RX-2s and RX-3s had a bottle of anti freeze on the fire wall. In cold  
weather, some of this antifreeze would spray into the engine during  cranking.
First, to take any frost off of the apex seals. As in one revolution, the  
seals would be glued into the bottom of their grooves by the frost, and no 
start  was possible, because of no compression, and no "Heat Of Compression". 
 
Second, it took up some volume, and assisted in sealing the engine, so it  
could develop some heat of compression. No heat of compression, no 
vaporization,  and no start. Fuel droplets stuck to ice cold iron will not even 
light. It needs  to be a near gas to get an energetic explosion so as to spin the 
engine fast  enough to run. So on cold days you get an engine that seems to 
run so long as  the starter is helping it, and it stops when the starter 
stops. 
 
Sound familiar?
 
On the race car I gave it three complete strokes of throttle to get full  
accelerator pump strokes worth of fuel, before cranking. The fuel takes up  
volume and helps seal the compression in long enough to make some heat. I do 
no  tolerate a slow starting engine. In cold weather 5 or 6 strokes is  
required. Even then the engine may run only at idle speed or just above. Fuel  
that will not atomize looks like way too lean a mixture to the engine. So 
fast  idle is OK until it builds up some heat and can take a bit of throttle. 
 
The side seals make the rotor look like a piston engines piston of about 6" 
 diameter with a compression ring with 6 end gaps. That would be hard to 
start as  well wouldn't it?
 
Leak rate. The rotor is slow moving with a long dwell period. Smokey would  
have loved these. So there is a long time available for the compression to 
leak  down as the engine turns during starting. So the low compression is 
made worse  by the rate of leak. 
 
I build engines with zero end gaps on the side seals. Never a problem. The  
rotor gets a bit bigger as it heats up and you get more end gap anyway. So 
long  as the side seals and the corner seal pop back up after being fully 
depressed  into their slots, you are good to go. Engine starts are so fast and 
easy, even  the driver could do it.
 
Engine compression testing is very nearly of no value. Test compression  
after the engine is at operating temperature. High oil temps and at least 180  
degrees for water. If the prop is mounted your result will be lower than 
actual.  Because of cranking speed.
 
My Fiat engines had zero leak-down and 245 pounds of compression after each 
 dyno run.
 
How much blowby you get at loaded full throttle is the measure of leakage.  
That 1/4" breather tube on the filler neck needs to be replaced with at  
least a 3/4" ID tube into a catch tank. The gas flow rate through this tube is 
 low on the street car at 2,000 RPM. It is not acceptable at 6,000 or 9,000 
RPM.  It will carry oil droplets into the  catch tank because of high 
velocity  flow. Slow it down with a larger ID pipe and hose. We could do a 
weekend of hard  use and get nothing in the catch can. If you get 1/2" of oil in 
the can, its  time for side seals. Your results will vary. Airplane use is 
harder on the  engines than race car use duty cycle wise.  
The bigger pipe and hose takes the pressure off of the lip seals as well,  
so fewer oil leaks everywhere. 
 
An oil squirt can with a 1/2 gasoline 1/2 motor oil mixture will usually  
get things going pronto. It will start much better after 8-10 hours of hard  
running. Just tell the tower you are starting a big radial. 
 
Lynn E. Hanover

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<DIV>When we built racing VW engines we used the coldest plugs because plu=
gs=20
were free. We installed a thin sheet copper gasket instead of the fat thin=
g that=20
comes on the plugs, because gaskets are free. You can use anything you wan=
t.=20
</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The result is that less volume is available in the cold plug (Surface=
 gap)=20
and the plug going deeper into the plug hole takes up more volume. So, mor=
e=20
compression all around. So plugs can make a big difference.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>If assembled by the book you should have over 100 pounds of compressi=
on. If=20
the starter is spinning up the motor to spec and the throttle was wide ope=
n=20
during the test. Note that the spec does not include the starter motor spi=
nning=20
up a prop for the test. So your result will be below spec if the prop is=
=20
mounted, and a real car battery with real car battery wires in the same le=
ngth=20
are not in use. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Car batteries and garden tractor batteries are rated at 70 degrees.=
 Below=20
70 degrees your result will be&nbsp; less effective plate area. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The rotary is cold blooded. Old people talk for its hard to start fro=
m=20
cold. RX-2s and RX-3s had a bottle of anti freeze on the fire wall. In col=
d=20
weather, some of this antifreeze would spray into the engine during=20
cranking.</DIV>
<DIV>First, to take any frost off of the apex seals. As in one revolution,=
 the=20
seals would be glued into the bottom of their grooves by the frost, and no=
 start=20
was possible, because of no compression, and&nbsp;no "Heat Of Compression"=
.=20
</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Second, it took up some volume, and assisted in sealing the engine,=
 so it=20
could develop some heat of compression. No heat of compression, no vaporiz=
ation,=20
and no start. Fuel droplets stuck to ice cold iron will not even light. It=
 needs=20
to be a near gas to get an energetic explosion so as to spin the engine fa=
st=20
enough to run. So on cold days you get an engine that seems to run so long=
 as=20
the starter is helping it, and it stops when the starter stops. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Sound familiar?</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>On the race car I gave it three complete strokes of throttle to get=
 full=20
accelerator pump strokes worth of fuel, before cranking. The fuel takes up=
=20
volume and helps seal the compression in long enough to make some heat. I=
 do no=20
tolerate a slow starting engine.&nbsp;In cold weather 5 or 6 strokes is=20
required. Even then the engine may run only at idle speed or just above.=
 Fuel=20
that will not atomize looks like way too lean a mixture to the engine. So=
 fast=20
idle is OK until it builds up some heat and can take a bit of throttle. </=
DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The side seals make the rotor look like a piston engines piston of ab=
out 6"=20
diameter with a compression ring with 6 end gaps. That would be hard to st=
art as=20
well wouldn't it?</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Leak rate. The rotor is slow moving with a long dwell period. Smokey=
 would=20
have loved these. So there is a long time available for the compression to=
 leak=20
down as the engine turns during starting. So the low compression is made=
 worse=20
by the rate of leak. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I build engines with zero end gaps on the side seals. Never a problem=
. The=20
rotor gets a bit bigger as it heats up and you get more end gap anyway. So=
 long=20
as the side seals and the corner seal pop back up after being fully depres=
sed=20
into their slots, you are good to go. Engine starts are so fast and easy,=
 even=20
the driver could do it.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Engine compression testing is very nearly of no value. Test compressi=
on=20
after the engine is at operating temperature. High oil temps and at least=
 180=20
degrees for water. If the prop is mounted your result will be lower than=
 actual.=20
Because of cranking speed.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>My Fiat engines had zero leak-down and 245 pounds of compression afte=
r each=20
dyno run.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>How much blowby you get at loaded full throttle is the measure of lea=
kage.=20
That 1/4"&nbsp;breather tube on the filler neck needs to be replaced with=
 at=20
least a 3/4" ID tube into a catch tank. The gas flow rate through this tub=
e is=20
low on the street car at 2,000 RPM. It is not acceptable at 6,000 or 9,000=
 RPM.=20
It will carry oil droplets into the&nbsp; catch tank because of high veloc=
ity=20
flow. Slow it down with a larger ID pipe and hose. We could do a weekend=
 of hard=20
use and get nothing in the catch can. If you get 1/2" of oil in the can,=
 its=20
time for side seals. Your results will vary. Airplane use is harder on the=
=20
engines than race car use duty cycle wise. &nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The bigger pipe and hose takes the pressure off of the lip seals as=
 well,=20
so fewer oil leaks everywhere.&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>An oil squirt can with a 1/2 gasoline 1/2 motor oil mixture will usua=
lly=20
get things going pronto. It will start much better after 8-10 hours of har=
d=20
running. Just tell the tower you are starting a big radial.&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Lynn E. Hanover</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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