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Rusty,
I would echo Lynn's comments about how easy the rotary is to rebuild. I did
mine in just a few days, and it was very easy. The cleaning is the hardest,
if you have much carbon. Other than that, you just have to be careful when
lowering the rotor in place, that all of the side seals and corner seal stay
put. Use plenty of Vaseline.
You'll know if it's good when you first rotate the engine, and then when you
first run it.
Of course, I also had about 5 hours of ground running on the engine before I
flew it the first time, including several high speed runs up to rotate
speed, but everything was fine.
It really is pretty easy, and satisfying to build your own engine.
Steve Brooks
-----Original Message-----
From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net]On
Behalf Of Lehanover@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2004 8:05 AM
To: Rotary motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Engine damage thoughts
The trepidation and sense of doom when thinking about overhauling a rotary,
is like that in you first solo flight, when the instructor stepped out and
said
take it around once. The distance between that moment, and the feelings
right
after that first successful flight, are not unlike the disparity between
disassembly and running in your first rebuilt engine.
There was never anything to dread. It is the same experience for everyone.
The parts count of a rotary is so low, that there is a real disapointment at
the end of the disassembly process. The oil pump/chain/sprockets/spacers is
a
more complex
assembly than the rest of the engine.
With the correct tools you can strip one to zero assemblies in less than one
hour.
Once you have done it a few times, you can reassemble it in less than three
hours.
I am not the fastest builder on earth and I can do it in the dirt at a race
track on a pickle bucket. (the number one most popular rotary engine stand).
If you have ever done a piston engine, this is less than half as difficult
in
complexity, time, and parts count. It is a joy to work on. It is easy to
understand. The first time you get one apart, you will be grinning from ear
to ear
and wondering why you didn't do this years ago.
Watch Bruces video. Buy the big socket and the 1/2" adaptor at Sears. Buy an
engine from the core pile at the junk yard. Jump in. A great way to blow a
Saturday, and you will love it. This is better than any piston engine for
powering airplanes.
I am in the middle of changing houses right now, and then building a new
house on Florida (cannot stand the cold anymore) but after that if you want
to
stop in and build and engine from start to finish, there are always enough
parts
here to do just that.
Or get you picture sitting in the race car. What ever. Come on down. If you
gort the impression that I am enthusiastic about the rotary, you are
correct.
Lynn E. Hanover
Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/
Archive: http://lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/List.html
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