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Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2011 19:19:32 -0500
Message-ID: <CAHh3jbMdZrby2wvkPF0zVUTVQUyfkwrH6-xZgxEoHr7SGWY67A@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Discovered another "Gotcha"
From: Mark Steitle <msteitle@gmail.com>
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
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I thought I would share my latest revelation relating to my PP 20B rotary
engine.

I've been chasing an oil leak near the rear of the engine, somewhere near
the flexplate/psru adapter.  (I once read that all rotaries leak oil and
I'm beginning to believe them.)   Since this area is right above the
radiator, any leaking oil gets blown all over the place, making it very
difficult to detect the source.  After much thought and many inspections, I
felt pretty sure that it was coming from the rear main seal, so I ordered a
new seal and o-ring.  Today, I removed the air filter, oil cooler, starter,
prop, psru, flywheel adapter, flywheel, BIG NUT, counterweight and finally
the rear bearing holder.  While inspecting the assy. I discovered I could
spin the seal in the counter-bore.  No wonder it was leaking... it was
spinning in the hole.  And it was loose enough for me to remove the seal
with nothing but my fingers.

So, I installed the new seal (which was a nice press fit) along with the
new o-ring and re-assembled the flywheel, psru, prop, etc.  I plan to
test-run the engine tomorrow, but I'm confident that I've found the source
of the oil leak.

While I inspected the seal during assembly, the seal looked like new so I
didn't replace it.  It probably wouldn't have hurt to lock it in place with
a screw as suggested by Lynn.

AWTTW - Pay close attention to the little things.  ;-)

Mark S.

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I thought I would share my latest revelation relating to my PP 20B rotary e=
ngine. =A0<div><br></div><div>I&#39;ve been chasing an oil leak near the re=
ar of the engine, somewhere near the flexplate/psru adapter. =A0(I once rea=
d that all rotaries leak oil and I&#39;m beginning to believe them.) =A0 Si=
nce this area is right above the radiator, any leaking oil gets blown all o=
ver the place, making it very difficult to detect the source. =A0After much=
 thought and many inspections, I felt pretty sure that it was coming from t=
he rear main seal, so I ordered a new seal and o-ring. =A0Today, I removed =
the air filter, oil cooler, starter, prop, psru, flywheel adapter, flywheel=
, BIG NUT, counterweight and finally the rear bearing holder. =A0While insp=
ecting the assy. I discovered I could spin the seal in the counter-bore. =
=A0No wonder it was leaking... it was spinning in the hole. =A0And it was l=
oose enough for me to remove the seal with nothing but my fingers. =A0<div>
<br></div><div>So, I installed the new seal (which was a nice press fit) al=
ong with the new o-ring and re-assembled the flywheel, psru, prop, etc. =A0=
I plan to test-run the engine tomorrow, but I&#39;m confident that I&#39;ve=
 found the source of the oil leak. =A0</div>
<div><br></div><div>While I inspected the seal during assembly, the seal lo=
oked like new so I didn&#39;t replace it. =A0It probably wouldn&#39;t have =
hurt to lock it in place with a screw as suggested by Lynn. =A0 =A0 =A0</di=
v><div>
<br></div><div>AWTTW - Pay close attention to the little things. =A0;-)</di=
v><div><br></div><div>Mark S. =A0 =A0=A0</div></div>

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