R.P.M.

I have pulled aprt a few motors that I have had laying around for a while and the rotors and housings are good in them, but all the seals are stuck in the rotor. Mostly from carbon and some rust.

How can I get these seals out without breaking them or damaging the rotor?

Could soaking them in ATF do anything? or is there some other trick?



Thanks

Joe

Jeff20B

I don't mean to question your motives, but what makes you think ATF will do anything? Were you tricked by the ATF trick? Sorry, but I'm trying to undo all the misinfo out there about ATF and rotaries.



I too have a set of rotors with stuck apex seals in them due to rust and carbon. I'm going to try various things like thin/penetrating oils, heat and a little effort.

R.P.M.

So far this is what I have tried:

I sprayed the rotor down with this stuff called fluid film and it did nothin, so I left it in a bucket of ATF overnight and already the apex seals have lifted out, but those sideseals are in there!!! I don't want to break them or wreck the rotor by trying to dig them out, so if there is something out there that is better than the old ATF trick please let me know.



Also, if I wanted to clean up all the engine parts before re-assembly, is it safe to have the irons, housings and rotors acid bathed? Like the same process they use to clean up engine blocks? or could this be bad for the wear surface?



Thanks

Rub20B

Hmm', usa alot wd-40 or something, spray it also under the side seal via the corner seal hole, start at the corner seal with a small scewdriver and lift the side seal up and push down again, first it will only lift close the the corner seal area, but when you keep doing it it will always lift further and further... When you have won plenty of room you can use a "grip" (don't know the right english word) and pull the sideseal up and down...



Don't forget to use enough wd-40 or similar stuff..



The secret is to lift the apex just hard enough they won't crack, .. It can take more then half an hour per side seal... When they do crack, you take a saw an make a nice edge on it, (like a fish hook more) then you can lever them out...

yonner

get the hot spanner onto it

R.P.M.

Get the hot what?? Not really sure what you are talking about.

Lynn E. Hanover

The ATF thing works in many cases because it has a high detergent content. If sludge was the problem, ATF would be the answer. Usually the problem is rust, and maybe carbon build up. Once you have tried a few things and had little or no luck, try this.



Get all of the other crap off of the rotor that you used first. Soak it in gasolene in a plastic bucket, in the open, where a big gasolene fire won't get the cops or the fire boys called. Were a full face shield and welding gloves. You can take them off even if they are on fire and suffer not a scratch. If you do this long enough there will be a fire one of those times.



Put a lid on the bucket and leave it 24 hours. Drain the rotor and let it dry.

With a new plastic bucket gently pour in one gallon of Muratic acid. Available at any builder supply co. Used for etching concrete before painting it. It is actually hydrochloric acid, and what you get is only about 2% acid. But it is very powerful stuff, so again full face protection and long rubber gloves. One drop will desolve a hole in your pants very quickly. Let the (dry rotor) soak in the Muratic for several hours. It will desolve all of the rust that is not protected by an oil film or carbon.

It will not hurt any part of the rotor at all.



This is also great for restoring old cars, but you must kill the acid with a baking soda paste and wash after use.



The apex seals are usually held in by carbon. The side seals by rust.



the soft bearing material will be destroyed. The rust will be gone. Wrinse the rotor in a lime stone gravel parking area or in a plastic deep sink. This stuff will stain stainless steel and eat up the zink from a metal bucket. If carbon is still a problem, kill the acid with baking soda desolved in warm water, then plain water, then dry the rotor and spray it down with Easy Off oven cleaner.



Do it all outside. Breath none of the fumes. Once the rotor is clean and the seals are out, scrub with soap (or your favorite cleaner) and dry with air. Preserve with WD-40 or similar. A totally clean rotor will rust up in an hour in a humid area.



Put the acid back into the jug when finished. It can be reused many times. Cleanup with baking soda. Keep it under lock and key. It is terrible stuff.



Keep the bucket with warm water and baking soda on standby in case you get anything on you. Or drip some on the shop floor. (I told you to do this outside!)The soda water will kill the acid instantly.



Lynn E. Hanover

GMON

3M Carb Cleaner. Works every time.

banzaitoyota

Lynn. I agree with all your methods except for the WD-40. Get some Boeshield T-9. You will toss the WD-40 as far as you can as soon as you see the BOESHIELD in action

R.P.M.

So this Muratic acid is some wicked stuff but it won't hurt the seals, springs or rotor bearings? or will it?



This is what I will try this week:



Soak the rotors in gas and get rid of all the grease and dirt.

Then get some of this muratic acid let them soak for a day and then these damn seals should become loose enough to pull out. Right?



That was some good info Lynn E. Hanover, it definately sounds like you have done this before lol

Thanks