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Long Term Effects Of Solid Corner Seals Vs Normal

Old Aug 25, 2005 | 02:12 AM
  #1  
hornbm's Avatar
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Is there any reason why you wouldnt want to use a solid corner seal in a high performance engine? I used to work tearing down rotary engines, and in higher milage motors I frequently found that the little rubber insert would be all hard and shrink up.



I also understand that in a large street port or a bridge port engine, people will run the stock corner seals without the rubber insert to keep it from falling out. My question is WHY NOT run a solid corner seal??



What are the disadvantages to running a solid corner seal?



What are the effects of a solid seal in high milage motors? Ive never pulled apart a high milage motor with solid corner seals, so I have no idea what the effects of it are.



Lastly, for my setup what would you reccomend? Solid or stock corner seals?

IM going to be running a mild streetported 13B-REW with lapped housings, new rotor housins, 2 piece 2mm ceramic apex seals, ceramic coated rotor faces. IM building the motor for reliability, and long term high power use. So the long term effects of solid corner seals are important to me.



thanks
Old Aug 25, 2005 | 10:46 AM
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Nothing wrong with them I always use them in my rebuilds. I think it comes down to cost people don't want to dish out for things they don't see necessary. People have had plenty of success with large streetports and bridgeports using stock corner seals with the rubber insert removed nothing wrong with this. I just like the extra added strength the solids give or seem to give that's just me. But I've never had a stock corner seal break on me so I don't know if I'm just wasting my money on solids but it makes me happy so I will continue to use them. It basically breaks down to preference whether you want them or not. Do a search for solid corner seals and bunch of stuff will come up https://www.nopistons.com/forums/index.php?...topic=27584&hl=
Old Aug 25, 2005 | 08:14 PM
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From my experience. (at least for the 3mm seals applications). Some engine builder uses them because the milling was off slightly causing the apex seals to bond with the corner seals. By having a larger area (w/o the rubber insert), they were able to use the rotor instead of remilling or start over with a new rotor.



I personally use solid seals for milled rotors. Like what 13BTNOS said, it adds extra strength for high hp applications and also provides a better insurance towards detonation.
Old Aug 26, 2005 | 12:14 AM
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I don't like to repeat what has been said to me, since its not 1st hand experience, but people I know that have used them have reported increased corner seal wear within very very short time. Now this could obviously be, a) that brand, B) some other unknown variable. So who knows, go for it...
Old Aug 26, 2005 | 02:26 AM
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I've heard that too but since I've never used solid corner seals personally I can't say for sure.
Old Aug 26, 2005 | 08:27 PM
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[quote name='rotarygod' date='Aug 25 2005, 11:26 PM']I've heard that too but since I've never used solid corner seals personally I can't say for sure.

[snapback]752089[/snapback]

[/quote]



See now this is what im worried about, is there anybody out there who can without a doubt say if this is true or untrue?
Old Aug 27, 2005 | 07:17 AM
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[quote name='hornbm' date='Aug 26 2005, 05:27 PM']See now this is what im worried about, is there anybody out there who can without a doubt say if this is true or untrue?

[snapback]752305[/snapback]

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I use only Mazda solid corner seals. They are made of powered metal and chrome plated.



I have lost one since 1980. It was my fault.



There are several manufacturers of aftermarket corner seals, and if using high boost, I would consider using a solid steel replacement.



The tiny amount of additional sealing provided by the rubber insert style seal is soon lost when the rubber hardens or vanishes into dust. Then you just have a weak seal and no advantage left. Did you ever take one appart that still had soft inserts left in it?



In a ported iron you have the risk of very little of the insert is supported and may be ingested.





Lynn E. Hanover
Old Aug 27, 2005 | 10:11 AM
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[quote name='pluto' date='Aug 25 2005, 05:14 PM']From my experience. (at least for the 3mm seals applications). Some engine builder uses them because the milling was off slightly causing the apex seals to bond with the corner seals. By having a larger area (w/o the rubber insert), they were able to use the rotor instead of remilling or start over with a new rotor.



I personally use solid seals for milled rotors. Like what 13BTNOS said, it adds extra strength for high hp applications and also provides a better insurance towards detonation.

[snapback]751983[/snapback]

[/quote]



the rotor faces actually move around enough to make the 3mm machining "slightly off"
Old Aug 27, 2005 | 11:47 AM
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In my 6port Bridge Port I am using solid 2mm corner seals. I have notice slight wear on the face after a total of 5k miles of constant abuse. You can tell that it is made of a softer material because the 93' corner seal spring is digging into the surface slightly. I am debating wether or not to go back to stocks. My reasoning on this is that I have seen engines running the stock ones that got just as much abuse and the spring only slightly scratched the surface after 40K miles.



BTW my engine runs all motor only.
Old Aug 27, 2005 | 02:27 PM
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I took apart a blown streetport with solid corners and they were all demolished on one rotor. Ive never seen stock ones break like that. I have no clue what brand they were, or how the motor was blown (i think oil starvation was an issue)

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