diabolical1

Prelude:



Hi All,



After a couple of years of thinking, planning, wishing and few attempts at trying to perform magic, I have started the process of actually doing this. I actually started this project several months ago and until my financial state stabilizes a bit, I have no reason to think that it will not be another several months before I finish. Also, I have to finish my brother’s MegaSquirt project first and that’s probably going to take me into August. I’ve been patient, so you guys will have to follow suit.



This port configuration has always intrigued me. If there is a body of information out there on it, I haven’t found it and it’s not a lack of trying. The best I could do was a few lines here and there and a few pictures from Japan and Judge Ito. However, after the unfortunate event of crashing my Rx-7 2 years ago, I got to thinking of getting off my *** and building a racecar. I decided to combine the 2 projects, so whenever this engine gets built, it will be going in my Rx-7. Though I do plan to turbocharge it some day, it won’t be anytime soon. For now I just want to build it, work out the kinks, tune it and start racing before I’m … like … 50.



Now before I start any history or self-promotion, let me officially state that I have the utmost respect for people that have made a living building race-level engines (rotary and piston), doing machine work of any sort, and welders. My God, you guys are great. If I have learned nothing in this process thus far, it's just how ******* hard your jobs are and just how easy it is for someone on the outside to mistakenly think it's easier than it is. Keep in mind that I've been building "decent" engines, myself, for the better part of about 15 years. I've been building stock ports and streetports to this point - not as business, but for my own consumption and a few friends.



With that said, I think the hardest part about this whole ordeal has been locating resources. As I said, I can build engines fairly well (I finally have the confidence to say that), but this project has taken me well beyond the skills I've acquired and utilized over the years. I can't weld - never tried and I don't have the equipment. I don't have machining tools or skills outside of the very basic. I've hated the very idea of using epoxy on an engine up to now and therefore, never bothered learning what's involved with that either. The bottomline is I've needed to find people that provide services for me and it's been a serious hit-n-miss affair. Some people are just: (1)clueless, (2) others are thieves, (3) others can't get over themselves/their skills and (4) others simply don't think a guy working on a rotary engine is important enough to take seriously. It is for those reasons that I've been having to learn as much as I have. At this point, I take all of these disappointments as "blessings in disguise". Maybe someday someone can come to me, and I pray that I won't be dick if that ever happens. (And if I am, please reference this thread and call me on it).



Anyway, I'm resisting the urge to ramble. I honestly don't know what people care about and what they don't, so let me just recap and move on. It's been a pretty hard road to get to this point and I'm not done, but I think I'm over the hump (knock on wood). I may have just jinxed myself by saying so, but I was really anticipating ******* up the epoxy and possibly having to change the current timing specs to cover up my mistake, but I was able to get through that part just fine. So I think I’ll be able to finish up my port-work in the usual fashion.



This will be my journal of sorts. I’d love to hear comments, suggestions and thoughts. I can take positive and negative, my skin is thick, but if you can, then please keep it civil and respectful. I’ll be adding the pics as soon as I can.



Thank you and even if it never helps anyone, I hope you enjoy.





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diabolical1

some pics ...

diabolical1

those are some old ones. maybe 3 to 9 months ago. i do have some recent ones and as soon as i get them on photobucket, i'll start posting them.

diabolical1

okay, before the really astute starts hassling me about the condition of the housings, let me say; "you're right." they're not in the best shape, but that's by design. here's where the history comes in.



these are the rotor housings from the very first motor i built back in 1994. it failed and my ignorance was to blame, but i thought it was fitting for them to help me through another major milestone in my rotary life. this is somewhat an experiment, so i'm not trying to go all out with cost. i couldn't justify hacking up new housings and until this thing takes it's first breath, i'm working with the assumption that i will fail. it's easier on my ego that way.



just be warned ... there will probably be some more photos that are not "pretty", but just keep in mind that i am aware.

diabolical1

some more pics



this is my epoxy work that i finished 2 days ago. i need to machine a meniscus into it, but haven't done so yet.

diabolical1

j9fd3s

kewl... if its an experiment, why do it on new housings?

diabolical1

exactly!



thanks for your patronage, man.

sen2two

did you have the semi-pp holes machined out, or did you just drill them out and clean them up with a die grinder?

diabolical1

unfortunately, i'm stuck doing the latter. i finally think i finished up the rear rotor last night. whenever i get the front done, i'll work on the port faces themselves.