Rotary Aviation
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 203
I tested a set out of my own curiousity...
I built an engine using one of their kits, and then installed a switch onto the rear rotor secondary injector, and cut the injector off at 12 psi and 5000 rpm.
Obviously, this induced some detonation
The rear endplate crakced, all of the corner seals broke, and 5 side seals broke near the upper ends of them. ONE apex seal cracked where the corner piece meets the "long" section of the seals, at the corner of the longer piece.
The apex seal stayed in the groove, and the chunk remained in position.
I emailed Rotary Aviation to ask to purchase another seal and a few other parts to rebuild the engine, and they were shocked to hear it failed at all, despite the conditions I described. They offered to replace the seals for free. I declined, simply b/c its not fair to charge them when I was simply testing the seals against detonation. Despite my request against it, they mailed me a FULL set of replacement seals for free, and told me the ones I tested were a weaker preliminary version (I tested their seals with the single apex sealsprings; the new ones come with dual springs like stock.
These seals are fantastic. I have them in a couple engines, with one holding 20psi. Under extreme detonation in each rotor combustion face, only one of the seals let go, and all of the other faces must have experienced detonation, and this was on their "crappy" seals.
RWS's service is fantastic. They make a good product at a fair price (although I don't really like the fitment of the SAE viton oil control o-rings).
The seals, however, take a long time to break in. I find peak compression is achieved at 5000 miles on used, good condition rotor housings.
I built an engine using one of their kits, and then installed a switch onto the rear rotor secondary injector, and cut the injector off at 12 psi and 5000 rpm.
Obviously, this induced some detonation
The rear endplate crakced, all of the corner seals broke, and 5 side seals broke near the upper ends of them. ONE apex seal cracked where the corner piece meets the "long" section of the seals, at the corner of the longer piece.
The apex seal stayed in the groove, and the chunk remained in position.
I emailed Rotary Aviation to ask to purchase another seal and a few other parts to rebuild the engine, and they were shocked to hear it failed at all, despite the conditions I described. They offered to replace the seals for free. I declined, simply b/c its not fair to charge them when I was simply testing the seals against detonation. Despite my request against it, they mailed me a FULL set of replacement seals for free, and told me the ones I tested were a weaker preliminary version (I tested their seals with the single apex sealsprings; the new ones come with dual springs like stock.
These seals are fantastic. I have them in a couple engines, with one holding 20psi. Under extreme detonation in each rotor combustion face, only one of the seals let go, and all of the other faces must have experienced detonation, and this was on their "crappy" seals.
RWS's service is fantastic. They make a good product at a fair price (although I don't really like the fitment of the SAE viton oil control o-rings).
The seals, however, take a long time to break in. I find peak compression is achieved at 5000 miles on used, good condition rotor housings.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,502
From: Canada
Originally Posted by scathcart' date='Jan 30 2004, 02:54 AM
These seals are fantastic. I have them in a couple engines, with one holding 20psi. Under extreme detonation in each rotor combustion face, only one of the seals let go, and all of the other faces must have experienced detonation, and this was on their "crappy" seals.
