Rotor Cleaning And Seal Removal
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 96
From: Helena, AL
I am in the middle of my first rebuild ('89 N/A 13B). I have the Turrentine video and already have the motor broken down.
Yesterday I bought a 20 gallon parts washer and 10 gallons of mineral spirits.
The motor I am starting with had eaten a rear apex seal and that rotor and housing is not usable.
The front rotor and housing look to be low mileage but has more carbon buildup than I have ever seen in/on an engine. The motor had sat for a few years before I got it so all the carbon is hard as concrete.
On the "good" rotor I was only able to remove the oil seals from each side. The rest of the seals (apex, side, corner) are all glued in place and do not float at all. I scrubed on it for a few minutes in the parts washer and decided to let it sit in the mineral spirits over night. This morning the faces of the rotor looked better but still did not come completely clean with a soft wire brush.
I started digging at the apex seals with a dental pick and with a around an hour of work I was able to pull all of them out (I broke one of them). (They were the 3 piece style). Once those were out I spent another half hour trying to get the corner seals out. I was able to push three of them out using one of the apex seals but the other three I just managed to push out the rubber insert.
On the corners that I was able to get the corner seals out I tried picking out the side seals with the same dental pick tool. I manged to break the last 1" of side seal off of each one I tried.
So around two hours of work cleaning one rotor and it still looks nasty and not all of the seals are out.
What am I doing wrong?
What technique should I use to get out the side seals (with out the rubber insert)?
What technique should I use to get the side seals out?
Yesterday I bought a 20 gallon parts washer and 10 gallons of mineral spirits.
The motor I am starting with had eaten a rear apex seal and that rotor and housing is not usable.
The front rotor and housing look to be low mileage but has more carbon buildup than I have ever seen in/on an engine. The motor had sat for a few years before I got it so all the carbon is hard as concrete.
On the "good" rotor I was only able to remove the oil seals from each side. The rest of the seals (apex, side, corner) are all glued in place and do not float at all. I scrubed on it for a few minutes in the parts washer and decided to let it sit in the mineral spirits over night. This morning the faces of the rotor looked better but still did not come completely clean with a soft wire brush.
I started digging at the apex seals with a dental pick and with a around an hour of work I was able to pull all of them out (I broke one of them). (They were the 3 piece style). Once those were out I spent another half hour trying to get the corner seals out. I was able to push three of them out using one of the apex seals but the other three I just managed to push out the rubber insert.
On the corners that I was able to get the corner seals out I tried picking out the side seals with the same dental pick tool. I manged to break the last 1" of side seal off of each one I tried.
So around two hours of work cleaning one rotor and it still looks nasty and not all of the seals are out.
What am I doing wrong?
What technique should I use to get out the side seals (with out the rubber insert)?
What technique should I use to get the side seals out?
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,679
From: Colorado Springs
Soaking them with spray nine, simple green, castrol super clean (any of those three) will free up the carbon, since carbon is not broken down by mineral spirits. You might have to let them sit immersed overnight.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 96
From: Helena, AL
So if I use something that does break down the carbon the seals should loosen up and come out with almost no effort?
Is there any non-water based solvents that I could of used in my parts cleaner that would break down the carbon? I paid extra for one that specifically allowed solvents that are NOT-water based. (most parts cleaners don't allow you to use flameable solvents).
Is there any non-water based solvents that I could of used in my parts cleaner that would break down the carbon? I paid extra for one that specifically allowed solvents that are NOT-water based. (most parts cleaners don't allow you to use flameable solvents).
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,915
From: NJ USA
Some engine builders use BarryManns carburator cleaner, and dip the rotors over night or a 24 hour period. I use this thing call black beauty beads with my super duper sand blaster. Black beauty is millions of small plastic beads that I spray with a nice air gun and leave the rotors spotless. No rotor damage with this small plastic beads. I was thinking of purchasing a large parts washer wachine machine that uses hot pressurized water with soap. I might still go this way since I rebuild so many engines. In your case try the carburator dip.
to infinity & beyond, me
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 5,124
From: santurce
mines were blasted, with what i dunno...
and those side seals a PITA and a half to take off f the engin has sat for a period of time. i have 2 or 3 rotors with broken side seals waiting for me to toss them or try and get them out.
and those side seals a PITA and a half to take off f the engin has sat for a period of time. i have 2 or 3 rotors with broken side seals waiting for me to toss them or try and get them out.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 96
From: Helena, AL
Today I got 2 gallons of "Purple Power" cleaner from AutoZone and an empty 5 gallon bucket from HomeDepot. After just an hour in the stuff the rotor looked MUCH better. I picked at the side seals and managed to break more of them. Hopefully tomorrow they will be easier to remove.
Now the faces of the rotor is nearly perfectly clean I can see some pitting on one face along one of the sides (on the gear side) and it is really bad on one of the edges of an apex seal groove of the same face. I think the pitting is bad enough to consider this rotor garbage.
Does carbon eat away at the rotor and side housing material when it sits for a long time? I have some significant pitting on the front side housing (the same side that the pitted edge of the rotor would of been touching).
Now the faces of the rotor is nearly perfectly clean I can see some pitting on one face along one of the sides (on the gear side) and it is really bad on one of the edges of an apex seal groove of the same face. I think the pitting is bad enough to consider this rotor garbage.
Does carbon eat away at the rotor and side housing material when it sits for a long time? I have some significant pitting on the front side housing (the same side that the pitted edge of the rotor would of been touching).
