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What would cause rotors to gouge the crap out of side irons?

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Old 09-27-2005, 08:12 PM
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Expensive lessons be had. My engine was smoking fairly bad after I rebuilt it. I tore it apart to find that the oil control rings stuck, puzzling since i used new springs and seals and installed them correctly and didnt tear an o ring. I wish that was the only thing that went wrong because my corner seals dug the **** out of my newly resurfaced side housings. I used new corner seals, new buttons, and new apex seals and installed them correctly as far as I could tell, why they would scratch the crap out of everything is beyond me. On top of that the chrome on my brand new rotor housings look faded. Hopefully they are still good, as im assuming it just takes a break in period to make them have a mirror finish we are used to.



I had resurfaced side housings, brand new rotor housings, brand new RA apex seals, brand new side seals, new corner seal buttons, and new oil o rings for the rotors. She burned tons of oil when it first started. I let it idle for about an hour, I thought I was burning off MMO but was apparent after a while that it was oil. I then took it apart and found that the corner seals gouged the crap out of my irons along with some of the oil control rings being jammed back in the rotor. The rotor inner most area near the control rings were also rubbing against the side housings. All signs point to shitty rotor side clearance. But I just dont understand since the rotor housings are new and I tripple checked shaft end play. Any thoughts? All 4 irons are trashed and both rotors show that they were rubbing against the side housings near the ring gear/bearing/oil control ring area.



http://img161.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc000542dl.jpg

http://img161.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc000515ap.jpg
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Old 09-27-2005, 08:45 PM
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i saw a mazda reman that did the same thing, turns out the rotors were too wide. odd thing was someone had already machined them smaller, and they were still too big.
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Old 09-27-2005, 09:41 PM
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Originally Posted by AekaGSR' post='763610' date='Sep 27 2005, 05:12 PM

I had resurfaced side housings, brand new rotor housings, brand new RA apex seals, brand new side seals, new corner seal buttons, and new oil o rings for the rotors. She burned tons of oil when it first started. I let it idle for about an hour, I thought I was burning off MMO but was apparent after a while that it was oil. I then took it apart and found that the corner seals gouged the crap out of my irons along with some of the oil control rings being jammed back in the rotor. The rotor inner most area near the control rings were also rubbing against the side housings. All signs point to shitty rotor side clearance. But I just dont understand since the rotor housings are new and I tripple checked shaft end play. Any thoughts? All 4 irons are trashed and both rotors show that they were rubbing against the side housings near the ring gear/bearing/oil control ring area.




If the irons are no worse than the one in the picture, I would say they are fine. I would run over them with a DA (orbital sander) with 400 silicon carbide paper and solvent to smooth them out a bit and give the surface some tooth.



I would chamfer the edges of the port a bit. After lapping there can be some small crums that break off around the edges of the hole as it becomes razor sharp otherwise, and do the kind of damage you are looking at. The groove around the track of the oil scraper looks like FOD stuck on a scraper ring.



The wear at the edge of th iron looks like the end of a side seal wearing out quickly. If the corner seals are damaged then they got stuck from dirt or the OMP is not putting out enough oil.



The smoking from the start thing sounds like a chunk got stuck in the scraper right from the git-go and the show was over before it started.



The rotor gears walking out of the rotors can make the burnish marks. Put them into a press and put an aluminum block on the gear and press it in tight. The face of the gear on one side and the land area inside the oil scrapers on the other may touch the irons from time to time, but runs with a few thousandths clearance to the iron. Run the DA over the gear and land area to smooth them out before reassembly.



The rotor housing looks overheated. There will be a bowing out when the housing grows too long from the heat and cannot stretch the bolts out so some bows into the engine. If you can smooth that housing out you can use it if it isn't twisted any, and is still the same width all around.



Also, it looks like not enough oil. Add one ounce per gallon of top oil like Redline two cycle race oil. Or any name brand of racing 2 cycle oil.



verify that the OMP is putting out enough oil before stopping the premix.





Lynn E. Hanover
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Old 09-28-2005, 10:01 AM
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I did run premix just to make sure everything was going to be ok. The grove that has been cut into the housing is tens of thousanths in depth and actaully is more of a step making it appear that one side has been shaved down and tapered out to bring out a step like finish. I'll check the gears on the rotors when I can bring them to work. I just couldnt imagine a bunch of dirt screwing up all 4 sides. You have given a wealth of info though. Thanks.
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Old 09-28-2005, 10:30 AM
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normally, i would say clearance on the rotor bearings allowing wobble at higher rpms....... I can not see the pics on this server so this is only a guess. Also, Lynn has commented, so you most likely already have your answer.
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Old 10-22-2005, 11:51 AM
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Those looked to be side seal track. Did you double spring your side seals? The only other thing I could think of is that they may take out too much material when lapping your housing.









Originally Posted by AekaGSR' post='763610' date='Sep 27 2005, 05:12 PM

Expensive lessons be had. My engine was smoking fairly bad after I rebuilt it. I tore it apart to find that the oil control rings stuck, puzzling since i used new springs and seals and installed them correctly and didnt tear an o ring. I wish that was the only thing that went wrong because my corner seals dug the **** out of my newly resurfaced side housings. I used new corner seals, new buttons, and new apex seals and installed them correctly as far as I could tell, why they would scratch the crap out of everything is beyond me. On top of that the chrome on my brand new rotor housings look faded. Hopefully they are still good, as im assuming it just takes a break in period to make them have a mirror finish we are used to.



I had resurfaced side housings, brand new rotor housings, brand new RA apex seals, brand new side seals, new corner seal buttons, and new oil o rings for the rotors. She burned tons of oil when it first started. I let it idle for about an hour, I thought I was burning off MMO but was apparent after a while that it was oil. I then took it apart and found that the corner seals gouged the crap out of my irons along with some of the oil control rings being jammed back in the rotor. The rotor inner most area near the control rings were also rubbing against the side housings. All signs point to shitty rotor side clearance. But I just dont understand since the rotor housings are new and I tripple checked shaft end play. Any thoughts? All 4 irons are trashed and both rotors show that they were rubbing against the side housings near the ring gear/bearing/oil control ring area.



http://img161.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc000542dl.jpg

http://img161.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc000515ap.jpg
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