Hi all,

I am currently rebuilding my motor. Since it is my first time rebuilding, I don't know if these housing are still reusable with what I have marked in the pictures attached.
To describe the wear I see on the side housing......

First picture, shows slight wear near the water jackets.
Second picture shows a steep wear near the water jacket. (I am concerned about this one).

Other than that, there is really not much wear near the water jackets. If there are they look like picture one. This is only the rear iron. I am still currently inspecting the rest.

If you guys can chime in and help a fellow rotary head out.

 

Use the inspection procedure as outlined in the FSM:

http://www.rotaryheads.com/PDF/2nd_g.../01_engine.pdf

Skip to page 43 of the PDF for instructions. That step gap looks a little excessive, and the first picture... kind of looks like damage from something else to me. You could always try having them lapped, but that only goes so far.

 

Hey AGreen,

Thanks for the reply. I did download the pdf, but it doesn't get into any details on the wear I found. It was talking more about the clearance wear from the side seals and warpage check. I actually am hoping that a lap would fix it. The second picture is the one the concerns me the most. Should i just play safe and purchase another one?

thanks,
Jerald

 

It does, and on the page I mentioned it tells you the spec for both warpage and side seal step wear on the irons. You just have to use a dial indicator on a magnetic base with a swivel to measure it.

 

i believe he is referring to the corrosion on the iron coolant seal walls which isn't outlined in the FSM.

it's common to see erosion on those walls and they look fine to me. as long as the rest specs out ok then i wouldn't worry about it.

 

Both the mild corrosion/pitting of the coolant seal wall and the step wear at 3 oclock on the iron face are relatively normal and fine to reuse, based on those pics.

IN addition to the significantly high cost of a proper lapping/renitriding process, it can also add weeks to the build time and can come with it's own set of issues that might not be present with a standard build.

 

The wear spec is 0.1mm, or .0039 in for the step gap if you still can't find it in the FSM. I'd still measure it if it were me, but two of the top engine builders that I know of right here just said it's probably ok to reuse. These guys have built more rotaries than I have; probably more rotaries than the number of engines than I have for that matter, so they would know better than I would

 

Thanks guys for all the help. Sorry I confused everyone about what wear I was talking about.

I added the same pictures again with markings around the area that I was talking about.

Hopefully that helps. I was able to purchase new set of irons, but also knowing that I can use these housings if anything goes wrong with my build is always a plus. I hope this build goes well with the budget I have. Basically, trying to get the car as stock as possible using Mazda 2mm apex seals. I heard horror stories about atkins and RA.

 

I think you could but I'm no expert you'll have to do the procedure Mazda recommends lol.

 

You mean that tiny little chip? Seems fine to me.

Clean everything up and then make a judgement based on whether the damage extends deeper. From those pictures though it looks inconsequential.