What is the part that most novices get wrong -- which forces a rebuild?

 

Putting it all back together the right way. I know that is rather general. I do my rebuilds with the front iron sitting on a good old five gallon pail and put it all together like stacking a sandwich. Im doing it this way, you have to put both rotors into the rotor housing without having the corner seals or side seals or oil control rings falling out. Then putting the intermediate housing in without having the inner and outer coolant seals falling out. Vaseline holds them in. then with the rotors in place, you have to slide the apex seal springs in place and push the little triangular piece from the apex in without losing it.

Once you get the engine buttoned up, it is just a matter of bolting everything on without twisting any bolts off.

I have done 6 to 8 rebuilds in my life when I was a broke *** college kid. Now that I am a white collar professional (typing this response while at work) I will pay somebody to do it. Send it to Rotary Resurrection.

Just my two cents.

Brian

 

I think everyone should experience a rotary rebuild just once. After that I would send it to someone who is a know rebuilder and have them do it, unless you like rebuilding them, or have to do rebuilds all the time.

 

Easiest parts of a rebuild to screw up:
Not cleaning enough
Not inspecting the housings closely (if you are using old ones)
Putting the oil control springs in wrong
Forgetting the order of the engine tension bolts especially the embossed one
Putting the CAS on upside down
Setting the correct endplay
Not torqing everyting properly
Not doing a streetport

Get a video and you will do fine.

Brian

 

The only reason I think about it is because ea reman is 'worth' half the value of the car. But I do have more money than time (and patience). I was looking for a feel as to whether it is worth the time lost to do it myself.

Thanks.

 

keeping track of those damned seals thats for sure.. sheesh i rebuilt 2 of them a few months ago and i almost shat myself when i forgot which seals were for which rotor of which specific places.... i had this problem cause i was so **** about having them have tight tolerances