Which rebuild kit?/Rotary aviation sold out? *SEARCHED*
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From: Appleton, WI
Which rebuild kit?/Rotary aviation sold out? *SEARCHED*
I've got a 87 turbo block that I'm rebuilding.
I'm going to be using rotors and housings from an 86 N/A.
Which gasket overhaul kit do I need? I know I'll be using the TII intake manifold. What's the difference between the N/A and Turbo kits other than the intake manifold gaskets?
I tried to order the RA Classic seals from Rotaryaviation, and it looks like they're sold out of everything, with no further information...anybody know anything about this? I tried e-mailing them already.
I'm going to be using rotors and housings from an 86 N/A.
Which gasket overhaul kit do I need? I know I'll be using the TII intake manifold. What's the difference between the N/A and Turbo kits other than the intake manifold gaskets?
I tried to order the RA Classic seals from Rotaryaviation, and it looks like they're sold out of everything, with no further information...anybody know anything about this? I tried e-mailing them already.
Mazdatrix kits use all OEM parts. There are advantages and disadvantages to that. OEM stuff is generally more expensive than aftermarket. It also tends to fit the best and has the best compromise between durability and long life. The most debated stuff are the apex seals, the inner coolant seals, and the oil control rings.
The OEM 2 piece 2mm apex seal is more durable than the 3 piece seal that was originally used in original motors. Obviously if you detonate enough they will break. I can vouch for the strength of the RA Super Seals--they have withstood a lot of detonation on my motor, and if something goes wrong with your high compression setup you need all the durability you can get. But those seals are also harder on housings, and as you've noticed they're not always available. Some say the Atkins and Hurley seals are weaker than OEM, which could be a problem on a high compression motor if something inadvertently goes wrong.
All the side seals and corner seals should just be OEM. Since this is a turbo motor and I presume power output is important to you, I would recommend all new springs and new side seals clearanced to 2-3 thousandths of an inch. My old motor, built by the previous owner, had old side seals and some marginal springs. It got blow-by on cold starts but it still made decent power--but less power than it could have made.
The coolant seals--well some have complained of fitment problems (meaning possible premature failure) with the RA teflon inner coolant rings, as well as the pineapple racing ones to a lesser extent. OEM inner coolant seals fit the best but can't take an overheat as well. On my previous motor I had the RA inner coolant rings and they did stand up to an overheat of over 250 F. This time around I have chosen to go with the McMaster-Carr Teflon o-rings because they have a reputation for better build quality. There is a comparison of the two in the rotary engine performance forum.
The Viton oil control rings don't fit as well as OEM but are supposed to be better.
The safest bet is all OEM, but it is probably the most expensive. If you are going aftermarket, I would do a lot of research and make careful decisions as to what to buy and from whom. I say this because you are going with a high compression turbo build and realistically this has the highest chance of something going wrong of just about any build you could do (with lightly modded n/a motor being the most forgiving).
I ordered all my gaskets individually from Mazdatrix, except for the exhaust manifold gasket which I am reusing. I used the RA internal engine o-ring kit (but I switched out the inner coolant seals), and here is my list of Mazdatrix part numbers for an s4 T2 engine:
13-111D-N318 LIM gasket
13-112A-N318 UIM gasket
15-1160-N3Y3 Water pump gasket
15-1060-1757 Water pump shim (2)
15-1620-N386 Water pump housing gasket
14-6040-N236 OMP o-ring
14-602A-N236 OMP copper gasket
10-1601-9954 oil filter o-rings
41-8000-9956 oil cooler crush washers (4)
41-6000-9956 front cover oil cooler washer (2)
11-404A-1881 pilot bearing seal
14-171B-0810 Oil pickup gasket
14-2930-N385 oil line front cover gasket
10-1740-N231 front cover o-ring
Engine Hard Parts
11-C240-NF01 corner seal spring x 12
11-C06C-N326 apex seal spring X 6 (large)
11-C04A-N326 apex seal spring X 6 (small)
11-C110-N3Y1 side seals (12)
11-C170-N326 side seal springs (12)
you can start with that and figure out what you need from there. Every time I buy a "complete" kit from somewhere I regret it. I end up wanting to change out certain parts or wish I hadn't bought others.
The OEM 2 piece 2mm apex seal is more durable than the 3 piece seal that was originally used in original motors. Obviously if you detonate enough they will break. I can vouch for the strength of the RA Super Seals--they have withstood a lot of detonation on my motor, and if something goes wrong with your high compression setup you need all the durability you can get. But those seals are also harder on housings, and as you've noticed they're not always available. Some say the Atkins and Hurley seals are weaker than OEM, which could be a problem on a high compression motor if something inadvertently goes wrong.
All the side seals and corner seals should just be OEM. Since this is a turbo motor and I presume power output is important to you, I would recommend all new springs and new side seals clearanced to 2-3 thousandths of an inch. My old motor, built by the previous owner, had old side seals and some marginal springs. It got blow-by on cold starts but it still made decent power--but less power than it could have made.
The coolant seals--well some have complained of fitment problems (meaning possible premature failure) with the RA teflon inner coolant rings, as well as the pineapple racing ones to a lesser extent. OEM inner coolant seals fit the best but can't take an overheat as well. On my previous motor I had the RA inner coolant rings and they did stand up to an overheat of over 250 F. This time around I have chosen to go with the McMaster-Carr Teflon o-rings because they have a reputation for better build quality. There is a comparison of the two in the rotary engine performance forum.
The Viton oil control rings don't fit as well as OEM but are supposed to be better.
The safest bet is all OEM, but it is probably the most expensive. If you are going aftermarket, I would do a lot of research and make careful decisions as to what to buy and from whom. I say this because you are going with a high compression turbo build and realistically this has the highest chance of something going wrong of just about any build you could do (with lightly modded n/a motor being the most forgiving).
I ordered all my gaskets individually from Mazdatrix, except for the exhaust manifold gasket which I am reusing. I used the RA internal engine o-ring kit (but I switched out the inner coolant seals), and here is my list of Mazdatrix part numbers for an s4 T2 engine:
13-111D-N318 LIM gasket
13-112A-N318 UIM gasket
15-1160-N3Y3 Water pump gasket
15-1060-1757 Water pump shim (2)
15-1620-N386 Water pump housing gasket
14-6040-N236 OMP o-ring
14-602A-N236 OMP copper gasket
10-1601-9954 oil filter o-rings
41-8000-9956 oil cooler crush washers (4)
41-6000-9956 front cover oil cooler washer (2)
11-404A-1881 pilot bearing seal
14-171B-0810 Oil pickup gasket
14-2930-N385 oil line front cover gasket
10-1740-N231 front cover o-ring
Engine Hard Parts
11-C240-NF01 corner seal spring x 12
11-C06C-N326 apex seal spring X 6 (large)
11-C04A-N326 apex seal spring X 6 (small)
11-C110-N3Y1 side seals (12)
11-C170-N326 side seal springs (12)
you can start with that and figure out what you need from there. Every time I buy a "complete" kit from somewhere I regret it. I end up wanting to change out certain parts or wish I hadn't bought others.
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