3mm apex seal question
#26
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Originally Posted by BlkS5TII
Do 3mm ones take longer to break in?
I'm looking at buying a freshly built FD with 3mm seals and I would have to drive it 800miles mostly highway. Bad idea or would the 3mm seals be fine with near constant rpms on the break in? I keep finding conflicting info. Some sites say never leave it constant, but then suggest letting it idle for a few hours.
I broke in my FC just fine, but I didn't have to drive it on the highway either.
I'm looking at buying a freshly built FD with 3mm seals and I would have to drive it 800miles mostly highway. Bad idea or would the 3mm seals be fine with near constant rpms on the break in? I keep finding conflicting info. Some sites say never leave it constant, but then suggest letting it idle for a few hours.
I broke in my FC just fine, but I didn't have to drive it on the highway either.
In any case, my new motor was seeing WOT to redline by 1000 miles (new housings and 3mm seals). This is per my builder's recommendation.
#27
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Originally Posted by RotaryResurrection
THey make good compression and chatter/float is not an issue on a street engine. Friction increase is negligible. There is no denying that 3mm seals are 50% thicker and therefore 50% harder to break than 2mm...regardless of where that breaking point lies.
Kevin do you know of anyone that supplies small springs for 3mm seals? I know Mazda only offered 1 big spring but wouldn't 2 springs be more beneficial to keep the seal from warping over the long run? That's one thing about the 1st gens I didn't like. My 12A seals came out slightly warped. One spring puts more pressure against the apex seals at the corners. This in turn puts more pressure on the housing corners which is probably why the 1st gen engines rotor housings wore so bad on the edges.
#28
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Originally Posted by 1FooknTiteFD
If a car is properly tuned, then it shouldn't detonate and therefore it wouldn't need the extra protection of 3mm seals right?
You guys need to understand that a perfect tune cant prevent everything. A perfect tune isn't going to do squat if you have fuel system problems when tuned to the ragged edge.
Last edited by t-von; 04-20-06 at 01:24 AM.
#29
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Originally Posted by BlkS5TII
Do 3mm ones take longer to break in?
I'm looking at buying a freshly built FD with 3mm seals and I would have to drive it 800miles mostly highway. Bad idea or would the 3mm seals be fine with near constant rpms on the break in? I keep finding conflicting info. Some sites say never leave it constant, but then suggest letting it idle for a few hours.
I broke in my FC just fine, but I didn't have to drive it on the highway either.
I'm looking at buying a freshly built FD with 3mm seals and I would have to drive it 800miles mostly highway. Bad idea or would the 3mm seals be fine with near constant rpms on the break in? I keep finding conflicting info. Some sites say never leave it constant, but then suggest letting it idle for a few hours.
I broke in my FC just fine, but I didn't have to drive it on the highway either.
As for breakin, I find highway miles to be better than city. The heat cycling argument is often made, but most rebuilds do not change bearings, which are the only parts really affected by heat cycling. The whole "drive at varying rpm's" thing is a big wives tale, IMO. Just stay at a reasonable rpm as your ceiling for a while...too much centrifugal force is not good for seating new seals. Other than that, get in it and go.
#30
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Originally Posted by t-von
Kevin do you know of anyone that supplies small springs for 3mm seals? I know Mazda only offered 1 big spring but wouldn't 2 springs be more beneficial to keep the seal from warping over the long run? That's one thing about the 1st gens I didn't like. My 12A seals came out slightly warped. One spring puts more pressure against the apex seals at the corners. This in turn puts more pressure on the housing corners which is probably why the 1st gen engines rotor housings wore so bad on the edges.
#31
RA 3mm seals use single springs so dont have the provision for the extra spring.
I have just bought a set and milled the .5mm slot in the seal and bought atkins double springs for 3mm seals. Busy rebuilding now.
The tolerance for the rotor to seal is 25 thou to 60 thou, so why does the solid corner seals atkins sell not even have 20thou tolerance?? I was suprised when I tried to get the feeler gauge in.
I have just bought a set and milled the .5mm slot in the seal and bought atkins double springs for 3mm seals. Busy rebuilding now.
The tolerance for the rotor to seal is 25 thou to 60 thou, so why does the solid corner seals atkins sell not even have 20thou tolerance?? I was suprised when I tried to get the feeler gauge in.
#32
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Solid 3mm's generally require hand clearancing. Also the rotor milling has a lot to do with it in my experience...the slot can be in perfect tolerance, but if the slot is off to one side or tilted just a hair, it will play hell trying to get corner seal clearance.
#35
I done it to put more pressure on the seal against the housing. Also didn't like the idea of just 1 spring. For the cost its nothing. Paying so much for a rebuild and not getting 6 more springs is stupid.
#36
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What about 3.5 mm seals, http://hurleyrotary.com/racingtips.aspx
same price, why not go with these?
same price, why not go with these?
#37
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Originally Posted by silverflash2
What about 3.5 mm seals, http://hurleyrotary.com/racingtips.aspx
same price, why not go with these?
same price, why not go with these?
Do some research on Hurley seals...they are not meant for boosted rotaries and don't last long. Ask Rich (GoodfellasFD3S).
#38
Original Gangster/Rotary!
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Originally Posted by silverflash2
What about 3.5 mm seals, http://hurleyrotary.com/racingtips.aspx
same price, why not go with these?
same price, why not go with these?
Hurleys are soft and break at the first hint of detonation. They have no application in a street-driven boosted rotary.
#39
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Thanks for the info, i'm currently looking into getting a engine rebuilt and want to know about the diffrent seals. I have heard hurleys are soft, but didn't know which seals are soft, i guess all hurley seals are soft. But the website makes it out be the best,and they are the only company that makes a 3.5 mm seal.Figure 3mm handles some detonation,these would be stronger. I guess that's why i don't see people using these seals, and i will take your advise on that, and stay away, Thanks again
#41
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Originally Posted by silverflash2
Thanks for the info, i'm currently looking into getting a engine rebuilt and want to know about the diffrent seals. I have heard hurleys are soft, but didn't know which seals are soft, i guess all hurley seals are soft. But the website makes it out be the best,and they are the only company that makes a 3.5 mm seal.Figure 3mm handles some detonation,these would be stronger. I guess that's why i don't see people using these seals, and i will take your advise on that, and stay away, Thanks again
#42
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Originally Posted by mono4lamar
you need different springs with the 3mm seals correct? i just got a set of 2mm seals but found someone selling just 3mm apex seals... so whats the word? whos running the 2 mm oems, what power are you running and how many miles are you at?
Obviously when this motor finally does go I will be in the same situation as a lot of people in this thread, but it seems the 3mm seals definitely have a solid arguement being 50% harder/thicker...who knows though and I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
Last edited by turb0x2; 05-21-06 at 01:44 PM.
#43
In the burnout box...
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bucky if i overnighted you my 3mms would you be able to do what you did to yours to mine? how much? and i would need these done quickely as mr chris rogers has my motor lol.
im also gonna throw a plug in here for my 2mm setup for sale
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=542306
im also gonna throw a plug in here for my 2mm setup for sale
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=542306
#44
If you get them to me asap I'll do them for nothing. For what it takes its not worth charging.
But remember I am in the UK, so shipping wise it might be cheaper to get them local. And they arn't as hard as people make them out to be. carbide cutter went straight through them with no white water on.
But remember I am in the UK, so shipping wise it might be cheaper to get them local. And they arn't as hard as people make them out to be. carbide cutter went straight through them with no white water on.
#45
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lol forgot you were in the uk. damn, anyway should i really trust someone to do this? can you provide and idiot proof writeup for the machinist? also what springs did you use in addition to the long 3mm's that are also used? your proving to be a very innovative and valuable forum member!
#47
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Originally Posted by rynberg
Just use OEM 3mm seals....they have a ton of engineering behind them and they work.
Does anyone know if the OEM 3mm springs are heat treated? From what I can tell they don't seem to be. The ones I pulled out of my carbon infested 12A looked like ****. They were bent in different angles like a coat hanger. In comparison, I've never seen any of the 2mm 13b springs look like that before on the later engines. If you tried to bend the 2mm springs, they would retain the factory arch where as the 3mm springs would bend to a point and stay bent. I may have to show pics to explain better.
#49
Originally Posted by mono4lamar
lol forgot you were in the uk. damn, anyway should i really trust someone to do this? can you provide and idiot proof writeup for the machinist? also what springs did you use in addition to the long 3mm's that are also used? your proving to be a very innovative and valuable forum member!
I bought atkins springs, 1 set of long and 1 set of short.
If you take the seals to a maching shop with a standard 2mm seal just tell them to groove it the same length and depth.
Its that easy, it's only .5mm or so. Will take 30mins to do the set.
#50
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Originally Posted by BuckyFD3
If you take the seals to a maching shop with a standard 2mm seal just tell them to groove it the same length and depth.
Its that easy, it's only .5mm or so. Will take 30mins to do the set.
Its that easy, it's only .5mm or so. Will take 30mins to do the set.
Machine shop? You can use a dremel and do the same thing. I had to on my RA seals because the small spring wouldn't seat in the groove during installation (it kept sliding over the ridge). I used a dremel to square the edge where the small spring would seat against the apex seal since it was rounded. You could also do the same thing to the 3mm seal to make the groove for the small spring.