sideways-FC

My e85 is mixing with my oil! My engine still needs tune and is running rich at times. This was brand new oil I just put in and drove like 5-10 miles on been in the engine and ran for like 25-30min. So anyone else have a problem like this? Is this a major problem?Should this go away after I tune the car? Is there a certain kind of oil I should run? Afrs are like 11s as the car warms up and then around 12s as it is warm.

ZE Power MX6

iTrader: (157)

A tune might help a little, but looks like you might have an issue with the oil control rings.

sideways-FC

I'm not burning any oil or anything.

ZE Power MX6

iTrader: (157)

Only way gas getting into oil is pass the side seal and oil control ring, that means you could have weak side seal and/or oil control ring. Can you actually tell you are not losing oil with the amount of E85 you have in there? I heard it is ok if you have a little gas in the oil, that's why most people change their oil every 2000 miles, but you seem to have a lot of E85 in there in a very short time.

sideways-FC

We'll it's a fresh rebuild. Used side seals new springs used oil control rings and new o rings. I just can't imagine that much fuel getting past! Compression is great and the engine runs great and everything! The only thing it's doing that it shouldn't be is this oil problem.

evo_koa

iTrader: (2)

the problem is using used side seals and used oil control rings.

sideways-FC

I used used oil control rings on my last engine and this never happened.

sideways-FC

How big of a problem is this though?

ZE Power MX6

iTrader: (157)

^ x2, what's your compression like? And how many miles on rebuild? If it is a fresh rebuild then maybe give it some time to break in and see if things improve.

Well, it is contaminating your oil, I'm guessing that can't be good for the bearings.

evo_koa

iTrader: (2)

its a big problem if that much fuel is getting in your oil, that means the engine is leaner that it needs to be and the oil viscosity is a whole lot lower that it needs to be.

sideways-FC

90psi on all faces and I mean fresh!!!

drftinmx6

iTrader: (6)

What oil are you using? and what premix are you using with e85? also your tune needs to be a bit leaner when you're idling you should be in the 13's atleast at idle I would think. If your oil is too contaminated with e85 then that is a very bad thing. def. make sure you change your oil a little more often when running e85.

sideways-FC

Castrol gtx 10w40. And klotz premix. I know it needs to be leaner I haven't had a chance to tune it yet.

drftinmx6

iTrader: (6)

i'd step the oil up to 20W50 and tune it leaner, i've never had issues with running castrol 20w50 in a rotary on Gasoline or E85, ( i ran e85 last year but switched back to gas due to availability)

sideways-FC

I'm going to tune it and run 20w50 and see what happends

sideways-FC

Also I was running 20w50 in my last engine. I have a hard time believing it's my oil control rings and I'm not burning any oil.

evo_koa

iTrader: (2)

do you have a pcv valve?

BLUE TII

iTrader: (9)

ZE Power MX6

Only way gas getting into oil is pass the side seal and oil control ring

Its all in the oil control rings actually.

The entire side of the rotor beyond the diameter of the outer oil control ring is exposed to the side intake ports and the fuel entering the engine.

Frequent oil changes is something the alcohol burning rotaries are having to deal with as far as I've read.

You could probably make a partial bypass alcohol/oil separator built into your oil system to clear out the alcohol as you drive, but it is going to be pretty bulky.

---------
Sequential timed injection will help a tiny bit (injecting fuel into intake air only when intake port is open).

Semi direct injection (injector on rotor housing) will get it so the fuel has to pass the side seals as well as the oil control rings.

Timed direct injection would solve the problem as the fuel will enter the engine already in combustion.

Speed of light

iTrader: (8)

Is the oil getting up to operating temp (min 180-->200 deg F)?

And for that matter, is the entire engine getting up to operating temp (180 deg F min)?

arghx

iTrader: (3)

ding ding ding

You guys do know that E85 gets into the crankcase until it boils off? Stock piston engines with flex fuel deal with the same thing. There is an ethanol boil-off model inside flex fuel ECUs.

This has been published and well documented on the old GM/Saab 2.0 turbo flex fuel engines.



It's possible there is something wrong but I wouldn't immediately freak out.

sideways-FC

Yes it's getting up to operating temp but most of its time so far has been sitting and idleing. Also I didn't use oem oil control I rings. I used one of those off brand sets. I'm just trying to think what could all be wrong with the engine itself cousing this. If I ported past where the oil control ring rides wich I'm prity sure I didn't it would be burning oil as we'll.

sideways-FC

There's a good chance I will be tearing the engine down for an unrelated reason soon. What all can I check and replace wile it's apart to try and fix this? I already plan on switching back to oem oil control o rings.

Dan Unk

iTrader: (7)

Your car sitting and idling doesn't mean the oil is truly up to temp. Most oils need to be around 212* before you get a true boil off of the ethanol and water that accompanies it. I've experienced the same thing. I was getting the waxy stuff on my oil cap, that tipped me off to what was happening.
Don't tear down the engine. Change the oil, have it tuned, and run it hard enough to boil off the liquids in the oil. If you are truly in doubt, get a kit from Blackstone and have the oil tested.