I've bought an engine for my rotary Spitfire to replace the one that busted an apex seal. I've been inspecting it before installation ('84 12A motor) and when looking through the exhaust ports, the chrome has a brownish appearance with what appears to be bits of carbon (black specks). The apex seals etc look good, the engine turns smoothly, it pops and sucks when it's supposed to with decent force.

Could this be a normal color for chrome with some age on it? The engine was out of the other car for a while, I don't know exactly how long, I would venture to say not more than a couple of months and it was running when pullled. Only reason I'm concerned, a couple years ago I pulled a '79 12A and the housings were brown, but more of a copper color, and Roger Mandeville said it was because the chrome was worn off. The color I am seeing is not like the '79 motor, I'm thinking (hoping) it's surface rust.

I'd post pics, but unfortunately I don't have access to a borescope that I can connect my digital camera to.

Does anyone know of any online resource with photos of different chrome conditions? Pineapple Racing and Rotary Resurrection have catastrophic pics, not what I'm looking for.

 

Unless there are gouges in the housing surface, the brown color is normal.

 

Its just carbon you are still good.

 

I cant see the motor having enough compression to start if all the chrome has flaked off. So probably just carbon.

My old 12a got harder and harder to start and eventually just wouldnt and it had about 15mm of wear on each side of the housings.

 

Roger Mandeville said the same thing this AM 3/13. I guess I'll quit being a and start the frickin' thing up.