Rotary Car Performance General Rotary Car and Engine modification discussions.

What's the latest opinions on cermet?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-09-10, 08:13 AM
  #1  
Full Member

Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
duval7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What's the latest opinions on cermet?

I have a spare set of housing that are just worn out and was thinking of getting them coated with cermet. I think JHB is out of business, does anyone know of a place that does good work? I am sure like everthing else, the way its applied has alot to do with how it performs and how long it holds up. I have read alot of good things about it but never heard any long term results on an engine with it. Does anyone know how well this holds up? Its got to be something to it the 787B used cermet housings.
Old 05-09-10, 10:06 AM
  #2  
Original Gangster/Rotary!


iTrader: (213)
 
GoodfellaFD3S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FL-->NJ/NYC again!
Posts: 30,525
Received 538 Likes on 325 Posts
Comparing the mazda factory-backed 787B to some aftermarket process run out of a shed isn't the best idea IMO

As an engine builder with dozens of worn out rotor housings sitting around I've looked into it and based on all I've read determined that I did *not* want to bother.

I'd say you have a nice set of bookends if you clean them up a bit
Old 05-09-10, 11:25 AM
  #3  
Urban Combat Vet

iTrader: (16)
 
Sgtblue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Mid-west
Posts: 12,012
Received 862 Likes on 611 Posts
It is disappointing that Cermet isn't a viable option. I worry about the availablity of new housings in the future.
Old 05-09-10, 02:07 PM
  #4  
Still got it.

iTrader: (2)
 
Prometheus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Seattle, Washington
Posts: 1,687
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Yet.

Someone will figure it out.

And they will be wealthy, very much so.

I've seen some cermet housings that are nearing final testing.

It was impressive.

In fact I may be beta testing a set here soon.
Old 05-09-10, 02:25 PM
  #5  
Full Member

Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
duval7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Keep us posted on the results. I saw a thread a couple of years ago from Pineapple Racing where they had put together a few engines that were cermet and they were all over 120psi. Never heard anything else tho. I may be wrong but didn't the cermet housing for the 787b come from a US supplier?
Old 05-09-10, 03:32 PM
  #6  
Senior Member

iTrader: (5)
 
ryan1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Waterloo, IA
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Has anyone checked if nikasil is a viable option?
Old 05-10-10, 02:38 PM
  #7  
Senior Member

iTrader: (1)
 
ttmott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Space Coast Florida
Posts: 398
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 4 Posts
I just tore my engine down (it had cermet B coated housings) as it lost compression. The coating as we are finding out is not compatable for long duration with anything but cermic apex seals. I had ALS seals and they were significantly abraided after less than 3000 miles. Of note is the compression loss was equally degrading on all six sides over time so it was not a problem with one single element. Of the few engines that are running the coating seems they are requiring rebuild after about 10K miles. I'm putting stock housings back in and new ALS seals as I write this.
Old 05-10-10, 08:44 PM
  #8  
Full Member

Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
duval7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Wow thats bad. Who did the coatings?
Old 05-10-10, 09:58 PM
  #9  
Senior Member

iTrader: (1)
 
ttmott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Space Coast Florida
Posts: 398
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 4 Posts
Originally Posted by ttmott
I just tore my engine down (it had cermet B coated housings) as it lost compression. The coating as we are finding out is not compatable for long duration with anything but cermic apex seals. I had ALS seals and they were significantly abraided after less than 3000 miles. Of note is the compression loss was equally degrading on all six sides over time so it was not a problem with one single element. Of the few engines that are running the coating seems they are requiring rebuild after about 10K miles. I'm putting stock housings back in and new ALS seals as I write this.
Need to correct an error the housings were cermet A coated. JHB did the coating. Some good info in this link: http://www.jhbperformance.com/downlo...ch02cermet.pdf

The ALS apex seals are not the hardest of metals and do not meet the criteria of greater than 60 Rockwell required for compatibility with the cermet A.
Old 05-11-10, 01:11 PM
  #10  
Still got it.

iTrader: (2)
 
Prometheus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Seattle, Washington
Posts: 1,687
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Bummer.

Thanks for the info!

There is almost nothing out there for experience based application data from the private sector.

Thanks again!
Old 05-13-10, 10:21 PM
  #11  
4th string e-armchair QB

iTrader: (11)
 
Trots*88TII-AE*'s Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: North Bay, Ontario
Posts: 2,745
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Was there any degradation to the cermet coating on the housings? any flaking or the like?
Old 05-16-10, 09:24 PM
  #12  
Senior Member

iTrader: (1)
 
ttmott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Space Coast Florida
Posts: 398
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 4 Posts
Originally Posted by Trots*88TII-AE*
Was there any degradation to the cermet coating on the housings? any flaking or the like?
No degradation or flaking; the only damage was some minor scratching from the seal material rolling over.

Old 08-16-10, 01:52 PM
  #13  
Junior Member
 
ssspeedfreak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If the Cermet is so durable why doesn't someone just use this a throw some ceramic seals in? What I don't understand is why didn't you put it all back to gether and just use ceramic seals rather than using all new housings and re-ordering the super seals? Wouldn't it been cheaper to do it that way? And we'd have a good test.
Old 08-16-10, 02:00 PM
  #14  
Rx2 > FD

iTrader: (10)
 
sen2two's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Florida, Orlando
Posts: 3,359
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
I think Goopy Performance does this...

I dosnt say it on there site, but i know people who have had there housings "repaired" by them. I am unsure if it's with cermet coatings or something else? Anyone know?
Old 08-18-10, 03:30 PM
  #15  
Moderator

iTrader: (3)
 
diabolical1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: FL
Posts: 10,811
Received 305 Likes on 266 Posts
Originally Posted by GoodfellaFD3S
Comparing the mazda factory-backed 787B to some aftermarket process run out of a shed isn't the best idea IMO

As an engine builder with dozens of worn out rotor housings sitting around I've looked into it and based on all I've read determined that I did *not* want to bother.

I'd say you have a nice set of bookends if you clean them up a bit
i'm curious. is your objection with the quality of work done by companies/operations (such as JHB) or is it with the overall expense? i ask, because until i just read that they are out of business, i had planned a future project with a Cermet/ceramic apex combo, and the sole purpose of that was to build a fairly mild engine and see how long it lasted as a daily driver. obviously it would not be cheap, by any means, and i understand that it ceratinly would not be justifiable for the average person rebuilding an engine, but based on what i've read it seemed like a promising idea.

so i'm just curious where you're coming from. is it the fact that it's more efficient to just buy new housings and rebuild on "more conventional" apex seals or if it was something you came across that led you to doubt the workmanship of a shop offering a Cermet option?
Old 08-18-10, 05:57 PM
  #16  
Lift Off in T-Minus...

iTrader: (6)
 
afgmoto1978's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Kingman, AZ
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
From what Dr. Iannetti told me during a phone conversation awhile back, Cermet coaled housing should only be used in an NA application due to Cermet's thermal retention properties. This causes pre-ignition to be more prevalent. And yes ceramic seals should really only be used with Cermet house if longevity is your goal. Had a cermet/ceramic motor last for over 10K miles before it blew up from other circumstance.

JHB cermet B housing was used on that motor.
Old 08-18-10, 06:07 PM
  #17  
Too Many Questions
 
lonetlan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Claremore, Oklahoma
Posts: 737
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
JHB "recommends"(saw it somewhere) the use of OEM seals with their coatings.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Jeff20B
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
73
09-16-18 07:16 PM
izzolaw
1st Gen General Discussion
2
09-27-15 08:33 PM
BLUE TII
Single Turbo RX-7's
10
09-26-15 10:12 PM
mulcryant
2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992)
10
09-09-15 05:24 PM



Quick Reply: What's the latest opinions on cermet?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:17 PM.