Yeah, I know what youre thinking. And yeah, I just got out of bed to say this before I forgot it when I went to sleep.

Anyway, I was thinking about apex seals, and tried to think of an alternative to them that wouldnt be so knock-sensitive. I considered an interference fit to seal, but the issues with thermal expansion would make it so your compression would be, well, crap until the engine warmed up. Not fun.

So, at any rate, I kept thinking... how could you seal the apex of a rotor with the housing.... then It dawned on me. Cyndrilical seals! Just have a big *** roller bearing! It would require less oil, AFAIK it would seal better, and couldnt it be potentially stronger to knock?

I dunno if youd want to do a press-in with the rotor and use a journal, or if it could be held in place with some sort of bracket and spring-loaded, or whatnot, but its worth an idea. Also, now that I think of it, the corner seals are the outline of a cylinder, right? why not just fix a big *** block there?

IF this is something new, please consider it... and if someone actually manufacturers this idea, I dont want royalties, I just want a free 13B with some on it and free rebuilds for life

 

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...cal+apex+seals

 

You just made the rotor tips even thinner with a circular seal.
I'd think you'd run into problems trying to keep the rotor from cracking it's tips!

The solution?
Don't allow the engine to detonate.
Stock Mazda OEM apex seals have been run up to 40+ psi of boost.
It's not the high levels of boost that's killing it; it's detonation.
You do know what detonation is, right?

It then comes down to weakest-link-in-the-chain...
Piston engines have head gaskets.
The rotary engine doesn't really have an equivalent...


-Ted

 

I know what detonation is... I was thinking that a cydrilical seal (a roller bearing) would be able to either take the force more, or simply be pushed up due to its shape and the arrangement of it and let the explosion by into the next chamber. I'd rather lose compression for one ignition event (or... 3... ignotion is funny with rotaries....) than blow something out.

Anyway, thanks, and I'm reading that other thread right now.

 

Oh come on, there are plenty of engines that will drive the crankshaft through the oil pan / split the block in half before the head gasket(s() blow...