I have been building rotary engines for quite some time. My question to every single engine builder that is a member here is: How do you clean all the carbon build up on the rotor's? I mean all the build up, from inside the side seal channel, inside the corner seal, around the oil seal channels. I mean something else besides ELBOW grease. I have found my own way that really cleans the rotor really good I mean perfect, but I'm looking for a better way or easier way..

 

elbow grease.....
you can bead blast them with walnut shells, that will do a lot of the work for you, its a good time saver.
you can steam clean them, its almost like bead blasting.
you can dip them in solvent, a friend of mine does this is works great, but you need really stong stuff and a couple of days to let it soak.

mike

 

Carburetor dip! I think it's called Berryman's. That is probably the strongest stuff you can easily find.

 

Dip them and leave town. When you get back it'll be like wipping off hot butter.

 

How bad is it to use a wire wheel? Can it only be used on the rotor faces?

 

I would assume on the rotor face is fine, but NEVER in the apex seal ride...

 

The parts cleaning company called Safety Kleen sells/lease a big type of washing machine. It uses pressurized hot water with soap. The machine is really expensive has anybody used this machine? and if yes how well does it clean. I would say if this machine works well it would be the most effective way for me to clean rotors. I spend a decent amount of time cleaning rotors, Im looking for a way where I could cut that labor down. This washing machine all you have to do is set it and forget it.. But Im not sure how well could it clean the rotors, especially inside the side seal groove.

 

Clean the Apex and side seals out with a broken Apex and side seal?

As for the cleaning up get a wire brish give it a going over then get washing up bowl and put a gallon or parrafin in it and soke them in it for a night and 99% of the C**p will come off.

Chris

 

I've used a wire wheel for most of the surface areas and they just let it set in the parts washer over night then run broken apex seals back and forth along the grooves and just kinda "feel"(when running back and forth it'll kinda bump when you get to a deposit) for everything to be cleaned out.

Is that a decent way to do it? Using the wire wheel for the surfaces speeds it up a ton, I can clean the entire surface of a rotor in about 15 minutes.

STEPHEN

 

i used to work at a shop with one of those machines. it works the best on rotor and side housings. it will clean most of the crap off the rotors, but you still have to give the grooves a once over. how much is that machine? i have heard of people using an old dishwasher too

mike

 

The tech college I teach at has several Safety Kleen parts washers that use an aqueous-base cleaning solution, basically it is just a replacement for your old varsol cleaner but more enviro-green. Whatever that solution is that they use works great on carbon, way better than varsol.

 

The price of the machine depends on the size, they start @ 3,500.oo and soap is about 200.00 The way I rebuild so many engines I seriously think this is the best way out for me. Instead of spending some valuable time cleaning rotors, side housings, bolts, oil pan, intake manifolds etc. Im starting to lean more over the washing machine. Any more Ideas? and thankx for the replies..

 

Use a parts washer. Chem-dip is the best way. I have always been told to NOT use a wire wheel or brush on the rotors as they have a special coating on them that Mazda puts on them to protect them.

 

You guys are working too hard and spending too much money.&nbsp "Carb cleaner" in the (gallon) can (not the spray stuff) works great overnight.&nbsp It has been mentioned as "Chem Dip" and also known as "parts cleaner (in the can)".&nbsp This stuff is nasty - don't get it on your skin.


-Ted

 

SODA BLASTING IS THE ****!!!!! AKA SOFT STRIP. if you build a lot of motors it is cost effective if you do a lot of them at the same time. virtually no work at all except loading them in your truck

 

What is soda blasting? Is it like sand blasting but with "soda" like as in backing soda type powder???

Did i totally miss it haha

Please give just a little more info please

STEPHEN

 

My rotors came out of an engine that sat in the rain and filled up with water. They're all rusty. The coating, if any, is already dead. It probably wouldn't hurt to try. It's my fudge engine hehe.

 

YES! No work at all needed!

I was amazed first time I saw how well this works... put the most nasty, carbon encrusted parts in there overnight, the next morning pull 'em back out, give 'em a quick wash in the "normal" solvent tank parts washer to get the dip solvent off, and the parts are ready for engine assembly.

Second that comment on skin contact... People are mainly carbon (well, aside from water). Anything that dissolves carbon, will dissolve YOU. Anything that dissolves heavy carbon crusties overnight is NOT something you want to be careless with.

 

Any effect on the bearing coating? this dip sounds like some strong chemical.

 

B-9 Chem-Dip, Carburetor and Parts Cleaner: Part #0996 from Berryman Products, Inc, Arlington, TX. The nasties are: dichloromethane, toluene, xylene, and benzene. Talk about having the local serial killers over for dinner...

I get mine from AutoZone for $12 gallon.
I have trouble getting rotors completely submerged in 1 gallon - use two. It seems to loose strength as it becomes saturated with carbon/vanish/etc.

Steve Cappelli
Marietta, Ga.

 

For the bulk of the rotor, automotive paint stripper sold at part stores, in the aerosol cans removes carbon and oil varnish like hot damn, just spray it on,(not on bearing face) and let it sit for an hour, come back and wipe it clean with rag...Also works great for v-8 valvetrain components, found that out the other day by accident trying to remove paint from valve covers..Max

 

Its proper name is:

CHEM-DIP Cold Parts Cleaner. Comes in 1 and 5 Gallon cans:
Link to their site: http://www.berrymanproducts.com/

 

It is:
40-45% Methylene Chloride
30-35% Monochlorotoulene
10-15% Cresols
5-10% Mixed Xylenes
<4% Sodium Bichromate
<2% Ethylene Benzene

Definitely wear a QUALITY chemically rated glove when using this STUFF!!!

 

it really depends on how many motors you do. if one can of "dip" is $20 and does lets say 2 rotors, how long does it take to add up to $3500? i like the washers, we had a big one and you can put all the housings in there at once, and go do something else. plus it wont mess your hands up. it depends on how many motors you do in ,lets say, a year to pay for the washer

mike

 

Thats a good point, I'm building 3 to 4 engines per month. I could build more if I didn't spend so much time in cleaning the rotors and everything else. The washing machine is big enough to fit some tranny parts too, like the big N/A bell housings. Again I spend a decent amount of time blasting away dirt from the tranny cases. Like you said while parts are being cleaned in the washing machine I could continue with porting and everything else. The search continues....