Kyrasis6

I'm sure Mazda had to test this at one point but how come at the corners of the rotor they couldn't make them slightly rounded and have two or maybe three apex seals instead of just the one to aid with sealing and resist detonation problems.

I'm expecting to get drilled on this one so fire away.

idsigloo

Well the apex seals are rounded when new but end up getting angled at the end of their life. Also, there are 3mm apex seals and I've seen 3.5mm apex seals. These seals do last longer during detonation as opposed to the stock 2mm seals, but as long as you don't detonate there shouldn't be any problems with the 2mm. The larger the seal the more friction that is created and this also induces more wear on the housings.

Atkins Dan

K6 why dont you ask the rotary nut on your own damn forum as he seems to know his ****....L0L... BTW I will be calling you later on this...


Dan

BMike

I suspect if you put enough cant in the seals to get 2-3 of them in there, the rear seal would be leaned over so far it would just fall right out of the rotor, and the front would be a scrapper against the housing. Not to mention the logistics of fitting the seals AND springs in, if you went smaller then you just drastically increase the chances of blowing it out and wiping either the rest of the seals and the housing face. I think seal size would be the biggest issue, two small seals don't seem to my logic in any way better than one big seal, just because they'd be easier to break, I can't see getting 2 2mm or larger seals into the available real estate.

Kyrasis6

lol, you mean Acidshock? Yea I guess I should have asked him first :-)

drago86

you'd be increasing friction, have chatter and wear problems, not reist detonation any better, the seals would have to be much longer and have deeper grooves due to the angle, which would make then weaker. etc.

Kyrasis6

The way I was thinking would not involve an angle. The original thought was to have the 3 tips of the rotor rounded to provide more area to have 2 or 3 apex seals parallel to each other, then design 2 of the seals to isolate the heat and the one in the middle to make the seal with the goal to increase reliability and engine life. Dan already called and set me straight, More seals = More friction, more complication, greater chance of breakage, and more cost. Not to mention it would wear the crap out of the housings and require one hell of starter.

Atkins Dan

HAHAHAHAHA I forgot about him....

Dan

Kyrasis6

lol, I was his best man at his wedding.

CrackHeadMel

iTrader: (2)

there is a pattent for a apex sealing design that uses 3 seals, it was pattened in the early 70's iirc, maby before that. the 1 seal just works better and is less complex