Subject: Coot engine failures
From: Paul
Date: 4/14/2001, 10:51 PM

Leon Promet wrote:

G'day Guys,

Aaaaahhhh! ... brings back vivid memories of NSU Ro 80s collapsing torque
converters and filling the engine full of metal!  What a silly, silly
design (-ed to fail!!).  I think half of the NSUs ever produced had at
least one torque converter fail.

No wonder they gave the Wankel engine a bad name!!  Used to fix this (after
rebuilding the motor and fitting a new torque converter at fabulous
expense!)  by filtering the return oil before it got back to the engine
sump!  $20 buck fix to stop $5Ks worth of damage (at mid '70s prices I
might add!!).

What still amazes me about this PSRU is that somebody actually designed
something that is taking maybe up to a couple of thousand pounds of
continuous thrust and didn't put in a thrust bearing.  Sheer Lunacy

Here again,  the failure of a rotary engine has nothing to do with the fact
that it is/was a rotary engine.  The Mazda thrust plate was only ever there
to take the momentary loads of de-clutching,  not constant sustained load..
 Another poorly designed ancillary has taken an engine out (yet again!).
Scary!!

Best wishes and kindest regards,

Leon Promet
leon@promotorsport.com.au

P.S.  I have been to Ken's website.  What sort of prop is that you are
using.  Looks like one of those "swap boat" designs.  How do they compare
with normal props,  and are they a lot quieter??  Also,  does Ken have an
email address??

Cheers,

What ever you attached  Leon don't attach it again :-) Does not appear to be a
real gif. Made a big mess!

Paul Lamar
 
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