James Russell wrote:

 > Hi all:

   We would always remove the thermostats in any racing car and replace
 it with a stainless steel plate w/ a hole about the size of the
 thermostat opening. If
 we forgot the restrictor plate, the car wouldn't cool. Formula cars
 w/ double pass rads,
 25% antifreeze, etc. Just my 20+ year-old memory, YMMV, : )

 Regards,
 James

 James what pressure caps did you run?

Hi:
 14-16 psi, if I remember correctly, with coolant recovery and a - 4
running bleed to the top of the rad(s) - to avoid forgetting bleeding
them during
rushed engine changes...

Regards,
James

Come to think of it I did not see any -4 bleeds on Power Sports engine
from the front of the block (PSRU end) to the pressure can.
Perhaps when they changed the rad to a single pass from a double
pass they inadvertently got all the air out of the system and it started
cooling better. Things like that can really fool you. 

Come to thing of it if you don't have a bleed like this the rotary engine will 
build its own air pocket in this part of the engine block while the 
airplane is in a climb . That is because  the water inlet and 
outlet to the block are located no higher than the rest of 
the block. When it is tilted up in a climb it is generating
an air pocket in the front of the block due to normal nucleate 
boiling. Not to mention an out and out boiling steam pocket. 

Make sure you bleed this area back to your highest point in the system.

Yet another reason not to run a rotary engine other than upright.

Paul Lamar

 
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