Today I had the pleasure to visit the Rotamax plant where I was   toured
  around by the RotaMax president Eric Barger. For a number of   hours I
  looked at every part they make (which just happens to be every   part of
  their rotary engine) and  to ask questions.  Frankly, I was way   more
  impressed than I thought I would be.  So in a series of e-mail,   this
  being the first,  I will try to describe the Rotamax engine and  the
  company too.  But for this first e-mail, here are some teasers.   No
  order, just as I think of them.

  The Rotamax engine is charge cooled and has needle roller bearings
  that are pressure fed oil.
  The Rotamax engine is both side port and p port.  The p port is
  operated by manual butterfly valve.   The engine I was told  idles  very
  smoothly at low RPM  just using the side port.   I did not see it
  myself but I have no doubt it is true.
  The Rotamax engine has cool side intake.

  The Rotamax engine has no oil sump.  Among other things, this is a
  perfect set up for aerobatics. It has a total loss oil system.  In a
  nut shell, oil is pulled from a small tank on the firewall.   It  is
  pumped to the needle bearings  which are fully lubricated.   Some  of he
  oil travels through the eccentric and flows out of ports to add   more
  lube to the inside to the bearings.  From this point the oil is   flung
  onto the tip seals where it is eventually burned.  It does not use
  much oil, and it is totally clean.  There is no dirty oil ever  in  this
  engine.

  The Rotamax is very light weight. The two rotor weighs  130 lbs   No
  [PSRU] drive, "yet".

  The Rotamax is produced by a small, talented crew, that  includes  a CAD
  driver (Pro E) a couple of machinists,  an engine guy who knows  his
  stuff.  They have a room full of cnc lathes, mills, grinders  that  are
  obviously being used a lot.

  The Rotamax rotor housing is aluminum without a steel liner.    Instead
  it is coated  You can forget trying to find  out about the   details of
  this operation--It is something they are not going to share.    Same for
  side housings.  A pair of side housings were pulled after  40hours  and
  had absolutely no wear.  No step at all. Housings and ends are   ground
  in house.  NICE... NICE... NICE!


  First photo:  Paul do you know this guy ?
  Second photo:  The eccentric before and after machining.
  Third photo:   Beautiful workmanship on the rotor.  Note the seal
  groves.  The three holes are for charge cooling.
  That is it for tonight.  Jerry



Could someone please confirm the weight of the engine?
Photo *P1010022.jpg shows it being held in both arms against your   chest.
Is this the **130 lb** engine?
Thanks,
John


http://www.rotamax.net/

According to the web site it is 140 pounds for the two rotor.
Of course that is less PSRU.

Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

The weights are drifting around a few pounds as they change things.
Knowing what I know, I think you will be able to install the 2 rotor
with drive under 200 lbs FWF.   So that has become my ideal engine  for
the CH 701.   P.S.  I can't reveal everything  because Rotamax does
not want to talk about stuff that is under development and subject to
change.   Jerry

Hi Jerry;

What is (and is not) included in the 140# engine weight?
What is the rotor material? Compression ratio(s)?  Pics of the rotor
combustion recess?

Cheers
Cary

Good questions but I don't have all the answers.  RotaMax will be at
Sun n Fun with running and torn down engines both.  So you can find
out everything then.

The rotors are iron, I think.   I did not take a photo of the
combustion recess--I should have.   No idea about the compression
ratio. However,  when I say FWF, I mean every thing in front of the
firewall: engine,  radiator, drive, prop, cowl, paint, bugs on the
windshield.  Jerry


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