http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMGYx-P4iEY

We are swimming in Wankel rotary aircraft engines this year.
-- 
Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

Paul,
Do you know what sort of linings are in the end and rotor housings of the
AIXRO go-cart engines?
George (down under)


The AIXRO end housings look like high silicon content aluminum to me.
Much like the GM Vega engine and the OMC engine. I am guessing. The rotor housing
coatings are perhaps Nicasil.

I know these Midwest/Diamond engines are Nicasil
wear surfaces on the rotor housings and the end housings. Midwest/Diamond
probably has more experience with this... with the possible exception of
AIXRO. Nicasil done poorly was the down fall of Wankel Gmbh.

There are a zillion wear coatings out there and many claims are made
so all bets are off.

The problem with coatings is you never
know if they are going to stick until they fail. There is no way
to check for this on the assemble line. Destructive testing of
frequent samples is the best quality control technique.

Mazda did extensive rig testing on the all aluminum Lemans engine using a steel
wheel that rolled back and fourth over the coating while a high load was applied
to the wheel axle.

Consequently Mazda and Paul Ross of Alturdyne insist that detonation coating is best.

Some of these pictures show what happens when the coating comes off.

I have no idea what Mazda is planning on using on the 16X aluminum end housings.