Dear Paul.

   1)  Is it true a Wankel can still power a plane in flight
   up to half an hour even if it has lost all its coolant ?

   2)  What is the effect, (both positive and negative)  on a
   Wankel engine of too much 2-stroke oil in the fuel ?

   Best regards.
   Benjamin

   No I don't think so. Maybe for a couple of minutes.
   You should find a place to land as soon as it starts to overheat.
   You should also install a cooling system pressure gage as that
   can be an early warning sign. It is also useful for a preflight check
   by manually pumping up the cooling system with air to 30 psi
   (assuming you have a 30 psi pressure cap which you should) and
   watching for a slow reduction in pressure indicating a leak.

   It is very very important that you use the finest plumbing
 available  as the cooling system is critical. No automotive stuff.
 Don't nickel and  dime the cooling system. I recommend 1.5 inch OD
 aluminum tubing   where ever possible and silicone rubber  hose
 widely used in tractor  trailer trucks for connections. Make sure
 the tubes have beads on them.  Tubing beaders can be bought from
 several sources. Also use 50 50 premix  coolant and  change it out
 every two years for new.

   There are special hose clamps called constant tension.
   These have springs in them that allow
   them to expand and contract as the aluminum tubing expands and
   contracts with heat. They are made by Breeze and sold in truck
   stops. WW II P51's generally used two clamps per connection. That
   is two on each end of the hose.

   In addition for the finest connections possible buy
   some of Jeff's Wiggins couplings. These are widely used on
   airliners and Formula 1 race cars. The racers pay over $100
   each but Jeff makes them and sells for a real low cost
   $40 per set.

   Scroll down to the bottom of the first page on
   http://www.rotaryeng.net

   I have written a book on Wankel cooling sold by AC Spruce.
   Every now and then we have a direct special.

   Up to 4 ounces per gallon of 2 cycle oil are OK. More than that
   and you could foul the plugs. Less than an ounce per gallon and
   you risk wearing out the apex seals and or overheating the apex
   seal springs causing them to fail.

   Paul Lamar

 Thank you Paul.  I appreciate that.
   Benjamin



If using two hose clamps, orient them so the gear parts are 180* from each
other. If they are lined up any low contact points from the gear assy will
allow a leak. The 180* orientation reduces the possibility of that.

Dale Davies

Minor point. Those Breeze hose clamps have SS liners that protect the soft
silicone hose 360 degrees.

Paul Lamar