Hi

Very new to the rotary engine, busy assembling rotary with help from
dvd I purchased from atkinsrotary but no where do they show how to
time up the engine from scratch. Do you have information with
pictures how to time up the engine pulley marks etc. Then secondly
I'm changing the ignition distributor(single distributor) from normal
points to electronic how to time up the ignition distributor. And
done done how to set the timing on the engine when running ?

Let me know ?

Cheers Barend.


There are usually marks on the pulley. You can check for TDC with a
modified spark plug, a connected transparent hose and an oil filled
combustion chamber. Rock the e-shaft back and forth. When the oil is
at it highest mark that is top dead center.

A crude way is to stick a screw driver in the spark plug hole and
feel for top dead center.

Assuming the marks are at 22 degrees BTDC put a little white paint on
them and get a Harbor Freight timing light for $33 and use that to
check the timing once the engine is running.

A degree wheel is also helpful.

See all the attached files.

Paul Lamar

       A top quality response from Paul, as always.
     The 'Haynes' series of books on vintage cars
     has at least two devoted to different RX-7, general info
     about car engines can be found there.
           Thanks. Salud †
         Jose Gros-Aymerich
           Madrid, Spain


The way I timed my gen 3 13B was to get one of those air  fittings that
goes in to the spark plug holes. Then I  put a hose from there into a
jar full of water, turned the engine until the bubbles stopped coming
out of the hose and the water started to go up the hose. At that point
is TDC. index that point somewhere. For obvious reasons you don't want
to suck the water up into the rotor housing. This method gives you TDC
to the gnat's ass of exactitude.

Paul, I've been flying a bit lately, the plane runs very nicely. Play Video

Brian Trubee

Did you send it from your cell phone? Do you have an I-Phone?
Apple does not talk well to other products.

I can see the thumb nail but it does not play. Perhaps you can connect
your cell phone to your computer with a USB cable and extract it as a
video to your computer. Then send it as an ordinary email attachment. My
android fablet connects to my computer that way
and I can copy files off the fablet (cell phone tablet combo) to my
computer.

I got the email on my android fablet and I can see the thumb nail on
there as well but
it does not play.


Paul Lamar


That's a video that I have on my facebook, you can go to my facebook page if you waste your time on facebook stuff,  or I can try to get the video out in another format. That was taken with a Gopro Duct taped to my V stab with Gorilla tape.

Brian Trubee

I am a real old guy and I don't have any idea how to use face book. My wife must help
me all the time to use my cell phone :)

I would love it if you can get it out and send it in any movie format.
Surely the gopro has a way of outputting movie files to a computer.
mp4 is the best but mov or avi is workable.

Paul Lamar


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