Scaffolding poles + old VW bits + Rotary engine....

[PhillipM]

Nothing particularly fascinating - still sat in the same spot on the axle stands, but I just thought I'd show the difference a little bit of fine tuning and re-timing makes....

https://youtu.be/kDKEK5Xz6oQ

A few pops for good measure (I'd turned the transient fuelling off as I was testing whether it needed some fuel cut when you lift the throttle slightly....yes, yes it does... )

[shalmaneser]

Sounds great!

One quick question - how does it steer? I can't see how the front hubs you posted above twist - unless what I think are bearings are ball joints?

[PhillipM]

They are - large spherical bearings with misalignment spacers.

[PhillipM]

I know, I said I wouldn't post another one, the next one would be it on it's wheels outside, but I just wanted to finish things off before we took the engine out for a spanner check, oil change, loctite session, etc.....plus, I found this shiny red button....well, you've got to press a shiny red button - it's the rules.

https://youtu.be/W7IzaCFzJQU

And look, I even treated you to a different camera angle for the first 20 seconds for a change, see, now it's boring video from a different angle - so that's fine.

[leglessAlex]

PhillipM said:

I know, I said I wouldn't post another one, the next one would be it on it's wheels outside, but I just wanted to finish things off before we took the engine out for a spanner check, oil change, loctite session, etc.....plus, I found this shiny red button....well, you've got to press a shiny red button - it's the rules.

https://youtu.be/W7IzaCFzJQU

And look, I even treated you to a different camera angle for the first 20 seconds for a change, see, now it's boring video from a different angle - so that's fine.

Nice. Real nice.

You've mentioned before but I've forgotten, how much power and torque are you aiming for with this set up?

[PhillipM]

Be happy with anything over 300 at the wheels, although I'm expecting 350-370bhp at the crank. It might not keep climbing to the redline as I deliberately made the intake piping small to help with throttle response, and the exhaust is optimised for 3-5krpm - so that will probably curb the outright figure a bit.

It's mainly just about making a nice wide spread of torque - 220-240lbft or so - right across the range to make up for that wide-spaced Renault van gearbox - we basically only have 3 useful gears.

The setup has enough headroom for about 550bhp with a couple of pipework changes, but the gearbox would be in orbit.

Edited by PhillipM on Thursday 4th April 00:29

[Lazermilk]

Looks awesome!

[shalmaneser]

PhillipM said:

I know, I said I wouldn't post another one, the next one would be it on it's wheels outside, but I just wanted to finish things off before we took the engine out for a spanner check, oil change, loctite session, etc.....plus, I found this shiny red button....well, you've got to press a shiny red button - it's the rules.

https://youtu.be/W7IzaCFzJQU

And look, I even treated you to a different camera angle for the first 20 seconds for a change, see, now it's boring video from a different angle - so that's fine.

I'm enjoying these videos!

Also good to see the front axle stands remain as sketchy as ever.

[PhillipM]

[PhillipM]

I think the moment you start realising you may have OCD over the build is when you find yourself in the middle of making your own circlips....



...I need a new hobby.

Edited by PhillipM on Friday 5th April 18:36

[leglessAlex]

PhillipM said:

Be happy with anything over 300 at the wheels, although I'm expecting 350-370bhp at the crank. It might not keep climbing to the redline as I deliberately made the intake piping small to help with throttle response, and the exhaust is optimised for 3-5krpm - so that will probably curb the outright figure a bit.

It's mainly just about making a nice wide spread of torque - 220-240lbft or so - right across the range to make up for that wide-spaced Renault van gearbox - we basically only have 3 useful gears.

Christ. What's the weight, 550kg or so?

That's going to be rapid.

[PhillipM]

No, way heavier than that - you might get a sandrail with no panels, firewalls, windows, etc to 550kg with some skinny tyres but not this

It's around 850kg with fuel and oil, etc - the wheels and tyres alone are 100kg+ of that.
I mean it's still over 400bhp/tonne through knobbly tyres so it's not exactly going to be tame, just not quite that ballistic

There's no point giving it more power yet though is it will still spin the wheels in top gear if it makes what I'm aiming for.

Edited by PhillipM on Friday 5th April 19:39

[PhillipM]

Colour coded driveshafts?
Yes, not content with being the fashion leaders with colour-coded brakepads, we're now forging the way for the Next Hot Thing™ of 2019 - colour coded driveshafts, you saw them here first:





And a quick picture to show how well the combination of the Spiralox circlips and the counterbored CV stars work - there's no way in hell it's knocking those circlips off!

[PhillipM]

Just for Shalmaneser, since he likes to remind me about the sketchy axle stands, I remembered to move them before I put the front back on.
Could have been a nasty accident otherwise with all the weight on them if not....

https://youtu.be/KVVsM4e1Jes

[PhillipM]

Shock adjuster housings roughed out, everything seems to work okay, needed a little fine tuning for o-ring clearances:



Anyway, back on the lathe for a debur, tweak the clearances and make it slightly less clunky looking:



And the final article, I might shorten it slightly yet as I found some smaller fittings for the rear end:





Next stop, some new o-rings, reassemble and put them back on the car. Doesn't sit very well with only one set of rear dampers and springs on

[seiben]

PhillipM said:

Just for Shalmaneser, since he likes to remind me about the sketchy axle stands, I remembered to move them before I put the front back on.
Could have been a nasty accident otherwise with all the weight on them if not....

https://youtu.be/KVVsM4e1Jes

[PhillipM]

It's actually very heavy, I just double as Superman on weekends.

[shalmaneser]

Fine work on the jack stands! Still, no danger no fun as the Polish guys at work say so you'll have to up the danger quotient some other way!

[leglessAlex]

Argh, getting very excited for this thing being back on track, so to speak. Reckon you'll get it to any of the rounds later this year, or have we given up even trying to predict when it'll be muddy/dusty again?

[anonymous-user]

What are your shaft sleeves made from? they look very neat! (probably less neat after an event worth of being shot blased, but that's kinda the point eh!)