Adam's Canadian 13B Rotary 818-SR Build

[Toysrus]

http://www.ausrotary.com/viewtopic.php?t=135179
That's about bleeding the system.

I saw another post where someone tapped the thermo pellet housing and installed a bleed screw.

[Toysrus]

Where does the stock ac heater core feed from? I read that it's a constant flow system so you probably need to not cap that off but t it into your coolant hoses???

[Toysrus]

Is your turbo water cooled?

[Canadian818]

Where does the stock ac heater core feed from? I read that it's a constant flow system so you probably need to not cap that off but t it into your coolant hoses???

I capped it, but thats a fairly common practice. I only have the one end left anyway because I cut one off when I modified the water pump housing.

[Canadian818]

Is your turbo water cooled?

Yes

[Toysrus]

And a air pocket could also be causing tstat to not open but I believe we're already tracking that

[Toysrus]

Could the coolant seal in the turbo be leaking? Sorry for cluttering your thread but hopefully I'm helping.

[Toysrus]

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-75500-C.../dp/B0007ZDRUI
Combustion gas detector. Can buy or possibly rent at autopart store.

[Canadian818]

The vacuum leak test was good, so I'm not ready to jump to the conclusion that the brand new turbos seals or the engines o-rings are leaking.

[Toysrus]

Dont want to be the bad guy here but the engine seal can dry rot from just sitting unused too long. Also the high pressure combustion leak can be one way only. There is enough pressure that failing seal wouldn't leak under vacuum or even leak coolant or oil into each other or into the combustion camber. And it's a rotary seal so possibly only leaking on one side/ top/ bottom...

[Toysrus]

Any chance the 20 psi cap isn't tight enough?

[Canadian818]

Any chance the 20 psi cap isn't tight enough?

I'm pretty sure it was, now that's it's cool I just went out and put about a litre of coolant in the rad before it filled up. Definitely still lots of air in the system.

[Toysrus]

Or wrong cap, plunger not sealing the hole. Putting the pressure tester in it's place would temporarily solve it then you can watch to see if the coolant gets forced out of the overflow tank. Or if you don't have a test cap you could rig up a plug to seal the radiator cap hole and force the 16 psi cap to do it's job. Don't really need a normal cap there anyway a cap that doesn't release pressure would work. https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...act=mrc&uact=8 like the one on the right just make sure whatever you used to plug the overflow port can take the pressure.

[STiPWRD]

Do you have overflow tanks at the front and rear of the car? I'm not sure how your rotary handles it but the subaru engines have a degas tank at the top of the engine (it's the highest point in the cooling system - this is where the airlift tool should be used). I capped the radiator (so I only have an overflow tank in the back) and used the air lift tool as well. Some people run overflow tanks off of the radiator, but I don't think that's necessary.

[Canadian818]

Do you have overflow tanks at the front and rear of the car? I'm not sure how your rotary handles it but the subaru engines have a degas tank at the top of the engine (it's the highest point in the cooling system - this is where the airlift tool should be used). I capped the radiator (so I only have an overflow tank in the back) and used the air lift tool as well. Some people run overflow tanks off of the radiator, but I don't think that's necessary.

Here's my setup.







So while my rear cap is the highest point, I might have air trapped in the t-stat houseing. I had hoped to eliminate that by using the air lift tool.

I initially just had a rear overflow, but I've temporarily reinstalled one up front.

[STiPWRD]

Is the coolant temp sensor also located in the t-stat housing? If so, I would agree that there could be air trapped in there and your sensor could be reading the hot water vapors. Also, where does your overflow tank hook up to in the rear? Most of the systems I've seen run the overflow tank to a small nipple right below the cap.

I'd suggest giving it a few more cycles and checking fluid levels; the cooling issue may eventually go away. The airlift tool really does wonders.

[Canadian818]

Yes! The sensor is right there! That would definitely explain the high temp readings so quickly.

[Toysrus]

Maybe you can squeeze one of the couplings after the thermostat and feel the coolant flowing. I know you can do that on rubber hoses. Also feel for heat.

[818sNH]

Hey Adam awesome job on the build. I am Following your lead. Quick question. I have my motor being ported right now. Should have it back this weekend. I need to find the starter that fits the adapter. Im looking at a 93 legacy 2.2l, is that the one you picked up?


thanks
arnaldo

[Frank818]

Hey Arnaldo, not sure I'm following your question on this thread. Are you building a rotary too?

[818sNH]

yeah, Im getting all my parts together and doing alot of lurking on here.
The starter I have in the 818 now (02 impreza motor) wont work with the new transmission adapter.

[Frank818]

That's nice a 2nd rotary! Which year engine? Will you start your build thread?

[Canadian818]

Hey Adam awesome job on the build. I am Following your lead. Quick question. I have my motor being ported right now. Should have it back this weekend. I need to find the starter that fits the adapter. Im looking at a 93 legacy 2.2l, is that the one you picked up?


thanks
arnaldo

I'm pretty sure it was a mid 90's legacy starter. When you see it you'll know as the end has only the gear and no housing around it. I'll check mine for a part number later today. Do you have your adapter plate yet? How much porting are you having done? Ecu and turbo plans?

[RetroRacing]

We had the same issue (air bleed) In our tri-rotor. I think you may be having the same issue, based upon the location of your filler. The point at which your filler mates with the tube is lower than the t-stat, so an air pocket forms on the rad side of the t-stat.
Personally, I would just gut the thermostat and see if you can the filler closer to the same height or higher than the water pump.

[818sNH]

Thanks in advance for the info Adam. My adapter plate showed up last week. We are using Fueltech FT400 efi. Dont know about the turbo yet, but we are trying for 400-500hp. So Im not going crazy on the porting just extending the intake and smoothing out the exhaust port. Im also eliminating alot of the emissions stuff. Less wiring I hope. How is that Painless wiring harness? I might use one just for the lights and some accessories.

[818sNH]

Frank Im using a 93 13b REW. Going single turbo.

[toolerwayne]

You can also drill a small hole in the body of the thermostat to the side or above the valve section to allow the air to escape. It won't effect the operation much but will eliminate a possible problem

[Frank818]

Frank Im using a 93 13b REW. Going single turbo.

1993 3rd gen! Oh yeah, my favorite. 255hp stock (to the minimum). Sorry for the rest of the car.

[Canadian818]

Thanks in advance for the info Adam. My adapter plate showed up last week. We are using Fueltech FT400 efi. Dont know about the turbo yet, but we are trying for 400-500hp. So Im not going crazy on the porting just extending the intake and smoothing out the exhaust port. Im also eliminating alot of the emissions stuff. Less wiring I hope. How is that Painless wiring harness? I might use one just for the lights and some accessories.

Here's a pic of the starter label, hope it helps!



I've picked up a 13psi cap for the rear, and installed the Subaru 16psi cap back up front. I'm not sure why when I had 15psi rear and 20psi front the front bypassed and the rear didn't, either way 20psi is way to much pressure for the rotary. I also picked up a tester to see if I'm getting combustion gases in the coolant system. If this is the case then the o-rings are bad and there's no point in further troubleshooting as a rebuild is in order. I hope to figure this out in the next few days, as it's getting too cold to work on the car with the engine running. Time to start cutting fibreglass!

[Hindsight]

Happy holidays. I'll just leave this here...

[Canadian818]

Haha, sweet! Merry Christmas

[Canadian818]

You guys think I can still pull off a no paint body, lol

[Wayne Presley]

You guys think I can still pull off a no paint body, lol

I don't think so Tim...

[Frank818]

You guys think I can still pull off a no paint body, lol

We never thought so.

You are cutting the side sails to pull them away by changing the rear angle, then cutting and extending the bumper to reach the sails and then extending the 2 rear covers to reach the sails?


BTW, who's Tim?

[Hindsight]

Wow that is a pretty cool idea to get some more width out of the back for the tires. Would have never thought of that!

[Canadian818]

I don't think so Tim...

It's funny you should say that, I had his new show "Last Man Standing" playing in the garage as I was working.

You are cutting the side sails to pull them away by changing the rear angle, then cutting and extending the bumper to reach the sails and then extending the 2 rear covers to reach the sails?


BTW, who's Tim?

The rear covers will stay as is, I'm still undecided on how I'll cut the bumper to widen it. I had to slide the whole sil back because my front wheel diameter is too big and it hits. I could've modified how the door mounts and move everything back, but that would've screwed me over when it came time to switch to a hard tip in a few years.

"Tim" is Tim "the toolman" Taylor from the old show "Home Improvement"

Wow that is a pretty cool idea to get some more width out of the back for the tires. Would have never thought of that!

Thanks, to me it seemed an easier way to keep symmetry, and a very different look than flares.

[Mitch Wright]

Great idea, might look cool to leave the back open as a vent.

[Canadian818]

Great idea, might look cool to leave the back open as a vent.

I considered that, but it would leave too much tire exposed. Around here they crack down on trucks that have any tire above the axle centre line exposed. They probably wouldn't bother me, but if it prevented me from registering I'd be chapped. I'm thinking of cutting the rear bumper by the lights and pulling it over to meet the fender.

[RetroRacing]

Great idea!!

[bbjones121]

That is a great idea