View Full Version : No Synthetic Oil in Rotary Engines


ELK
08-25-2003, 02:57 PM
Those of you who have previously owned rotaries probably already know this: do not use synthetic oil in any rotary engine.

The issue is that synthetic oil is tremendously heat resistant, to the point that it will not burn completely when injected into the chambers. I assume this fouls the apex seals.

Too bad as synthetic oil is an astonishing improvement over dino oil. As rotaries generate a tremendous ammount of heat, it seemed like using synthetic oil was a natural fit for these more robust lubricants.

LTAGFERN
08-25-2003, 03:22 PM
Seems to me a 'system' having a separate reservoir containing, for example, 2-cycle oil for injection into the combusion chambers (for internal seal lubrication) and then running synthetic oil in the crankcase would allow for overall superior lubrication. The elevated level of generated engine heat wouldn't beat the crankcase oil to death (synthetics tolerate more heat before 'breaking down') and the injected 2-cycle oil would be burned during the combustion process.

Seems like a lubrication WIN/WIN situation.

Sputnik
08-25-2003, 03:38 PM
This has already been discussed in several threads, closing...

---jps