Re5 engine won't turn

[hitch007]

Firstly, hello to all you rotorheads out there! I have just become the proud owner of a '76 RE5 which, as I have just found out has an engine that won't turn over/siezed??

The bike is originally from the USA and hasn't run for about at least 15-20 years and has 11000 miles on the clock.

I have read from Lee Doxley that a solutionfor this is to squirt oil into the spark plug hole and leave it for a bit. Has anyone tried this? My father who has recently retired has offered to restore this machine to its former glory so you will probably be hearing from us begging for some tips and tricks over the future months!

Any and all advice is appreciated.

Cheers and happy new year y'all.
Gareth(me) and Roy(Dad) Hitchcock

[bdalameda]

Believe it or not but a shot of Cocacola up the exhaust port, down the intake and in the plug hole will help loosen it up. Coke has some phosphoric acid in it and this will dissolve some of the corrosion and help loosen things. Put a wrench on the primary drive nut and slowly work it back and forth. You can follow the coke up with some good penetrating oil. Get it running as soon as possible after getting it loosened up. Make sure you have oil mix in the fuel at first. I have seen this process done by a very old restoration specialist - by using coke.

[hitch007]

Ah, the wonders of coke, not just for drinking or snorting!!!
Thanks!

[maleric]

I have never had any luck with a seized engine. However, I have heard stories that it can be done-put penetrating oil in the spark plug hole, in the exhaust port, and in the intake port and put a breaker bar on the alternator and try to turn it. It depends how the engine seized -if it ran with no oil then I believe it will never run again. Wait for others to respond to your question before you do anything because someone might have better advice. I have three re5's with seized engines and I tried everything and I am confident that they will never spin. One was run with no oil, one ovetheated because the there were melted components over the engine and the other one had no history with it so I don't know what happened to it.

[snowrench]

Ok, I gotta weigh in on this on.... Under no circumstances would I use Coke or any other corrosive. My 75 Re5 was stuck when I got it, and I put Marvel Mystery Oil in the plug hole and in the carb, which I then squirted down the bore. Any penetrant would be fine I think, but Marvel is also a good lube, and doesn't foul plugs to easily. I put plenty of Marvel in the plug hole, and hoped wicking would move it around. After about a week I gave the kicker a good stomp and she broke loose. I rotated it slowly quite a few times and let her sit awhile again.
The real issue is if she is seized because of just sitting, or if she stuck while running due to lube issues.

[bdalameda]

I have unstuck quite a few engines using lubricants like ATF, WD40, PB Blaster etc. I have not unstuck a Rotary engine however. What I saw done with the Coke was on a Sachs 303 Wankel engine that had sat for many years and had frozen up from rust and corrosion. The person that used the Coke said it was the preferable method to unstick the motor because the phosphoric acid would dissolve the rust and not break loose rust and debris that could cause damage to the inside of the engine by circulating flakes of rust etc, throughout the engine and also wedge into the apex seals etc. The coke would actually clean out the buildup in the seals and springs. He used Diet Coke so there would not be any sugar in the engine. It worked beautifully. He poured it in let it sit for a few hours and then worked the motor back and forth and just as it began to free up he used other lubricants to lube up the engine. The engine ran fine after it was freed up.

Also - ATF is a good substitute for Marvel Mystery oil as the Marvel oil is basically ATF without some of the EP additives.

[hitch007]

Hi team, thanks for all the good gen, As I got this machine off a fello who got it off a fella back in the usa, i'm only hoping it has seized due to lack of use. In time we will utilize the atf fluid method first and attempt to turn the motor by hand. Heres hoping all works out ok!

Cheers!
gareth

[ziggystardust]

Just to make it clear that I've never said that squirting oil through the spark plug hole will free a seized engine,(hitch007) . I have said that this will help to persuade an engine to turn that has been stood for a length of time and will also avoid 'picking up' on dry seals. If an engine has seized through lack of oil on the eccentric shaft then chances are it's dead.

Last thing you want to do to an engine that has been standing is to try and start it on the button, lubricate it with your chosen lubricant and turn it over gently with the kick starter with the spark plug removed, tempt those springs and seals into coming back to life, only then should you make any attempt to start it.

You can massage those apex seals through the exhaust port with a piece of wooden dowel or your finger if long enough, as for Diet Coke in the engine I've never tried it and don't think I would except as a last resort.

Z

[steveuk]

I also would add not to use ATF as this can ruin the water jacket orings

steve

[riversidogs]

Once you get the engine to turn well, crank with starter and check for oil pressure before replacing the plug.

Tom

[HGH 770N]

I have seen a Re5 Seize in a work shop while it was being tuned, It had ran low on sump oil and seized while on tick over.
The machanic tried all the above tricks to try to un seize it,
I was a major strip down to replace the white metal main shells and pollish up the Proper shaft, after this he added a oil pressure guage in addition to the worning light as the engine runs on a "total loss" system and burns oil he assesed that the light came on when it's too late.
I have never fitted a guage to my bike but allways check oil pre start and when ever fueling.
Good look.
Rog

[hitch007]

Thanks for all that good gen guys, I am only guessing it will not turn due to the extended period of inactivity. The bloke I bought if off said it hadn't run for about 25 years and that it did run before hand. The ole fella(Dad) will be trying all of your tips,(coke as a last resort I think) and we'll let you know how we get on in a few weeks.

Cheers

Gareth

[hitch007]

Quick update............. Dad, squirted a bit of crc into the spark plug hole overnight and then hand cranked it by hand via the rear wheel the next day and after two heaves, it broke loose and turned quite freely. There must be some pretty good compression there too as all the oil etc he put into the chamber came right out again.... over everything....!!! Ah well at least the engine is looking good. Next up, change the oil and see if she will fire up....

Gareth