two cycle oil
 

Newby here. My oil metering system doesent seem to be working. I heard that you can mix 2 cycle oil with the gas. If it is true what ratio should I use and should I use high octane gas?
This motor will not be reved much over 4000 rpm. It is installed in a John Deere lawn and garden tractor.

TCW-3 oil, around 1oz per gallon is the general consensus.

More info on that tractor!

Depends on the apex seals. If they're stock, than yes, about 128:1 is a good ratio. However, because turbo, I would mix closer to the 100:1 mark, and if you're not using stock apex seals, then it's closer to the 70-80:1 ratio...
Also.... because of the application, I would use more oil as well.


And as stated... please, more info on the trailer.

Rotary John Deere
 

Just finished my rotary powered John Deere. It started as a lawn and garden tractor model 400 with a 20 hp engine. I found a Wankel rotary from a RX2, with a turbo from a Corvair Monza Spyder on it and a Madza tranmission for 50 bucks. I did alot of alterations to the frame to install the Wankel. It has a drive shaft to the JD hydro rear end. High and low range. Lucky for me the motor ran and works fine. It will be shown at tractor shows something like a cruise in.
I have built many tractors with unusual motors, such as snow mobile engines, outboard engines, Geo Metro 3 cyl engines, Yanmar diesels, 36 volt electric, Pontiac 4cy iron duke, Yamaha warrior which was capable of 60 plus mph. and a few others. Heres some pics of Rotary Deere.

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_foru...3&d=1395873045

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_foru...4&d=1395873045

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_foru...5&d=1395873045

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_foru...6&d=1395873045

WOW, that is cool! I've seen rotaries in airboats, aircraft, go carts, dune buggies/sand rails motorcycles, but that's the first time I've seen one on a lawn tractor :cheers2:

If I had one of those, mowing the lawn would be fun :biggthumpup:

That is REALLY REALLY cool. I love it... very unique.

However, you're definitely going to need to do something about the oil line. Right now it's run from the front cover directly to the rear iron. The oil is going to overheat in short order especially with the turbo system... props to you for that as well. There are some earlier rotaries that had an oil cooler on the oil filter pedestal. It took coolant to bring the oil temps down. I think that would be the best bet for simplisities sake.

VERY cool project.

I may have one of the ole 12a under filter coolers I will happily donate. I will look tomorrow.

Cheebs to the rescue!

I also have a passion for the Deere.:lol:

wow thats an old engine with twin dizzy! Looks well taken car of. Do you have pics of your build process?

Really interesting exh/intake setup too!

That is so freakin cool.

Thanks for the kind words. Im confused about the oil line you are talking about. The only oil hose on the engine goes from near the filter to the turbo and returns to the filler tube. Am I missing something?

Double post, please delete.

In the third picture (the one showing the spark plugs) you have a line running along the bottom of the engine from the front cover to the rear iron. That is also an oil line, and the line that Brian (TitaniumTT) is talking about.

Badaas looking project btw :)

He's talking about the line in the picture (spark plug side of the keg) that runs from the engine's front cover to the rear iron. Those 2 oil ports that you have connected together normally go to an oil cooler that sits in front of the radiator in the RX cars. By design, a rotary dissipates about 1/3 of its heat thru the oil. If it runs for any length of time that way, it won't be happy.

Okay, At a tractor show this will only be running for about a half hour at a time around 2 to 3000 rpms at a fast walking speed. This is the way it was hooked up when I purchased it. Should I change anything? I do have some build pictures Ill post when I have time. At 73 I still work about 60 hrs a week.

A large oil cooler of some sort in that line would be a good idea, as you currently only have part of the required cooling system. Especially as you're going to be running this at low speeds where air flow through that small radiator is going to be less than ideal. At 2000 -3000 rpm you won't even be into the power band for a rotary. Of course considering what you've shoehorned it into, the lower power output down low might be a good thing. If you ever push it above 3000, where the rotary really takes off, that thing is going to be terrifying instead of just scary/borderline insane.

edit: if you need it I have a stock (radiator style) cooler from the 12A that was in my 79. There were two types used in the RXs. A radiator style in the early (79-80) models and the beehive style under the oil filter on the 81-85 models. 86 and up went back to the radiator style up front as they proved to be superior to the beehive style cooler.

Given the way this tractor will be run - short run times, low speeds & RPMs, I think if you install one of the "beehive" oil coolers that was mentioned, you'll have more than adequate oil cooling to keep this motor healthy. From the photos, it appears you'll have plenty of space to pull off the installation without any interference issues.

Edit: Another approach to consider, if this motor really won't run for longer than a half hour or so at a pop is to leave it the way it is, but add in an oil temp gauge to closely monitor temps, and shut it down if it approaches the danger zone.

Why take a chance put in an oil cooler and be safe .The engine will thank you .You do not need it to blow at a show .

JD,
Do you have a fan in front of the radiator?
I would use a IR temp gun and check oil and water temps to establish max run-time.
Use 200 degree water and 250 degree oil max.
Barry