What if the Oil Bypass valve is stuck?
 

So I've got this '85 12A that was sitting for a long time. Replaced the tank and fuel pump, rebuilt the carb got it started and can't get it to idle. Basically it would start up strong and then start stumbling but never idled so I had to crank up the idle. I always noted that the oil was too clean. After a while it has started smoking a little bit when I start it up but it clears up. That stumble is still present. Today I went to change the oil(after the initial change in May since it has been pretty much running in my driveway) and the oil filter was pressurized. After I broke the seal on the oil filter quite a bit of oil came out and the filter base was full of oil. It seems like the oil(or most) hasn't been going through the behive cooler. My understanding is that the oil goes from there through the bypass valve which diverts the oil somehow to the e-shaft.

So I'm thinking that I'll have to remove the oil cooler(replace the O-rings while at it and remove the valve to service it. Am I on the right track here? Anything else I should be wary of? I'm obviously worried about permanent damage to the internals from lack of lubrication. How about the pressure regulator valve?

Thanks for listening and for any input.

Hector

What makes you say that the oil is not going through the cooler?

Did you have oil pressure?

What do you mean, oil was too clean? Rotaries will routinely have clean looking oil at the end of a 7,500 mile oil change interval.

Oil will usually spill out when the oil filter is removed, it is due to the way the filter is mounted.

When I tried to remove the oil filter it took quite a bit of torque. After the seal was broken some oil was spilled from the top of the oil pedestal(beehive cooler). After the filter was removed there was oil still accumulated on the the pedestal. I've had 2 other Rx-7s and when I removed the filter there was no oil accumulated on the pedestal, it always drained down so the oil filter change was always clean.

I've had it do that now and again.