How should I "wake up my" RO80. - Wie soll ich meinen RO80 "aufwecken"?
Dear RO 80 owners,
I appologize for writing in English and have added a Google translation at the end. I will understand answers in German.
I bought a very good looking RO 80 about one year ago. It is model year 1977 according to the registration papers. It has not been started over the last 5 years or so. The owner before the seller told me that the car was Ok and running when deliverd to the seller. The seller did not manage to start it prior to me buying it. I have installed new spark plugs and the engine has been started. I notice some odd mechanical noice from the engine and have decided that I better take the engine apart to check what is the problem.
I would appreciate any advice on what to do before starting to drive it. I would also appreciate if someone can advice a good workshop for renovation of then engine, or if you can recommend that I do the job myself.
Best regards
Fredrik Ericsson
Sehr geehrte RO 80-Besitzer,
Ich entschuldige mich für das Schreiben auf Englisch und habe am Ende eine Google-Übersetzung hinzugefügt. Ich werde Antworten auf Deutsch verstehen.
Ich habe vor ungefähr einem Jahr einen sehr gut aussehenden RO 80 gekauft. Es ist Modelljahr 1977 nach den Registrierungspapieren. Es wurde in den letzten 5 Jahren nicht gestartet. Der Besitzer vor dem Verkäufer sagte mir, dass das Auto in Ordnung war und lief, als es an den Verkäufer geliefert wurde. Der Verkäufer hat es nicht geschafft, es zu starten, bevor ich es gekauft habe. Ich habe neue Zündkerzen eingebaut und der Motor wurde gestartet. Ich bemerke ein merkwürdiges mechanisches Geräusch vom Motor und habe beschlossen, den Motor besser auseinander zu nehmen, um zu überprüfen, wo das Problem liegt.
Ich würde mich über Ratschläge freuen, bevor ich mit dem Fahren beginne. Ich würde mich auch freuen, wenn jemand eine gute Werkstatt für die Renovierung des Motors empfehlen kann oder wenn Sie mir empfehlen können, die Arbeit selbst zu machen.
Freundliche Grüße
Fredrik Ericsson
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Hello Frederik,
Can you try to describe the odd mechanical noise?
MfG
Alexander
Not continous, and not following rpm but rather after revving when rpm was reducing a rattling noice could be heard and this could be repeated.
//fredrik
Fredrik aus Citrohotel - www.norrskedikahotell.se
Dear Fredrik,
In the Wankel Journal you will find a survey of Ro80 specialists, they are however mainly located in Germany.
I would suggest that you start checking the brakes, replace break fluid and replace the coolant. And do not take the engine apart too soon. In many cases the engines are just OK. It may not be rocket-science to take such an angine apart, but it requires some special experience to build it together, I strongly advise against taking it apart without having experience with these engines. Try to locate where the sound comes from, if it does not go with the revs it may be something unimportant.
Best regards and lots of succes, Pieter Jakobs
https://www.ro80club.org/de/clubservice/werkst%C3%A4tten-und-spezialisten
Thank you Pieter,
I will take it easy and start with the basic as you suggest. I will let you know in further comments how I succed.
Best regards
Fredrik
Fredrik aus Citrohotel - www.norrskedikahotell.se
Hello Fredrik,
first of all congratulations on your very good choice to buy a Ro80!
I would like to fully agree with the words of Pieter Jakobs.
Even if the Wankel engine is much simpler inconstruction and has significantly fewer parts than a reciprocating piston engine, these "few" parts have to be handled very precisely when dismantling and have a precise system of marking and positioning the small parts.
I am currently clarifying how we can support you as soon as possible, please be patient!
In the meantime you can take care of the not so specific parts of the car, brakes, hoses and the like.
Sascha Scheben, Euskirchen
5 3 1 Gletscherweiß 07/70
3 3 0 Cosmoblau 03/70
2 5 2 Lotosweiß 05/72
Update:
With the club membership you got a membership directory, here are also some comrades in Sweden.
Turn to them confidently, if they can not help you themselves they will know advice and a workshop!
Sascha Scheben, Euskirchen
5 3 1 Gletscherweiß 07/70
3 3 0 Cosmoblau 03/70
2 5 2 Lotosweiß 05/72
Hi Frederik,
my project is similar, however the car stood unmoved in a dry garage for 16 years .
The usual things to check are the whole brake system (and I mean the whole system including all brake cylinders, brake fluid sucks water and water leads to corrosion). I also discovered that it is a good idea to completely overhaul the DDITS careburator, even if the motor does run. If gasoline dries out, there is always residue left, baking together to a black mass that cannot be dissolved again.
Ultrasonic cleaning and a set of new seals does the magic here.
Checking the fuel tank, filters and fuel hoses is absolutely necessary too, or the freshly cleaned carb will be floded with dirt again.
And empty the tank completely, old gas is bad.
The whole vacuum system has to be checked, the clutch can be sticked to the flywheel and some of the crappy electric relays just give up by not using them. I still cannot switch on the headlights...
Cleaning the breaker contact in the distributor with finest (2000 and up) sand paper is also necessary, it corrodes and because of that the HKZ ingnition may stutter or fail completely.
After a long time without movement the wheel bearings can also get damaged or may get loud after the first trips. Keep that in mind. The tires may have to be renewed as well.
Check also the coolant system. Mine had oil swimming on top of the coolant in the expansion tank and that means the engine has to be taken apart. Most probably only an "o-ring" faulty, but who knows.
I am a complete newbie concerning the RO80, but my personal way is to just try it by myself (the RO80 technical manual is mandantory!), those with experience are getting fewer and new ones have to get the experience, that is life. Especially in your remote location being able to help yourself is absolutely necessary in my eyes.
But do it only if you have mechanical skills and experience with "normal" cars and a logic way of thinking. Otherwise you will end up with a set of motor parts and nobody around to help you to put it together again.
I am goung to disassemble my motor within the next weeks.
I hope my experience with my project car will help you a little.
Hi Imploder,
yes I will follow the easy path first and if everything is smooth after that I will start to use the RO 80. Sooner or later I will probably try to understand the engine better since it is a fascinating design. I have found two good videos on youtube, one is disassembling and the other is assembling a Mazda wankel engine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJmn8GHQezI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjiYSDZukwQ
Best regards
Fredrik
Fredrik aus Citrohotel - www.norrskedikahotell.se
Hi Frederik,
my project is similar, however the car stood unmoved in a dry garage for 16 years .
The usual things to check are the whole brake system (and I mean the whole system including all brake cylinders, brake fluid sucks water and water leads to corrosion). I also discovered that it is a good idea to completely overhaul the DDITS careburator, even if the motor does run. If gasoline dries out, there is always residue left, baking together to a black mass that cannot be dissolved again.
Ultrasonic cleaning and a set of new seals does the magic here.
Checking the fuel tank, filters and fuel hoses is absolutely necessary too, or the freshly cleaned carb will be floded with dirt again.
And empty the tank completely, old gas is bad.
The whole vacuum system has to be checked, the clutch can be sticked to the flywheel and some of the crappy electric relays just give up by not using them. I still cannot switch on the headlights...
Cleaning the breaker contact in the distributor with finest (2000 and up) sand paper is also necessary, it corrodes and because of that the HKZ ingnition may stutter or fail completely.
After a long time without movement the wheel bearings can also get damaged or may get loud after the first trips. Keep that in mind. The tires may have to be renewed as well.
Check also the coolant system. Mine had oil swimming on top of the coolant in the expansion tank and that means the engine has to be taken apart. Most probably only an "o-ring" faulty, but who knows.
I am a complete newbie concerning the RO80, but my personal way is to just try it by myself (the RO80 technical manual is mandantory!), those with experience are getting fewer and new ones have to get the experience, that is life. Especially in your remote location being able to help yourself is absolutely necessary in my eyes.
But do it only if you have mechanical skills and experience with "normal" cars and a logic way of thinking. Otherwise you will end up with a set of motor parts and nobody around to help you to put it together again.
I am goung to disassemble my motor within the next weeks.
I hope my experience with my project car will help you a little.
Hey
Is there anywhere I can get a PDF of the technical/workshop manual or even a scan of it ,
Starting a refurb of a 1971 ro80 thats been in a barn for 20 years , don't really want to spend 100 on paper copy .
Cheers guys
Spare parts catalogue and repair manual including all supplements are available in the club shop!
___________________________________________________
noli turbare circulos meos (Archimedes)
Hey Is there anywhere I can get a PDF of the technical/workshop manual or even a scan of it , Starting a refurb of a 1971 ro80 thats been in a barn for 20 years , don't really want to spend 100 on paper copy . Cheers guys
The manual and spare parts catalogue have been amongst of my first purchases I made for my RO80. Distributing a PDF is against existing copyright laws.
Unfortunately it is not officially downloadable for free like other manuals of the Volkswagen company.
In think you should invest here first. There will be way more to invest...
Cheers
I thought that may be the case and that's fair enough , the project is not my own but I'm part of the team , I will see what the owners think .
Day 1 today , got the crank turning and the water pump , compression seems ok so next step is to see if the engine fires , both plugs are sparking but still need replace quite a few collect hoses
Any tips appreciated
P.s how do I upload images in a post ?
Hi,
There is a description of how to upload images and put them into a post - in German language here. I inserted a translation of the text down below. google may do this as well. The translation here probably will only help when connected to the images in the original instruction.
Bests
Holger
_____
This is how you insert an image into a post or comment:
Important: These instructions are only valid for club members! Forum participants cannot upload pictures to our server! See also note under 2.
1. click the picture button above
2. click on 'Search Server
Club members: Read on at point 3!
(Forum members, on the other hand, do not have the button 'Search server'. Select the tab 'Link' and enter your external image link. The process for a linked external image is now complete. Absolutely observe: The maximum width of a linked picture may be 750 pixels ;-)
3. the 'File Manager' (similar to Windows Explorer / Mac Finder) appears, which shows your private folder on our server. Click on the 'Upload' button in the upper left corner:
4. click on 'Browse' in the input field that now appears:
5. a window opens that displays the files on your computer (Windows-Explorer / Mac-Finder)
It looks like this or something like it:
There you can choose one picture at a time and click on 'Open'.
6. click 'Upload' to upload the picture
If you want to insert several pictures: It is best to repeat points 4-6 at this point until you have uploaded all pictures.
Then close the upload window:
7. the last uploaded image is now marked in the list and the file manager window is closed again with 'Insert image in post' or by double clicking on the entry.
8. you are now back at the window of point 2. the image will be inserted into your post if you confirm with 'Ok' again below.
That's it!
After such a long time the part that fails most probably is the careburator.
Mine was completely soiled on the inside and I disassembled and cleaned it in an ultrasonic bath, the result was at least one teaspoon full of dirt coming out of it.
A set of new gaskets is also absolutely necessary.
After that I could start the engine.
If it still doesn't, remove the spark plugs and check for oil, if they are oily, crank the motor with removes spark plugs for some seconds to remove the oul from the chambers, clean the plugs with brake cleaner spray and reseat them.
I had to do this, because after such a long time the trochoides get floated with oil and with trying to start the engine, this oil gets into the spark plug channels and prevents them from producing a proper spark.
I would recommend an automotive stethoscope. Very cheap to buy and an easy way of pinpointing where the sound is originating from. A possible cause of a knocking sound can be the vacuum pump having become disconnected from the drive rod.