East TN Flyer

[East TN Flyer 0]

Has anyone converted / changed the Rotax 582 to reed valve induction instead of the rotary valve induction ? Can it be done ? Is there a kit for such a converion ? Any input would be appreciated. I love the 582's performance but got to distrust that rotary valve gear with a passion ! It cost me my airplane and it could have taken my life also. Thanks. Martin.

[Allen Sutphin 705]

You're talking a complete redesign of the engine! Simplest thing to do is change the nameplate if its that important to you. The Hirth 3203 (65 hp) uses reed valve induction and is air cooled. Not as cheap as a 582, but a few on barnstormers at decent prices. Plus  a 1000 hr TBO as stated. But everybody knows it should be torn down and resealed after 500 hrs or so. A little lighter than a 582 considering no cooling system weight. I have a 3202 (55 hp), same identical engine just a thousand RPM less at full throttle. recpower.com

[1avidflyer 1983]

What problem did you have with the rotary valve gear?  JImChuk

[East TN Flyer 0]

 JImChuk, the gear ( brass ) on the shaft stripped and the engine stopped with a 3 seconds warning. . 

[1avidflyer 1983]

My first thought  would be that the person who set up the engine didn't get the cavity around the gear filled with oil, and if that's the case, it's not the engine's fault.  There is a lot more to it then just filling the little bottle on the top.  I always take the hose that goes to the lower fitting on the engine off the bottle, and fill that hose slowly with oil until oil comes up the other hose and starts going into the bottle.  That way the cavity fills from the bottom and air is pushed out the upper fitting.  There is also a bleed screw on 582s to help get the air out, but they don't seem to do much on an inverted engine.   If a person didn't fill the crankcase on a 4 stroke engine and the engine quit, you can't blame the engine.  Kind of same deal here maybe.  It wouldn't be the first time one of those gears has had the teeth ground off.  The design is fine, but understanding it is crucial to it's successful operation.   JImChuk 

[East TN Flyer 0]

Yes, agreed. The gear stripped after 101 hours. I opened the engine afterward and I could not believe what I found. The engine was sold as a zero time unit but it was just an old piece of junk somebody slapped together and sold it. 1 new and 1 used piston with the rings seized on the old piston and also had a broken ring previously. The piston and the cylinderhead are damaged from that. All the seals are old and hard and carboned. It was nice and clean outside with new base and head gaskets showing and compressions were correct, so I trusted it. I did not want to open it believing it carried a warranty wich would have been be voided if I did open it. So I learnt not to trust anything. That gear though is the weak point of the 582.

[akflyer 1427]

The only way that brass gear strips is if its not filled with oil and has air in it.  Almost all 2 strokes don't die, they are murdered.  It is not the fault of the engine that someone put it together with a hodge podge of parts.  Reason 3242332 why I build all my own engines.