We are failing at gapping side seals on our RX-8. It seems that people on YouTube make jigs from worn out rotors. Anyone in SE Michigan have a dead Renesis rotor we could have/buy?
We are failing at gapping side seals on our RX-8. It seems that people on YouTube make jigs from worn out rotors. Anyone in SE Michigan have a dead Renesis rotor we could have/buy?
I thought you were supposed to read the glyph stamped in the rotor and select the appropriate part number, or has Mazda consolidated all parts to one overlong one?
Aftermarket is the grind to fit approach. Might have gone the Mazda route if we had known how much of a challenge this would be.
We figured out a fixture on the mill, so we think we don't need the rotor. 
I always freehanded them with a file.
A piston ring gapper works well too
We were struggling with keeping the end straight so the gap measurements were inconsistent. That got frustrating fast. This is the third time we've had this engine apart, this time with sticking side seals, so we didn't want to mess that up again.
I seem to remember the Mazda OEM seals being grind to fit as well but maybe I'm mistaken. I've been successful hand grinding after my first one stuck and I learned my lesson. When you're fitting them making sure you're compressing the seal whil measuring clearance(with a steel block or something). This is one spot where I aim for nominal, not the tight end of the tolerance.
I go to the tight end of spec if the corner seals are being replaced, because the corner seals will rapidly get a groove worn into them and gap will open up .001-002". If I am using used corner seals, I rotate them so the side seals thrust on the unworn side, just in case the rotor geometry is different from the engine that wore the groove into them. And I go to the tight end of spec too.
Can feel a difference between a .008" engine and a .002" engine in low and midrange torque, sealing is everything on these engines.
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