JW Aspin Engine Archive

Very conservative design and primarily as a test bed for oil control to the rotor, and multi-fuel tests. The rotor has a molybdenum spray. the head is nikasil coated. The original Aspin rotors were often lead-beryllium coated. The rotor is driven by a toothed belt, for ease of inspection, and because we thought to play with eliptic shaped pulleys to vary dwell, or implement Aspin's own variable speed rotor design from his 1969 patent.

			Drawings by Bob Tait
			Head and rotor(s) awaiting coatings
			Molybdenum sprayed rotor being ground
			Head assembly
			Complete engine

And so to testing.
Ignition tested OK, carb tried on another engine OK, would it start? NO!
Check valve timing, use strobe to test spark while on rollers, all seem fine.
It huffs and it gruffs and it gets hot, but it will not run under its own volition.
Months go by, Covid comes and subsides ...
A bright "young" engineer in Cumbria has understood the problem

2021-2022: Lots of trouble with cam drive belt, now rises with bevel gears to head level
Still difficult to start, and will not rev properly

Verdict = "disappointing"
Back with the "young" engineer in Cumbria ...