96 HX Engine Modification and Oil Delete Question

I just picked up this HX the other day and I couldn't figure out what this silver plate here on the rotary valve was. Is it an adapter for larger carbs?

The ski has also been oil deleted (just an oil loop) and I completely overlooked the fact that there is no oil in the hose. The seller started it for me and started easily and ran well out of the water. I don't know how long he was using it with no oil for the rotary valve. Should I just cut the loop at the top, add a T with a plug to refill it with the XPS 2-stroke oil and hope for the best? Worst case scenario would this be a whole engine rebuild? Thanks!

I have a feeling someone will mention it- the fuel lines are one of the first things on my list to replace.

Im pretty sure its not gonna run much longer without oil to the RV.

Added OEM oil to the loop and it's run great all season. Cracked 2 intake manifolds because the top bracket doesn't fit with the RV spacer. Anyone have any idea what it is? I'm not sure if I can just take it out or if the engine has been modified for it. It had a carbon fiber Rotary valve that broke when I let a paper towel get sucked into the engine while testing (already kicked myself plenty for that). Would a regular valve be fine or should I use a carbon one again?

The spacer is really strange, never seen anything like it.

One thing for sure is you are never going to stop cracking intake manifolds without the upper carb support bracket. Can’t be run without it.

I can only assume the cases were damaged and the silver spacer was used to make a new rotary valve surface.

You don't want the carbon fiber rotary valve as there is no performance improvement and they are abrasive and wear the aluminum causing too much clearance.

If it was mine I would get a new used cases and a complete gasket/seal set and refresh the engine.

Stock airbox and carb brace would be good too.

You are going to need an engine alignment tool also.

Thanks! The spacer is tapped into the case beneath it, so I'm assuming you're spot on. I'm thinking it will be easier to draw up a new support bracket than replace the lower case. I'd really like to avoid pulling the drive shaft out of this thing to align the engine, but I noticed most people talk about alignment for drive shafts with splines. Is there a different process for the driveshaft coupler this HX has?

Same process and even more important on that driveshaft. If it is out is will destroy the rubber couplers.

"I can only assume the cases were damaged and the silver spacer was used to make a new rotary valve surface."
I agree. No other reasonable explanation. Looking at the spacer carefully, it is obvious that somebody with more than a little machining skill made it and, moreover, it was certainly made on a CNC machine of some type. Overdesigned a bit, perhaps, but it seems to have gotten the job done. In my brief experience with these particular Rotax engines I'm struck by the fact that Rotax missed the opportunity to make the rotary valve enclosure a replaceable part -sort of like a bolt-on water pump on a car- as opposed to machining half of it into the crankcase proper. Cheaper on the front end, but.... It has been well know since the late '60's that a rotary valve assembly is a potential disaster looking for a place to happen. Even just normal wear and tear is an issue. Much better if one could have zipped the old assembly out to replace with a new one.
And I'm sure as an afterthought it definitely has occurred to the engineering department. However, I'm just as certain that if it wasn't caught before it went to production, then that was the end of the story. I speak with some experience in that area.