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The air/fuel ratio indictor is a valuable tuning
and diagnostic aid in my book. When your engine is surging I would expect
to see the LEDs running up and down the scale - indicating a lean - rich - lean
condition.
If you are not feeling any heat in the radiators,
then that strongly indicates that for whatever reason the thermostat is not
opening. Even with lots of air in the system you should find hot coolant
in the bottom 1/4 of the tank if the thermostat is opening.
If all else fail, I suggest taking the thermostat
out - its not impossible that it could be bad, just unlikely. In any case
take the thermostat out of the circuit, don't worry about plugging the 1/2"
recirculation hole at this point. The point of this is to see if you can
fill the engine block and radiators with coolant. Once you get some
coolant in both and you can tell the pump is circulating coolant from the block
to the radiator, then you can try sticking the thermostat back in.
However, before you do stick the thermostat back
in, in fact right after you take it out. Stick it in a pot of water and
confirm that heating it to 180-200F DOES cause it to open and the little plug
(that blocks the recirculation hole once the thermostat
opens) extends. If the thermostat is does not open then clearly that
is a problem.
While you have the thermostat out of the engine,
don't run it hard and long as your cooling capacity is somewhat reduced, just
long enough to confrim you have hot coolant in the radiators. You can try
filling the engine to maximum with short runs. Your temperature gauge
should also start reading correctly once it has coolant bathing it.
Even though you may lost a bit of coolant when you
put the themostat back in, I think you will find the block and radiators retain
sufficient coolant that your thermostat and coolant temp sensor should
work.
Some more specific comments in response to your
questions below
Ed
Ed Anderson
RV-6A N494BW Rotary
Powered
Matthews, NC
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2004 10:26
PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: 13B smooth running
issues
> >Do you have an O2 sensor, and
meter?
> I have Tracy's air fuel gauge. Not sure quite how to interpret it
yet.
>
> > I'd go through the procedure of reloading the default
calibrations, and go
> from there.
> Reading the manual again
tonight
>
> > The surging is just a mixture tuning issue, you'll
fix that soon enough.
> thanks. Makes sense.
>
> > Did
your engine rebuilder install a high pressure oil relief valve?
> I don't
know. He's long gone. How would I find out?
>
> >get a better
gauge
> I did. An expensive westach quad. It reads 90psi before I start
the engine.
> :(
>
> > place your hand on the radiator
tanks. It will be noticeably hotter from
> >the bottom up to where ever
the coolant level is.
> It has been totally cold after every short
run.
>
> >I presume you are using a stock Mazda
Thermostat
> Yes
>
> >The engine cycling like that makes
me thing of a "lean surge"
> Sounds reasonable. I'm using 4 of the purple
550 injectors. Hopefully
> programming will solve this one.
>
> >Regarding the oil pressure - are you certain that you have the oil
filter
> >rigged properly?
> Hmmm. I'm not sure. I got guidance
from a local Mazda guy on this issue.
> Maybe he told me wrong. How would
I know?
The oil line from the oil pump
out fitting (located on the front aluminum cover) should go to the fitting that
feeds the outside of the oil filter. Perhaps a better way to express it is
that the oil line coming out of the center of the filter
fitting should go to the oil cooler and then back into the engine via
the rear iron housing. I had intially thought that it made sense to have the oil
fed into the center of the oil filter but that is not how its
done. Fortunately, I never fired the engine, but when I noticed no oil
pressure after cranking I took the oil line off the filter connection and found
that I had oil to that point but not beyond. Because I had hooked up the
oil fitting backwards. The filtered oil is returned from the center
of the oil filter can - if you reverse the connections then the oil filter
will oppose oil flow. But, since you appear to be getting oil pressure back at
the engine, I would think you are OK.
>
> >Where is your
oil pressure sensor located?
> in the aluminum pad where my oil filter
used to be. I now have a remote
> filer mounted on the redrive plate fed
from the same pad.
That sounds like the same
location I have my oil pressure sensor. So a pressure of 65-75 psi would
be more normal unless you have a high pressure oil pressure regulator (or as
Rusty suggested a bad gauge).
>
> >I presume you have the stock oil
pressure
> >regulator and not one of the high pressure racing
ones.
> I hope this is something internal to the engine. I never heard
anything
> about an oil pressure regulator.
Yes, its only accessable by
taking off the oil pan.
>
> Thanks for the ideas guys. Please keep em coming. I feel
like a blind man
> trying to run though the woods at night. I keep bumping
into trees. Ouch.
> Does everyone go through this, or is it just me?
The answer is Yes! most go through similar teething
pains. Some are even worst as in they can't get the engine to run
{:>). I cooked my first engine because I ran it with insufficient
coolant too long. Fortunately the later engine blocks seem to be somewhat
more resistant to damage from overheating.
Hang in there, you'r making progress!
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