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I am hoping not to jinx myself, however, I got my electronics back from
Tracy a few days ago. I had sent them in following my latest engine build.
If ya'll remember, my lasted engine build failed. due to the failed O-ring wall
in a brand new intermediate plate. While waiting, I have been cleaning up
my install.
Well, yesterday I reinstalled the electronics and was able to
fire her up. Ok, here is the part that is significant to me....After
running her for several minutes, with good coolant temps (but considerable
higher oil temps....no worries yet, it is a new radiator and oil coolers (2)
install and needs better ducting to the oil coolers) I shut her down AND then
started her right back up.
Not a big deal to most, but the
consistent problems I have had with my engine was that after I had run them for
a short while they would not restart for hours. In both the previous
builds I found coolant in the rotor chambers....the second build problem from
the aforementioned center plate failing (still not sure about the first
build problem, other than me overheating it, running w/o load etc all in a
wonderful education though mistake learning curve <g>). Coolant would seep
in....or, in the case of the last build, gush in. While the engine would
start initially, it got harder and harder. When this pattern repeated is
when I discovered the broken center plate.
I know it may not seem too
significant to most, but to me, to be able to shut her down then just start her
right back up gives me a quiet joy I can't explain. Also, I went back to
the hangar tonight after work, pushed out the Velocity turned on the switches,
cracked the throttle about 1/3 (no priming needed....I may have been flooding
her a bit before) and she fired right up again. Shut down, and the same thing
again, she started right up. Such joy at such a little event. It was
about 2:00 am by this time (I get off duty at 11:00pm), so I retired for the
night......good thing the airport hangars are far from all homes. Of
course even my rotary roar is no match for the jets (military, civilian and
NASA) constantly taking off from EFD when it comes to noise, even at
2:00am.
NOW, perhaps, I can get to some actual progress in tuning the
EC2/EM2 and trouble shooting. Wahoo. I am guessing I will have many
of the concerns of those before me. Right now, it is missing a bit and
some surging, but I feel I can (hopefully) get to the meat of tuning if I can
get clean starts and keep the temps down while doing so. The much larger
radiator/fan is helping. The oil cooler is larger than before but I think
the fan for the radiator is stealing some airflow from the oil cooler. An
issue I see a couple of potential solutions for. In any case, all the
temps stay cooler longer than my last incarnation
Also, I am having some
injector problems, but I think it should be just a simple wiring
problem.....possibly a good old fashion short. The primaries and
secondary's both have power from different sources, if I have power to either of
them separately, they chatter away. however, if I turn on the power to
both at the same time, they both stop. It also has wanted to stop completely
when I got over about 4000 rpm (even if I do not want to take it much higher
than that yet due to it still breaking in, I do know the engine should not just
quit.....gee, ya think ;-). Hmmmm, time to trace wires and connections. I
do not think it has anything to do with the EC/EM. Just one more thing to
figure out.
Thanks for allowing me to share my latest chapter in the
continuing Saga. I hope to see a lot of y'all on Saturday.
All the
best,
Chris Barber
Houston
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