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Message-ID: <4B080C1C.2020103@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:49:48 -0500
From: Steve Brooks <cozy4pilot@gmail.com>
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To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Need a sanity check
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I have been working on an issue for three weeks now, with very 
intermittent spark when cranking the engine.  Needless to say, it won't 
start either.
I have a spark plug out of each rotor, and have them clamped to a good 
ground, so that I can see a spark on the front and rear rotor.
If i rotate the CAS by hand, or turn the prop by hand, I get good spark. 
When cranking with the starter, I get an initial spark, and then an 
occasional spark on the front or rear rotor.  Interesting, when I let 
off the starter, I get a couple of good sparks as it coasts to a stop.  
Both controllers do the same thing BTW.

I had emailed Tracy, as at one time I thought that the EC-2 had an 
issue.  Tracy said that he had seen this symptom a couple of times 
before, and it is caused by noise from the starter interfering with the 
CAS signal.  He suggested that I install a 1K resistor across each of 
the crank angle sensors.  I installed the resistors, but it did not cure 
the problem.

This morning, determined to get to the bottom of this, I removed the 
battery cable running to the starter, and using a spare battery, and a 
jumper cable for the ground, I cranked the starter with this battery, 
which was isolated from the airplanes electrical system.  It had good 
spark on both rotors .... yeah !!!

So then, I decided to reroute the starter cable on the other side of the 
engine, which keeps it away from the other wiring.  I hooked it back up 
to the aircraft battery, crossed my fingers and cranked the started.  
Same problem.   I thought that perhaps the noise was getting into the 
EC-2, so I put the spare battery in the back seat (pusher aircraft), and 
using some jumper clips, I hooked the EC-2 through a fuse to the 
isolated battery.  Same problem.

I had extended the CAS wiring when I replaced the engine, so I decided 
to reroute the shielded CAS wiring, so that I could eliminate the 
unshielded wires, which were about 12" long.  Same problem.

I am struggling with what to try next.  This problem started before I 
swapped the engine, as it was very hard to get started, though for three 
years prior to that, I had no issues, and it started easily.

Has anyone else seen this type of problem, or have any suggestions ?

Steve Brooks
Cozy MKIV 13BT