|
I received my EC2/EM back from Tracy a week or so
again and got it all installed (luckily my EC2 is in an easy access location on
the cabin side firewall of my Velocity). After messin' with stuff and
holding my tongue just right I have gotten my engine to fire up and run.
Thank heavens, but now I have some questions for the collective regarding its
running and some issues I am unsure about.
First, it seems if the stars are all aligned just
right and Taurus is in sync with Venus, I have gotten the
engine to start my last three trips to the hangar, however, I have not been able
to get it to RE-start following the initial start-up. It comes close and
it will cough and spew and fire but not quite start. So, it seems hard to start
initially, even though it has started when cold but then does not want to start
once run for several minutes. Thoughts?
Second, on the EM, I will advance the throttle and
watch the RPM rise, but as I get to around 4500 rpm the rpm's start jumping
around up to like 6500 then drops to 2000, then maybe to 4000 rpm every couple
of seconds (I do not have NOP displayed though)....this is ONLY on the EM the
engine is churning steadily at a high RPM, but I have no idea of what the rpm's
really are. In the lower rpm's the monitor seems to be more consistent....but
actually it will jump around a bit too, but still has a more realistically even
display at what I believe the rpm's actually are. Thoughts?
Third, a bit more of a philosophical
question. If we are using heat exchangers that are maybe about the same
size as used in a car why do we seem to have cooling problems when the cars
don't. Is it that when cars are stationary in traffic the rpm's remain pretty
low and if they were revving at high rpm's they too would heat up faster? (also
some seriously refined engineering from the auto manufacturers). I
have not tweaked my cooling yet, but I have a pretty big radiator but I seem to
be getting over 200 degree's F after only several minutes of running. It
does take longer if it is running around 1000 rpm or below. I was just
curious as to why it does not seem to transfer from cars to our use more
directly. Would this be likely a non issue if I had 150 or so mph ram air
being forced through the rad and oil cooler? But again, like I have said, my
system has not been tweaked since I just got my computers back and just got it
running again (also, being in Houston likely does not help any...even though it
was a very pleasant 85 with low humidity today. Would colder weather make
much of a difference?) How long should I expect to run the engine while
stationary during engine testing and refinement before needing to shut down?
Tracy mentioned in the manual that during "Auto Tune" mode, which may take about
10 minutes or so that if the engine gets too hot, to shut down and start where
you left off after the engine cools. Is this about right, 10 minutes, or
so, and the engine may start to approach red line. If so, I may be about
right already. Thoughts?
Finally, for now anyway, the rear seal on my "B"
redrive failed. and I was having oil spread out from the rear of the
redrive I replaced the seal (9009 IIRC) per Tracy's phone instructions and
checked to make sure the passages where clear, but low and behold, it is leaking
again. Sorry, not much to go on. I will disassemble again
and check when I get a chance though. Thoughts?
As always thanks for the insight. I know I
can get too close to the issue and having a fresh perspective from y'all can be
very helpful and give me a chance to step away and go "of course" once it is
pointed out to me.
Thanks.
All the best,
Chris Barber
Houston
|