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Chris,
here is a few comments on the hot-start problem. I
had that problem early on with the single rotor. It turned out to be caused by
two issues, either-or, or combined. These are, low compression and slow
cranking.
In my first test engine, I used seals that had been
laying around the shop for years and were not matched to rotor or housings. Cold
start was never a problem. It could only be started when hot, by taking out one
plug and squirting in some oil into the combustion chamber.
In the next engine, everything was to spec, and the
problem went partially away. The next thing I did was using a bigger battery.
this took care of the problem altogether.
I demonstrated the hot start at the Rotor Meet
repeatedly.
Assuming that your engine is in spec condition, I
would recommend looking at the cranking power. Potential problem areas would be,
battery size, length and size of starter cable, and grounding.
Just my .02c, trying to help.
Richard Sohn
N2071U
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 7:57
AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Still fighting
the good fight against the machine/rotary
Chris,
Keep your spirits up, you'll get it all sorted out
eventually and be a better person in the end. As for the rough running
on B, I would copy A to B since A runs pretty well, then see how B runs.
After copying, it should run the same on B as it does on A.
I'm
puzzled as to why it won't restart for a few hours. It may be related to
the reason it quit on the previous run. If it got too much fuel and
flooded, it may take a while until restart is possible. Have you checked
the plugs after a run to see if they're wet, fouled, etc? If you give it
a shot of gas, or WD-40 down the intake will it restart? I think you
need to determine if it is fuel or spark that prevents restart. My guess
is that it is fuel related. I'm assuming that your alternator is
charging the battery while running? If not, that could be the
problem. As I recall, the coils quit firing at about 9.5v. So, if
your battery is low and you crank the engine, the voltage drops even lower,
you won't get any spark. Just some thoughts here...
Heading out
to the airport today to do the latest EC-2 upgrade per Tracy's latest
email.
Mark S.
On Thu, Feb 28, 2008 at 9:30 PM, Christopher Barber
< CBarber@texasattorney.net>
wrote:
Still plodding along down here in Houston
trying to develop my 13b. It is starting up with some difficulty when
I first get to the hangar and running more smoothly as I ease my way through
the auto program routines. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday (my weekend)
doing a lot of "I gotta get back to that" tasks and made some wire
connections permanent, secured my panel <g>(...even if fiberglass, it
is a pain to work with a floppy panel), replaced some wires (my oil
temp wire was toast....thus causing 44 degrees to read for oil temp on
the EM with no change. It is reading true now that that one pesky
little wire has been replaced and rerun.
I am still having problems with Controller
"B". When I switch from A to B, the engine seems to want to stall,
since the engine will not restart for a few hours (so far) after a run I
flip back to A before this happens. At higher RPM I can make the
switch between controllers and it does not stall, but runs significantly
rougher. Could this just be due to the Auto Program refinements not
yet being transferred to "B"?
After my various efforts of the last few days I
decided to run some base diagnostics on the machine since I had made so many
little changes/improvements(?) over the last few days. Meaning I did
the diagnostic modes on the coils and the injectors. When I first
arrived I started the engine and started tweaking and testing. One of
the test I performed was to disable the primaries and secondary's in
succession. When I disable the secondary's I did not notice any change
in the way the engine sounded, but when I disable the primaries the engine
would start to shut down...so I quickly flipped the switch back up to the on
position to avoid the shut down. I did this a few more times over the
next couple of minutes with the same results. Hmmmmm. Anyway, I
decided to put this to the side for a moment and I pushed the throttle to
WOT. WOW, the temps rose pretty darn quickly at full throttle.....the
temps were staying around 150 ish at idle and the lower RPM, but really
soared at full tilt. The displayed RPM on the EM are still jumping all
over the place since I have not addressed this issue as of yet....flickers
from 2000, to 4800, to 1200 back to 2000, to 4900 ish with a few numbers in
what I think in the correct range predominating the various numbers. I
was a bit disappointed that the highest number I saw with WOT was only about
4999 ish. Seems low. Is the fact the engine only has a few hours
on it and or is still not tweaked a reason for this, or is this expected
sitting half in, half out of the hangar....yeah, the prop bit is outside in
the sunshine <g>?
Finally, for tonight anyway, back to the
injectors. After my data gathering run was complete I went to the
diagnostic mode on the ECU. When I tested the injectors as if they
were firing at 3000 rpm I disable the primaries and could clearly hear the
secondary's clicking away from inside the cabin. When I disabled the
secondary's I couldn't hear anything until I stuck my head outside the
cabin. When I went around to the engine I could clearly hear the
primaries clicking away, but at a MUCH reduced volume of the
secondary's. Does this matter. Do the two different types have
this significant of a sound difference? Could this explain the about
mentioned shutting down with the injectors were turned off during the engine
run?
As always guys, thanks for your kind
considerations. As I have mentioned before all commentary is
welcome. I am not insulted by the most basic suggestions and
observations. I am way to close to it at times to notice the obvious
but open enough to learn what I didn't even know I didn't know.
Eventually I may get over the sensation that
every time I run the thing, let alone run it at high RPM, that I am doing
some great harm as opposed to just be pleased and amazed that this engine
Dave Staten and I built actually runs at all.
Like my messy and cluttered hangar....these
messy and cluttered emails are signs of PROGRESS (yeah, that's
it)
All the best,
Chris
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