Winter 2016 projects - what have you?

[joe_db]

For just the engine, I have:
1. Redo FWC to use fresh water in the block and raw water in the manifold - almost done. I still need to hook up a hose and fill the system. I am changing the ballasts on my FWC pumps to 0.25 ohm from 0.5 ohm. I am seeing 11.9 volts on the pumps underway and I am sure they can stand more than that.
2. Add a Moyer dipstick so I can check the oil without hanging over the engine.
3. Add dual/electronic ignition. I got this idea from a Corvair car engine I saw being prepped to use in an airplane. The Crane XR-I will fit under the distributor cap with the original points in place. I have a spare distributor to get the location perfected on the plate so the points and EI fire more or less at once. I have an extra coil and a spark combiner on hand already for this. The plan was to use one at a time and be able to switch between them.
4. Maybe add an oil temp gauge.

[toddster]

If I say it out loud, do I really have to follow-through? So many potential projects...

Engine-related:

Build and possibly relocate new cockpit control panel.

Replace engine cover and companionway ladder with galley extension cabinet, yet still retain engine access and convenient entry/exit. I have a feeling there may be more than one prototype done for this.

Less likely to be done this year, but possible: Build hydronic heating system from junkyard parts.

[ndutton]

1. Redo FWC to use fresh water in the block and raw water in the manifold - almost done. I still need to hook up a hose and fill the system. I am changing the ballasts on my FWC pumps to 0.25 ohm from 0.5 ohm

I bet the pumps were choked a little by the ballast resistors. The Johnson CM30P-7 specifications allow for 12V ±20% meaning 14.4V is still within spec.

Your measured voltage @11.9V with resistor is 17% below the maximum allowable and has to affect performance. The reluctance to try removing the thermostat preserves a restriction in the block flow too. I believe in a previous thread a suggestion was floated to bump the side plate inlet and diverter from 3/8" NPT to 1/2" NPT. Said another way, I'm not sure you gave the electric pumps the best chance to perform to their ability.

[sastanley]

Joe,

I run a separate wire from the ignition to the ballast resistor/coil. The pump and other electronics get the direct battery juice from the key.

A super small bus bar could accomplish this pretty easily to split the key voltage close to the coil or pump(s). This also avoids loading up the coil (+) post.

[joe_db]

I have no thermostat at all right now. I'll add it back if my new setup can hold temps low enough to need one, but I am going for max flow right now. I agree 0.5 ohms is a bit much.

I bet the pumps were choked a little by the ballast resistors. The Johnson CM30P-7 specifications allow for 12V ±20% meaning 14.4V is still within spec.

Your measured voltage @11.9V with resistor is 17% below the maximum allowable and has to affect performance. The reluctance to try removing the thermostat preserves a restriction in the block flow too. I believe in a previous thread a suggestion was floated to bump the side plate inlet and diverter from 3/8" NPT to 1/2" NPT. Said another way, I'm not sure you gave the electric pumps the best chance to perform to their ability.

[ndutton]

Sorry, somehow I got the idea from the "Electric vs. Mechanical FWC" thread that thermostat removal was not a consideration.

I believe those of us with successful electric FWC systems would opt for an Oberdorfer coolant pump rather than the Johnson if we had the necessary room to fit one. Going electric allowed us to enjoy the benefits of FWC. Knowing in advance the electric pump's performance is not comparable to a flexible impeller type some of us took measures to maximize flow throughout the cooling system as part of our conversion:

• Removal of the WJSP to physically muck out the water jacket
• Increased the side plate inlet size
• Increased the diverter size
• Cast plumbing elbows throughout as opposed to those pretty squarish machined ones
• Increased hose sizes
• Bypass valve
• Thermostat removal
• Acid flush

I wish you success in the strategy you have chosen (raw water manifold cooling) but mention the foregoing for the benefit of future members considering electric FWC who may find this thread.

. . . . before they go on FleaBay, I would have 2 pumps with ballast resistors and about 40 hours use to sell. The pumps work fine.

If they become available I'd be interested.

[joe_db]

To be clear, the engine thermostat is gone and never coming back. The Indigo thermostat will go back on as soon as I see the engine running colder than 160 without it. I need to test it soon before the raw water gets too cold.
If I can't accomplish that, the side plate will likely be the next project. It is by far the biggest restriction left or just give up and go mechanical.

[ndutton]

Now I'm getting confused. If winter project #1 is raw water cooling of the manifold (almost done), how does the future plan for the Indigo thermostat system factor in? According to their website the Indigo system is plumbed directly to the manifold and you've separated block coolant from manifold raw water. Seems one plan excludes the other.

[joe_db]

It can be on the manifold, but it does not have to be. It can also be hung off the heat exchanger or just be some random place with hoses going to it. It is a simple device, hot water in, hot water out to HX, and bypass water to the output side of the HX. It works quite well, but it is kind of pointless to have a thermostat if the engine wants to run much hotter than the thermostat set point anyway.
So first thing is see how cold it runs, hopefully in a day or two, and then add the thermostat back IF the running temps are lower than the thermostat set point.
* just thought of something - if I hang it off the input port of the HX it will be about at the high point of the system. I can swap thermostats without half the antifreeze dumping in the bilge

Now I'm getting confused. If winter project #1 is raw water cooling of the manifold (almost done), how does the future plan for the Indigo thermostat system factor in? According to their website the Indigo system is plumbed directly to the manifold and you've separated block coolant from manifold raw water. Seems one plan excludes the other.

[ndutton]

I see now, the drawing is helpful. Looks like you're modifying the Indigo scheme to account for your isolated RWC manifold.

Please keep my hat in the ring re: electric pumps for sale. After a phone call just this afternoon it looks like I'll be involved in electric FWC conversion on a RWC Yanmar in the very near future.

[Dave Neptune]

Joe, re your ignition. If you are going to the trouble of dual ign under the same cap why not use 2 of the photo electric switches instead of the points. If the cam is at all suspect I would not even bother with them. I saved my points on an extra plate so I could just R&R the plate and get going. However I later just through an extra "Allison" unit I had from the Rotary days that is the unit I installed in 1983 and removed when Indigo offered the Crane unit with the indicator light. I left the old Allison optical switch and just hooked it to the "new box" and same plug. Now my old Allison is the spare box and the spare switch is new.

The Allison and Crane units are manufactured by the same company and in 15~20 years of using them in dune buggies, boats, off-roaders and hot rodded Rotary''s (11,500 RPM's) and never had a failure that wasn't a coil bracket breaking or just a loose wire connection!!!!!!!!!

Don't think I would bother with the oil temp if the coolant temps are controlled unless you just like a lot of gages.


Dave Neptune

[joe_db]

First test is quite promising
After 30 minutes running at 3" the coolant temp was about 105-110 or so. This is about the same as the RWC system was, so I am quite happy. When I get around to adding the thermostat back it will actually be able to hold the temp at the set-point.
The RWC side was harder to measure exactly, but it seems like the water cooled parts of the manifold were around 110-120 or so. The IR meter jumps around a lot on the manifold. The actual cooling water was around 80-90 going into the exhaust after passing through the HX and manifold for about 58-60 degree raw water.
One note - getting the air out was a biatch and a half! I really should have added air bleeds when I had everything apart. I had to resort to cramming a hose and rag into the HX so I could add a little water from 4 feet up to get things going.
As for the ignition, I have though of using the photo senor and having 2 triggers 180 degrees apart. The Corvair guys like the XR-I because it will fire down to 9 volts, which is handy in an airplane that lost its alternator Still undecided about that one, it will likely not be finished up until spring.

[joe_db]

I am looking into the Allison/Crane Cams optical trigger units and have run into some confusion. While any number of places like Amazon seem to have the XR700 and XR3000 units, Crane Cams themselves makes no mention of them on their own website
Some google-fu can get you to pages with these units, but they are no longer linked to the main pages. Is Crane still making these things?
I also can't find any good explanation of the adaptive dwell system they use. They briefly mention that no ballast resistor should be used with an XR3000 because it internally limits coil current and that you DO need a resistor with the XR700, but I swear they used to have a chart of RPM vs. dwell and I can no longer find it.
I also need to check with MSD - it is not clear from the docs if they intend for both coils to run at once with their combiner or if it has to be one or the other.

Joe, re your ignition. If you are going to the trouble of dual ign under the same cap why not use 2 of the photo electric switches instead of the points. If the cam is at all suspect I would not even bother with them. I saved my points on an extra plate so I could just R&R the plate and get going. However I later just through an extra "Allison" unit I had from the Rotary days that is the unit I installed in 1983 and removed when Indigo offered the Crane unit with the indicator light. I left the old Allison optical switch and just hooked it to the "new box" and same plug. Now my old Allison is the spare box and the spare switch is new.

The Allison and Crane units are manufactured by the same company and in 15~20 years of using them in dune buggies, boats, off-roaders and hot rodded Rotary''s (11,500 RPM's) and never had a failure that wasn't a coil bracket breaking or just a loose wire connection!!!!!!!!!

Don't think I would bother with the oil temp if the coolant temps are controlled unless you just like a lot of gages.


Dave Neptune