SO >>>>>>>>>>>> What is
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Tom Sheppard
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:47 pm
Very little money was spent on getting the VW engine right (Arbeit macht frei,) but I take your point. This engine has been run on ethanol in Brazil for decades but it has a starter motor with a big battery and flywheel to get it up to a sustainable and continuous cranking speed as well as an ignition retard to time the spark earlier at low rpm and a much more restrictive air cleaner which helps the mixture to be sucked in more efficiently. It ain't the mogas that is the problem, It is the lack of fuel injection and mapped ignition!
SO >>>>>>>>>>>> What is
I think you can not compare starting a vw aero conversion with a car. Most of us have engines that are started by a hand swing. unless all is set right, fuel prime etc. they will not start. With the car as Tom says you crank it on the starter motor until it draws enough fuel to prime etc. different ball game.
In my own recent experiance a major problem was I had never started a VW engine before and was working with a rebuilt engine with unknown carb settings. So the biggest problem was an in experianced user who needed a bit of support that this forum gave. A lot of people have been using these engines for many years and have experianced little or no staring problems.
Stuart
In my own recent experiance a major problem was I had never started a VW engine before and was working with a rebuilt engine with unknown carb settings. So the biggest problem was an in experianced user who needed a bit of support that this forum gave. A lot of people have been using these engines for many years and have experianced little or no staring problems.
Stuart
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Nick Allen
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:00 am
- Location: Oxford
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As regards modern fuel getting stale: it just does. Accept it.
I don't bother even trying to start my 6 year old lawnmower, 4 year old generator or 70 year old car with fuel more than a couple of months old. As for the chainsaw or strimmer...
Fresh fuel before starting is taken as a minimum standard.
Electronic ignition helps, of course, especially when compared with ancient Lucas SR4 tractor magnetos that were pretty ropey when new, and have not aged well.
We always gave the old VP1 (rebuilt engine, cleaned and serviced carb, Leburg ignition and run on Avgas) some decent fuel, 20 blades, bit of choke, bit of throttle and a pull through TDC. Off she would go.
Most problems are due to a lack of mechanical sympathy and a lack of servicing.
I don't bother even trying to start my 6 year old lawnmower, 4 year old generator or 70 year old car with fuel more than a couple of months old. As for the chainsaw or strimmer...
Fresh fuel before starting is taken as a minimum standard.
Electronic ignition helps, of course, especially when compared with ancient Lucas SR4 tractor magnetos that were pretty ropey when new, and have not aged well.
We always gave the old VP1 (rebuilt engine, cleaned and serviced carb, Leburg ignition and run on Avgas) some decent fuel, 20 blades, bit of choke, bit of throttle and a pull through TDC. Off she would go.
Most problems are due to a lack of mechanical sympathy and a lack of servicing.
Rob Swain
If the good Lord had intended man to fly, He would have given him more money.
If the good Lord had intended man to fly, He would have given him more money.
Welshman, The leburg system has a programed ignition timing. It is fully retarded below 500 rpm for easy starting and to avoid kickback above 500rpm the timing advances as per a programed map profile developed by David. There is a graph of this in the instructions. I think your point regarding ignition timing has already been dealt with!
I owned for many years a Panther motorbike. This bike was a 600 single and legendary as regard to kicking back during starting. It was never a problem as long as you knew the correct starting technique. Our VW engines need similar knowledge.
Stuart
I owned for many years a Panther motorbike. This bike was a 600 single and legendary as regard to kicking back during starting. It was never a problem as long as you knew the correct starting technique. Our VW engines need similar knowledge.
Stuart
I'm no guru in respect of VW aero engines but being around them for a few decades has given me a certain amount of skill and knowledge and one thing that still baffles me is that despite the majority having SR4 mags and a variety of carb types fitted, the majority start, run and perform with no problems at all.
Is it just luck or the skill and experience of the individual owners that results in them having well behaved engines?
If when Donald Peacock first designed his VW conversion it had failed miserably, we wouldn't be seeing so many of his "babies" still performing so well years after his simple concept became available.
The advent of the Leburg system overcame the starting problem that's for sure but with the penalty of complexity and reliance on a power source.
All of a sudden the original simple concept has become less simple and when something goes wrong, a quick fix in the field is no longer an option.
It's great that the original VW aero engine conversion has evolved over the years into something that is acceptable to more people however the basic example can and does provide a useful and reliable power source to those who are happy with what they've got and don't have to worry about to many normally reliable "bells and whistles" playing up.
As to some who may say that adding a priming system as I wish to do is an example of "bells and whistles", I just want to see my engine evolve by the addition of a very simple device that will save my rapidly evolving body from a lot more strain when pulling the prop through a couple of dozen times just to ensure sufficient mixture has reached the plugs.
Is it just luck or the skill and experience of the individual owners that results in them having well behaved engines?
If when Donald Peacock first designed his VW conversion it had failed miserably, we wouldn't be seeing so many of his "babies" still performing so well years after his simple concept became available.
The advent of the Leburg system overcame the starting problem that's for sure but with the penalty of complexity and reliance on a power source.
All of a sudden the original simple concept has become less simple and when something goes wrong, a quick fix in the field is no longer an option.
It's great that the original VW aero engine conversion has evolved over the years into something that is acceptable to more people however the basic example can and does provide a useful and reliable power source to those who are happy with what they've got and don't have to worry about to many normally reliable "bells and whistles" playing up.
As to some who may say that adding a priming system as I wish to do is an example of "bells and whistles", I just want to see my engine evolve by the addition of a very simple device that will save my rapidly evolving body from a lot more strain when pulling the prop through a couple of dozen times just to ensure sufficient mixture has reached the plugs.
Roger Callow
033963
033963