The Webon Alpha ECU needs minimum 9 volts from the ignition switched supply during enging cranking. Checked this with a voltmeter while cranking and all was fine - just over 10.5 volts. Thought the starter motor would have to work harder with the spark plugs in so tried again, this time with the starter motor working against the engine compression. No problem here either - still around 10.5 volts.
Sunday 17 July 2011
Thursday 7 July 2011
Oil Pressure, ...Finally
Finally got an oil pressure reading, but it did cost me an oil filter...
Tonight's mission was to check the oil pressure:
Battery connected - check
Starter motor wiring okay - check.
Drive belt clear of obstructions - check.
Oil filled(!) - check
Spark plugs removed - check
Oil pressure gauge temporarily tee-ed in to oil pressure switch - check
Time to turn the key. Click, whirrr. All good. More whirrring, no oil pressure. Scratching of head. Key turned again. Click, whirrr. Still no oil pressure. Hmmmm.
Had a quick search on Locostbuilders. Seems to be a not uncommon problem. One solution is to prime the pump and the oil filter. Tried this by pumping some oil down the oil filter threaded spindle. Also half filled the oil filter. Tried cranking again. Still no joy.
Frustration building. Then thought, let's just prime the pump via the oil filter inlet and crank over, with no oil filter fitted. At this point past caring if the garage walls get sprayed with oil.
Tried cranking again. Success! Maybe it worked better when there was no back pressure on the pump? Anyway, refitted the oil filter and cranked for longer. Oil pressure built up steadily to around 40 to 50 PSI. Job done.
Next job is to find a replacement oil filter. In my haste I trashed the casing of the old one with my cheap chain type oil filter wrench.
Tonight's mission was to check the oil pressure:
Battery connected - check
Starter motor wiring okay - check.
Drive belt clear of obstructions - check.
Oil filled(!) - check
Spark plugs removed - check
Oil pressure gauge temporarily tee-ed in to oil pressure switch - check
Time to turn the key. Click, whirrr. All good. More whirrring, no oil pressure. Scratching of head. Key turned again. Click, whirrr. Still no oil pressure. Hmmmm.
Had a quick search on Locostbuilders. Seems to be a not uncommon problem. One solution is to prime the pump and the oil filter. Tried this by pumping some oil down the oil filter threaded spindle. Also half filled the oil filter. Tried cranking again. Still no joy.
Frustration building. Then thought, let's just prime the pump via the oil filter inlet and crank over, with no oil filter fitted. At this point past caring if the garage walls get sprayed with oil.
Tried cranking again. Success! Maybe it worked better when there was no back pressure on the pump? Anyway, refitted the oil filter and cranked for longer. Oil pressure built up steadily to around 40 to 50 PSI. Job done.
Next job is to find a replacement oil filter. In my haste I trashed the casing of the old one with my cheap chain type oil filter wrench.
Sunday 3 July 2011
Coolant Expansion Tank
The standard Tiger expansion tank bracket has a flat piece of metal, sort of like a foot, which I believe originally would be bolted through the chassis rail at the front of the battery tray. Like a number of people I wanted to mount the tank further back (uses spare space in front of the scuttle and allows more access room around the back of the engine). The lower foot was cut off and the horizontal piece of metal was used to bolt the bracket to the battery tray. However, this has no fore/aft strength, i.e. if somebody leaned on the expansion tank it would bend the battery tray aluminium. To get around this I cut a couple of 'legs' from 20mm wide steel strip.
When mounting the bracket I bolted down through the bracket, then the battery tray and finally the legs (one on each side). The end result is pretty sturdy.
Engine coolant plumbing complete.
