Total Loss help?

[Watty]

Guys,

I'm in the middle of setting up a new digital total loss system in my ski and I'm at the stage where I'm trying to statically time the engine.

It goes like this...

I found TDC of front cylinder and marked on cases, and for interests sake, checked the rear cylinder, which also lines up with my mark.

Install flywheel and set the timing setup led to on. Rotate the flywheel clockwise until the led lights...30 deg for interests sake.

Here's is where I'm a bit lost. I rotate the flywheel 180 degrees to bring the rear piston up, and the light comes on no problems, but it's 5 deg different from the front cylinder. Does this sound normal? I wouldn't have thought so, but then again I don't really know.

I thought the pickup plate might be to blame, and the little castings in the case that hold the stator are a little worn from a loose stator in the past, but there's no way I can get a 5 deg change from adjusting it. Also, I tried moving the pickups on the plate, but I can't move them much at all.

I thought they would have to be the same, otherwise I'm going to get different timing between cylinders.

Any ideas here?

Cheers.

 

[Matt_E]

You should run it and check the timing for each hole with a timing light. That should tell the whole story.

 

[SUPERTUNE]

1 out of 5 times I run into this too, Just re-drill the pick-up holes a little bigger and slide them a bit,also you can hold up the plate at either pick-up end and use the slop in the plate to adjust a little too.

 

[Watty]

Thanks for the replies guys. Although I can re-drill the pickup holes, I feel I shouldn't have to, being a brand new unit and all!

I've sent a message to MSD, and they replied...

On the trigger plate you can adjust the trigger to line up with each other. There are slots to do this.

I don't see any kind of slots there, so I'm awaiting another reply....

 

[Watty]

Ok, I made a bit of a discovery...

It turns out that the pickups themselves are not a symetrical.

In an attempt to fool proof the pickup plate, I reversed on of the pickups on it's mount so the wire can run directly through the wire hole, rather than looping it around the entire plate.

Although everything looks fine and normal, the timing is thrown out 5 degrees on that pickup. Just for testing, I put it back the right way, and bingo, problem solved.

Now that I know this, I'm going to reverse the pickup and round the holes out a bit like Chuck suggested, as that wire looping around the entire pickup plate has ghetto written all over it.

 

[Matt_E]

They are supposed to be centered in the plastic.
Interesting.

 

[Fly2day]

Great attention to detail that is why your ski will ripp!! and sombody who doesnt just wont get the same perfomance. its all about the details.

 

[Watty]

OK guys...

Finally got the total loss in and running, and this thing RIPS!

I know it's a bit of a pain to install properly, but it sure is worth it.

Anyway, I've asked this question to a few people, but nobody seems to know. Basically, the ski starts and runs fine no problems, but when I kill the engine either by the stop button or pulling the lanyard, the led on the brain blinks steadily one per second until I switch the power off and back on again. If I have the plugs grounded against the engine, and try to start (testing for spark) I get the same thing. It seems that whenever the pickups recieve a signal (started or not) the led will blink until I switch the power off and back on again.

Like I said, this this runs great and makes some good power, but this light is getting to me! Is it normal? Is there nyone else out there with the current digital dual pickup total loss that can confirm this is normal?

Just to clarify, I have my coils grounded well, battery fully charged and my pickup/magnet air gap is within spec.

Help me sleep at night!

 

[keefer]

Great attention to detail and good info. It is solving these little gotcha items that make the difference in a good running engine and a great running rip monster.. :biggthumpup::biggthumpup: