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It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

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Mike Kimball

It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

Post by Mike Kimball » Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:01 pm

I got my fuel pumps installed and tried another engine run on the Chevy. It
ROARED to life immediately. I ran it for about a minute and then shut down
just to make sure there wasn't one or more kinds of fluid spewing all over.
There was a minor fuel leak that simply tightening the fitting fixed.
Couple of small oil leaks. One at a hose fitting from the gear reduction to
the engine. Can't get that one to stop leaking. Will have to look into it.
Small leak, but gotta fix it. Another very slow leak looks like it might be
coming from the gear reduction. Another thing to check out. No coolant
leaks. I started it again and ran it for about 5-7 minutes. Oil pressure
OK and oil temp just coming off the peg. I thought it sounded pretty good
until I started leaning the mixture. I watched the rpm increase as I leaned
and the engine sounded better and better until it was sweet music (as long
as I had hearing protection on). Very loud in my shop. I couldn't get the
rpm drop I was looking for as I continued leaning. The rpm just kept going
up until the engine quit from fuel starvation. Not sure what's going on
there, but I found that I had forgotten to plug the vacuum port normally
used for vacuum advance on the distributor. This port is right on the main
metering plate and would certainly mess with the mixture. I look forward to
my next test run with that port plugged. I never saw coolant temp or
pressure come off the peg. I think it's because 5-7 minutes wasn't enough
time to reach the range of the gauge for temp and the thermostat would have
still been closed along with cold coolant which is why I had no pressure.
What I can't explain is why my EGT gauge showed nothing. I checked the
wires to the probe and they seemed to be correct. There's nothing to an EGT
gauge. Doesn't even require power. I don't know why it's not working. All
other gauges showed good indications. I also have a problem with four of
the spark plug wires. The boots on the plugs are too close to the headers.
They were melted a bit. Summit Racing sells heat protection boots for this.
Hopefully, that will take care of the problem. I still have to get a
barrier installed between the exhaust and the copper coolant tubes but I
just had to see if it'd run today. Despite the EGT and spark plug wire
problems I consider this a great day. A landmark in the Chevy V8 airplane
installation process. I'll recheck head torque and valve adjustments next,
along with a call to Mitchell Instruments to ask about the EGT gauge. Then
I want to go for a long run up to operating temps. With no fans and no prop
installed yet that shouldn't take long.



The manager at my local NAPA mentioned that there might be a problem with
the short exhaust up here in the winter. When shutting down there is only a
short path for cold outside air to go up the exhaust pipe and rapidly cool
the heads causing problems, possibly severe. Anybody ever heard of such a
thing? Is there a real danger when it's very cold outside, say well below
zero F.? Virtually every aircraft on the ramp has short exhaust with no
mufflers and I've never heard of it being a problem with them.



Mike





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Scott Aldrich

It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

Post by Scott Aldrich » Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:02 pm

Cool Mike, keep us posted.

Curious what kind of ignition wires that are melting? We have Taylor Spiro
Pro 8mm on our Moose and some are pretty close to the exhaust.

Scott
Moose 174

-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of Mike
Kimball
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 11:01 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

I got my fuel pumps installed and tried another engine run on the Chevy. It
ROARED to life immediately. I ran it for about a minute and then shut down
just to make sure there wasn't one or more kinds of fluid spewing all over.
There was a minor fuel leak that simply tightening the fitting fixed.
Couple of small oil leaks. One at a hose fitting from the gear reduction to
the engine. Can't get that one to stop leaking. Will have to look into it.
Small leak, but gotta fix it. Another very slow leak looks like it might be
coming from the gear reduction. Another thing to check out. No coolant
leaks. I started it again and ran it for about 5-7 minutes. Oil pressure
OK and oil temp just coming off the peg. I thought it sounded pretty good
until I started leaning the mixture. I watched the rpm increase as I leaned
and the engine sounded better and better until it was sweet music (as long
as I had hearing protection on). Very loud in my shop. I couldn't get the
rpm drop I was looking for as I continued leaning. The rpm just kept going
up until the engine quit from fuel starvation. Not sure what's going on
there, but I found that I had forgotten to plug the vacuum port normally
used for vacuum advance on the distributor. This port is right on the main
metering plate and would certainly mess with the mixture. I look forward to
my next test run with that port plugged. I never saw coolant temp or
pressure come off the peg. I think it's because 5-7 minutes wasn't enough
time to reach the range of the gauge for temp and the thermostat would have
still been closed along with cold coolant which is why I had no pressure.
What I can't explain is why my EGT gauge showed nothing. I checked the
wires to the probe and they seemed to be correct. There's nothing to an EGT
gauge. Doesn't even require power. I don't know why it's not working. All
other gauges showed good indications. I also have a problem with four of
the spark plug wires. The boots on the plugs are too close to the headers.
They were melted a bit. Summit Racing sells heat protection boots for this.
Hopefully, that will take care of the problem. I still have to get a
barrier installed between the exhaust and the copper coolant tubes but I
just had to see if it'd run today. Despite the EGT and spark plug wire
problems I consider this a great day. A landmark in the Chevy V8 airplane
installation process. I'll recheck head torque and valve adjustments next,
along with a call to Mitchell Instruments to ask about the EGT gauge. Then
I want to go for a long run up to operating temps. With no fans and no prop
installed yet that shouldn't take long.



The manager at my local NAPA mentioned that there might be a problem with
the short exhaust up here in the winter. When shutting down there is only a
short path for cold outside air to go up the exhaust pipe and rapidly cool
the heads causing problems, possibly severe. Anybody ever heard of such a
thing? Is there a real danger when it's very cold outside, say well below
zero F.? Virtually every aircraft on the ramp has short exhaust with no
mufflers and I've never heard of it being a problem with them.



Mike





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Mike Kimball

It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

Post by Mike Kimball » Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:02 pm

I've got Taylor 409 Spiro wires. I ordered some wire boot covers from
Summit Racing that are supposedly good to 2000 F. With my EGT gauge not
working I couldn't tell you if I had unusually hot headers. But they were
cherry red for a few minutes after shutdown.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of Scott
Aldrich
Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2005 3:14 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: RE: It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

Cool Mike, keep us posted.

Curious what kind of ignition wires that are melting? We have Taylor Spiro
Pro 8mm on our Moose and some are pretty close to the exhaust.

Scott
Moose 174

-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of Mike
Kimball
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 11:01 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

I got my fuel pumps installed and tried another engine run on the Chevy. It
ROARED to life immediately. I ran it for about a minute and then shut down
just to make sure there wasn't one or more kinds of fluid spewing all over.
There was a minor fuel leak that simply tightening the fitting fixed.
Couple of small oil leaks. One at a hose fitting from the gear reduction to
the engine. Can't get that one to stop leaking. Will have to look into it.
Small leak, but gotta fix it. Another very slow leak looks like it might be
coming from the gear reduction. Another thing to check out. No coolant
leaks. I started it again and ran it for about 5-7 minutes. Oil pressure
OK and oil temp just coming off the peg. I thought it sounded pretty good
until I started leaning the mixture. I watched the rpm increase as I leaned
and the engine sounded better and better until it was sweet music (as long
as I had hearing protection on). Very loud in my shop. I couldn't get the
rpm drop I was looking for as I continued leaning. The rpm just kept going
up until the engine quit from fuel starvation. Not sure what's going on
there, but I found that I had forgotten to plug the vacuum port normally
used for vacuum advance on the distributor. This port is right on the main
metering plate and would certainly mess with the mixture. I look forward to
my next test run with that port plugged. I never saw coolant temp or
pressure come off the peg. I think it's because 5-7 minutes wasn't enough
time to reach the range of the gauge for temp and the thermostat would have
still been closed along with cold coolant which is why I had no pressure.
What I can't explain is why my EGT gauge showed nothing. I checked the
wires to the probe and they seemed to be correct. There's nothing to an EGT
gauge. Doesn't even require power. I don't know why it's not working. All
other gauges showed good indications. I also have a problem with four of
the spark plug wires. The boots on the plugs are too close to the headers.
They were melted a bit. Summit Racing sells heat protection boots for this.
Hopefully, that will take care of the problem. I still have to get a
barrier installed between the exhaust and the copper coolant tubes but I
just had to see if it'd run today. Despite the EGT and spark plug wire
problems I consider this a great day. A landmark in the Chevy V8 airplane
installation process. I'll recheck head torque and valve adjustments next,
along with a call to Mitchell Instruments to ask about the EGT gauge. Then
I want to go for a long run up to operating temps. With no fans and no prop
installed yet that shouldn't take long.



The manager at my local NAPA mentioned that there might be a problem with
the short exhaust up here in the winter. When shutting down there is only a
short path for cold outside air to go up the exhaust pipe and rapidly cool
the heads causing problems, possibly severe. Anybody ever heard of such a
thing? Is there a real danger when it's very cold outside, say well below
zero F.? Virtually every aircraft on the ramp has short exhaust with no
mufflers and I've never heard of it being a problem with them.



Mike





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Ken

It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

Post by Ken » Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:02 pm

I seem to recall that a number of the boot ends for those are not
silicone so they can't stand as much heat as the wire itself?? Some
silicone ones were available though if memory serves. Insulators alone
may not solve the problem. Insulators will not necessarilly reduce the
longterm internal temperature unless there is a way for the heat to
escape. They will stop small localized hot spots.
Ken

Mike Kimball wrote:
I've got Taylor 409 Spiro wires. I ordered some wire boot covers from
Summit Racing that are supposedly good to 2000 F. With my EGT gauge not
working I couldn't tell you if I had unusually hot headers. But they were
cherry red for a few minutes after shutdown.

Mike




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Angus McKenzie

It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

Post by Angus McKenzie » Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:02 pm

Hi Mike
I have a hopped-up small block Chev 305 in my Jeep CJ.With the tight fit for
the McColl Racing modified I-Roc headers I ended up using the high end wires
from MSD/Racing for the close proximity to the headers for two of the plug
ends. I am at work so am unable to verify the part number for the wires but
they were about $125-150 for the set. They almost touch the pipes on the
left front two cylinders and I've had no problems. MSD also sells Pro Heat
Guard PN3411 and I am going to get a couple of pieces to try, this will
ensure no heat damage..............Angus.. Rebel049



--
Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.289 / Virus Database: 265.0.0 - Release Date: 11/8/2004




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Mike Kimball

It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

Post by Mike Kimball » Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:02 pm

Thanks for the tip. I'll check out MSD's catalog for their wires. The
Taylor wires I'm using are also "high end" so I'm a bit surprised at the
problem. The boot covers I ordered are made of fiberglass and are good to
1200 deg F (as opposed to the 2000 F I originally mistakenly reported) and I
also ordered some reflective heat shield which I planned on using for the
radiator hose but I might also use it on the boots.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of Angus
McKenzie
Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2005 6:53 AM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: Re: It lives! (Super Rebel Chevy V8)

Hi Mike
I have a hopped-up small block Chev 305 in my Jeep CJ.With the tight fit for

the McColl Racing modified I-Roc headers I ended up using the high end wires

from MSD/Racing for the close proximity to the headers for two of the plug
ends. I am at work so am unable to verify the part number for the wires but
they were about $125-150 for the set. They almost touch the pipes on the
left front two cylinders and I've had no problems. MSD also sells Pro Heat
Guard PN3411 and I am going to get a couple of pieces to try, this will
ensure no heat damage..............Angus.. Rebel049



--
Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.289 / Virus Database: 265.0.0 - Release Date: 11/8/2004




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