Today's mission was to finish the Wankle Panther. I got the new primer in and got the wiring in. It sparked once and now won't spark again. I think its a points issue, I'm only seeing 4-5v at the coil... Crap I hate points. I took a look through the flywheel and everything looks okay. I shot some contact cleaner on the points but it didn't help. I need to pull the flywheel and have a better look.
But wait, voltage doesn't actually pass through the points, the points just remove the ground allowing voltage from the secondary coil to the primary... Bad coil? Could it be I'm only getting a couple volts because I can't crank very quickly? I wish I knew what to expect.
On the Tigre I rebuilt the fuel pump so it doesn't leak, I think it was assembled incorrectly which explains the leak. Anyway it seems like I've got flakey spark now. I need to find the spare coil from the Panther debacle and see if that helps. If not I'll have to borrow the spare CDI back from Randy...
Finally I took a try on the TX-L. It started easily and ran good until I let it idle down at which point it quit... It restarted hard, I had to choke it to get it to restart. So I pulled a spark plug which was nice and tan. I'd never seen a tan sparkplug before.... Then I noticed a little drool of gas down under the airbox, well whats that doing there? It turns out the gas line was leaning on the jackshaft and had worn partly through. I'd guess air was getting in.
I put a new gas line on and this time made it longer so it routed around the airbox instead of going under it. The line won't lean on the jackshaft now. The sled wouldn't idle good, it was too low so I gave the air knobs a little tweak. Its better now but should probably go up a little more. Anyway I'm glad, this sled is ready for the NHSMA show next weekend. At the worst I'll be able to take the TX-L and the Ski-Doo. I'm thinking to haul the Tigre to Randy's tomorrow and see if he'll take a crack at it.
-Curt
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Cleaning sparkplugs
Ahh back to an old favorite. I still haven't bought a compressor or a sparkplug cleaner but I have discovered a technique. I took the plug off my Cub Cadet tractor that wasn't starting good, it was carboned up badly, probably because I run the tractor on old snowmobile gas (no sticky valves!). I took a stainless steel brush about the size of a toothbrush, soaped up the plug and went at it. In a couple minutes most of the carbon was gone. I rinsed it good, then hit with some compressed air and let it dry for a couple hours. Reinstalled and promptly forgot about it.
Started the tractor up the other day and was amazed at how easily it started. Success! So my plan on that machine is to have 2 plugs and keep one scrubbed. Same thing as I'll do with the snowmobiles. I've got to get at the TX-L this weekend to make sure its running well for the NHSMA show so it'll get brand new plugs which will hopefully cure it's ills. The old ones will get cleaned and go in the trunk.
The Tigre pee'd a bunch of gas out through the pump the other day. Stank up the garage something awful. I disconnected the line and plugged the tank end so that'd quit. I'll hit Randy's tonight for the pump kit. Hopefully have time to do that tonight or tomorrow. Shouldn't take more than an hour.
Snow on the way which is great because its raining now... 2-4" tonight and then snow or winter mix in the forecast right through the weekend. Hope it stops Monday long enough for me to get out and Saturday long enough for me to get back!
-Curt
Started the tractor up the other day and was amazed at how easily it started. Success! So my plan on that machine is to have 2 plugs and keep one scrubbed. Same thing as I'll do with the snowmobiles. I've got to get at the TX-L this weekend to make sure its running well for the NHSMA show so it'll get brand new plugs which will hopefully cure it's ills. The old ones will get cleaned and go in the trunk.
The Tigre pee'd a bunch of gas out through the pump the other day. Stank up the garage something awful. I disconnected the line and plugged the tank end so that'd quit. I'll hit Randy's tonight for the pump kit. Hopefully have time to do that tonight or tomorrow. Shouldn't take more than an hour.
Snow on the way which is great because its raining now... 2-4" tonight and then snow or winter mix in the forecast right through the weekend. Hope it stops Monday long enough for me to get out and Saturday long enough for me to get back!
-Curt
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Wankle wrenching
Got in a good hour of wrenching on the '71 Panther 303 last night. Got the carb figured out, the needle and arm from the HR carb on the Ski-Doo fit just fine and stick a whole lot less so hopefully I won't have any problems in there. The carb looked pretty clean which is a good sign. I bolted it back up with a new intake gasket from the HR kit for the Ski-Doo. The kits come with alot of extra bits you don't use on every carb which is pretty handy. I always keep all the extra bits just in case.
Once the carb was bolted up I hit the wall. I'd pulled the primer off this sled to put onto the '86 Panther because the one on that sled didn't work. A month later that one still doesn't work. I tried to pull it apart but I can't get the plunger out. Eventually I'll try cutting the handle off to see how it works inside but in the short term I'm just going to replace it. Unfortunately Randy is closed Monday and Tuesday so it'll be Wednesday before that gets done. Thats okay, tonight I need to work on Valentine presents for the wife. I'm going to be away in Toronto on Valentine's day this year. I was in NYC last year so you betcha I gotta make this a good one. She already knows that shes in for a Valentine's scavenger hunt week...
Oh, BTW did you know you can post comments? Comment on some of this stuff, I'm interested to know what you think.
-Curt
Once the carb was bolted up I hit the wall. I'd pulled the primer off this sled to put onto the '86 Panther because the one on that sled didn't work. A month later that one still doesn't work. I tried to pull it apart but I can't get the plunger out. Eventually I'll try cutting the handle off to see how it works inside but in the short term I'm just going to replace it. Unfortunately Randy is closed Monday and Tuesday so it'll be Wednesday before that gets done. Thats okay, tonight I need to work on Valentine presents for the wife. I'm going to be away in Toronto on Valentine's day this year. I was in NYC last year so you betcha I gotta make this a good one. She already knows that shes in for a Valentine's scavenger hunt week...
Oh, BTW did you know you can post comments? Comment on some of this stuff, I'm interested to know what you think.
-Curt
Monday, February 4, 2008
Okay
Busy day yesterday what with the Stuper Bowl and all. I did manage to get the mystery wire soldered together. I'll put some liquid electrical tape and a piece of actual tape on tonight and that'll be sorted. I'll also retrieve the carb and get the needle unstuck. The last time I went through that carb I had to use a Kimpex kit which doesn't have the "don't get stuck" type needle. I kept the old needle from when I did the Ski-Doo carb the other day, its perfect I only stuck the new one in because I had it. I wonder if the HL uses the same needle as an HR? I'll find out I suppose. If it'll fit I'll give it a shot. With any amount of luck I should be able to fire this thing up tonight, it only needs about 2 hours of work before it'll go. Then another hour or so to make it right before I'd ride it any amount...
The weather is depressing for awhile anyway. Rain through Wednesday then changing to a decreased likelyhood of snow. Our track record for snow over the next week is pretty good though. Plus I'm headed out to Toronto a week from today. Last year in April when I went to Vegas we had a vicious storm...
The weather is depressing for awhile anyway. Rain through Wednesday then changing to a decreased likelyhood of snow. Our track record for snow over the next week is pretty good though. Plus I'm headed out to Toronto a week from today. Last year in April when I went to Vegas we had a vicious storm...
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Wrenching on the wankle
Today's mission is the '71 Arctic Cat Panther 303, thats a wankle rotary engine in there...
I'd dis-mounted the engine last year because the exhaust was no good. I've been working on a replacement from a Cub Cadet tractor muffler. The problem is its too danged long, I can't make it fit correctly. I cut the pipe down where it goes into the exhaust but it still won't work. Hmmm, that'l require thought. Best thing I think would be to cut the muffler down, I'm not sure if I can cut that accurately with my grinder, maybe I'll try a hacksaw.
In the meantime to practice welding I'd welded a sheet of stovepipe around the old pipe. Interestingly even after I'd cut the pipe down it still fit the old exhaust correctly. I may have to use some RTV to make a gasket but I think it'll work, at least for awhile.
The problem now is I don't remember how the wiring works... There are a couple plugs but then there are a stack of wires that if I remember correctly all go to a common ground. I'm not sure about that though. I also don't remember where the wiring hold strap goes or how. From what I remember the ground wires were all just stuck under a screw...
I guess I could get the sled started and start grounding things...
The last problem, I found that one wire (one of the ground wires I think) pulled out of the main harness, it was butt connected. I HATE crimp on connectors, they're forever coming apart. I'll solder it back together. I can't find any solder though which is obnoxious. I used it just the other day to tin the hood cable for the Tigre.
Ahh well, I'm sure theres some in the basement, I'll try again tomorrow.
-Curt
I'd dis-mounted the engine last year because the exhaust was no good. I've been working on a replacement from a Cub Cadet tractor muffler. The problem is its too danged long, I can't make it fit correctly. I cut the pipe down where it goes into the exhaust but it still won't work. Hmmm, that'l require thought. Best thing I think would be to cut the muffler down, I'm not sure if I can cut that accurately with my grinder, maybe I'll try a hacksaw.
In the meantime to practice welding I'd welded a sheet of stovepipe around the old pipe. Interestingly even after I'd cut the pipe down it still fit the old exhaust correctly. I may have to use some RTV to make a gasket but I think it'll work, at least for awhile.
The problem now is I don't remember how the wiring works... There are a couple plugs but then there are a stack of wires that if I remember correctly all go to a common ground. I'm not sure about that though. I also don't remember where the wiring hold strap goes or how. From what I remember the ground wires were all just stuck under a screw...
I guess I could get the sled started and start grounding things...
The last problem, I found that one wire (one of the ground wires I think) pulled out of the main harness, it was butt connected. I HATE crimp on connectors, they're forever coming apart. I'll solder it back together. I can't find any solder though which is obnoxious. I used it just the other day to tin the hood cable for the Tigre.
Ahh well, I'm sure theres some in the basement, I'll try again tomorrow.
-Curt
Friday, February 1, 2008
Spencer ride canceled
I just checked the Spencer club's site and the ride tomorrow has been canceled.
'70 Ski-Doo is back
Put a carb kit into the '70 Ski-Doo yesterday. The only thing I didn't do was the adjustment needles. I'm pretty sure the problem was the welch plug under the low jet. I've never been able to reseat one and have it work. I should probably lay in a stock of welch plugs and try just replacing them.
I had to replace the fuel return line, the existing one had bad surface cracking. I probably could have kept it, it didn't leak as such but if it broke gas would spray all over me, I'd really rather not have that happen.
The Tigre has a leaking gas pump. I'm not sure if thats the problem but it sure seems like a valid issue. I don't think it has leaking crank seals, I sprayed all around the seals and it doesn't start or run any better than it does when I don't... Randy didn't have a kit for the pump handy but he's going to try to pull one out of another sled today. The kit won't arrive until early next week.
I'm not sure about that Spencer ride, I thought Eddie was going to be riding tomorrow but it looks like he isn't. I have my doubts that the Spencer ride will take place at all, theres not much snow down in the lowlands. I may just go riding on my own.
I had to replace the fuel return line, the existing one had bad surface cracking. I probably could have kept it, it didn't leak as such but if it broke gas would spray all over me, I'd really rather not have that happen.
The Tigre has a leaking gas pump. I'm not sure if thats the problem but it sure seems like a valid issue. I don't think it has leaking crank seals, I sprayed all around the seals and it doesn't start or run any better than it does when I don't... Randy didn't have a kit for the pump handy but he's going to try to pull one out of another sled today. The kit won't arrive until early next week.
I'm not sure about that Spencer ride, I thought Eddie was going to be riding tomorrow but it looks like he isn't. I have my doubts that the Spencer ride will take place at all, theres not much snow down in the lowlands. I may just go riding on my own.
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