05-31-10 First start and go-cart

First Start and Go Cart (Finally)

Still more things to check off before I could make an attempt to fire it up. Didn't get much done last weekend...taught my 1st NRA Basic Pistol course (or a section thereof, at least) after getting certified a few months back. I'll probably do a lot more of that after getting certain car projects done. Crappy weather has continued, so I'm not missing much driving weather at least.

Oil pressure is a good thing to know when first starting up, so I got that installed and hooked up. I'll probably wrap it with some reflective heat insulation...the electric Autometer senders seem to cook over time and read a bit lower than they should compared to their mechanical counterparts. At least, that was the case on my last build.

Got the coolant overflow tank installed and the radiator lines installed. I did have some fancier stainless hoses, but they wouldn't make sharp enough bends to make the attachment on the passenger side. These'll do just fine. Engine compartment is filling up rapidly.

Spark is a good thing as well...got the ignition box and coil in place, then started roughing in the wiring for the dash gauges.

Installed the O2 sensor in the new bung. It should sit up a little higher once I get the engine levelled a bit more to adjust the alignment of the sidepipes.

Shifter, steering and someplace to sit are always useful...

Oh yeah, and wheels too. Can't forget them. Have to put 2x4's down to be able to get the floor jack in/out from under the frame when it's sitting down on the ground. Forgot how low these things sit!

And FFR-3144 sees daylight for the first time since last fall...

I'll have to see about getting some stainless polish to buff out the bronzing on the pipes. Or not...

While I make some final check and adjustments Mikey adjusts his collar a bit...

Then after a couple of attempts at starting (see Youtube links below) Mikey realizes what's up. When we don't let him jump in for a ride he gets irate and sets up a road block. Unfortunately without the tranny tunnel cover in place and with the laptop in the passenger seat he had to just be an observer this first time out.

1st start videos:

Attempt 1: Distributor already clocked in properly from the builder? Eh, notsomuch. I don't remember pulling it during assembly anyway. FAIL!

Attempt 2: Tried to reclock the distributor...Definitely closer but without being able to see the timing marks/pointer, it wasn't working quite right. Pretty backfire flame though. FAIL II!

Attempt 3: Reclocked it again, thinking I would get a bit closer. Sputter sputter. Mikey gets bored. Rain set in, so I had to pull it back inside for a while while I pulled the #1 plug and crank it over to find Top Dead Center the right way, and make some marks on the pulley where I can see them. Sputter sputter FAIL III!

Attempt 4: Advance it just a bit more using the marks and it fired right up. But, it wouldn't rev at all....seems my first attempt at calibrating the throttle position sensor in the Powerjection system didn't save. When I tried to do that, the clevis on my Russ Thompson throttle cable snapped (very thin metal) so I had to pull it back inside while I fabbed up a new one out of some angle aluminum. Recalibrate, save properly, crankcrankVROOM!!! Persistence always wins.

Finally, go-carting!: Still quite a bit more tuning to do and I've got a leaking fitting on the steering and on the fuel return line at the tank while I'll have to fix before I can tune it some more. Fuel mixture obviously still off, but it was enough to be able to zip around the neighborhood. Mikey still very distraught that he couldn't go. Damn, those GasN sidepipes sound good. SUCCESS!!