Curt,
i didn't do a build this winter, but I did wrestle with my last two builds! The tri-engine had me pulling out what little hair that I have remaining! I built it just to do it, but it became a major headache. In the build I had to remove the flywheels so I could mount the engines close together. So that meant running battery & coil off the points of each engine. The 3 engines are chained together 120Deg. out of phase. Without the flywheels the engines were a b-itch to get running!
So I made smaller but heavy flywheels to get the engines under control! I also did away with the points and set up a solid state (3) ignition.
Still it was a major problem bump starting due to the compression! I had to take it to a nearby STEEP hill to get it started. Result = to much VIBRATION & power. Lots of engine control issues!
Have thought about pressure relief on it but not going to do it!
I am going to strip it & install 5-1/2HP 2 cycle on it.
The next nightmare was the 1930"s Gravely / Merkel build. Bought the engine on ebay. Built the bike around it. I didn't screw around with the engine due to it's age & rarity
So after the build I sent it to a Gravely mechanic. He worked on it to no avail. Yes I was totally bummed. Have nothing to lose at that point, I went to work on the old engine. Guess that I was willing to spend more time & effort on it than the Gravely mechanic, as I got it running great.
So that is why I did not do a new build this winter!!
i didn't do a build this winter, but I did wrestle with my last two builds! The tri-engine had me pulling out what little hair that I have remaining! I built it just to do it, but it became a major headache. In the build I had to remove the flywheels so I could mount the engines close together. So that meant running battery & coil off the points of each engine. The 3 engines are chained together 120Deg. out of phase. Without the flywheels the engines were a b-itch to get running!
So I made smaller but heavy flywheels to get the engines under control! I also did away with the points and set up a solid state (3) ignition.
Still it was a major problem bump starting due to the compression! I had to take it to a nearby STEEP hill to get it started. Result = to much VIBRATION & power. Lots of engine control issues!
Have thought about pressure relief on it but not going to do it!
I am going to strip it & install 5-1/2HP 2 cycle on it.
The next nightmare was the 1930"s Gravely / Merkel build. Bought the engine on ebay. Built the bike around it. I didn't screw around with the engine due to it's age & rarity
So after the build I sent it to a Gravely mechanic. He worked on it to no avail. Yes I was totally bummed. Have nothing to lose at that point, I went to work on the old engine. Guess that I was willing to spend more time & effort on it than the Gravely mechanic, as I got it running great.
So that is why I did not do a new build this winter!!
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