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I finally got the much waited package from Willi's Motors. Actually it was just an envelope, but everything need for the installation was there. Installation was very easy: just remove breaker point and condenser and put in new switch and place plastic sleeve with magnets to shaft and hook it up to electic system. |
| Also other modification were done during Saturday: Hitachi Charger was replaced with Bosch unit to get charger light functioning and to drop charging voltage. Current limit for this new Pertronix Ignitor unit is max. 4A in 4cylinder engine and it would have been too close to that with old charging voltage. Also ignition coil was replaced with new one with ballast resistor to drop the current further. In the installation instruction sheet of Ignitor module it is excplicitly written that ignition coil must be of breaker point type. Longer thrust shaft has already been installed earlier, now it was just to adjust alignment of belts and put prop back in. |
| Before installing a prop though we started the engine and adjusted
timing and run it for awhile. It would have been rather risky to do the
adjustements needed if prop were spinning back there too. It was enough
with fans spinning.
I must say that it was very easy to install and seems to work as promised. We also put in a hose between carburettor and distributor for ignition timing vacuum adjustement. If someone of your fellow hovercrafters experince problems with breaker points i recommend checking availability of Pertronix Ignitor modules for your application ! Very easy and quick to install! We had to work for several hours, but there were lot of things to do since we had been dismantling the craft since last operation piece by piece and now it was suddenly time to put everything back on. |
| One thing i looked very carefully was propeller blades bending back
and forth when starting up the engine. They sure easily move max.
+/-50mm (~2") when engine fires few first cycles and then they smoothen.
Now i have still ~40mm (~1.5") more thrust shaft to use if i decide to
move thrust prop even further back. I just have to make new bolts and spacer
tubes for that. Due to other modifications with thrust propeller installation
i don't have 6" clearance to bearing housing as planned, but more than
before though.
We discussed also about making "a ski" or a guide around bearing housing to protect blades from hitting steel structure directly. Material would be HDPE same stuff used in steering linkage bearings and form would be round and in very mild angle against prop movement. Of course better way is to move prop further back and not to have contact to structure at all, but i still may put this protector in. |
| Plan was to start installing soft top also on Saturday, but we spent so much time with the engine that that was left for Sunday. Unfortunately it was a rainy day it got further postponed. But i have most of the material for the soft top purchased and it's only matter of good weather and some spare time before i get a top to my Explorer. |