The Bucket Foundry

**Flettner** · 30th January 2018, 18:06

I see you.
I'm over Ignitec, familiar outcome. This Ignition has cost me a fortune in time and pistons. One channel can not be controlled (or trusted) and I don't know why but I'm not going back for another holed piston! I'm fitting my old home made CDI, it doesn't give a fuck about input interference (it is the maker of interference) gets a trigger and goes off, simple (like me).
Ill leave the Ignitec to do the servo power valve duties only, at least I can see if its fucking that up.

**Flettner** · 30th January 2018, 18:09

At least with an autogyro you just go into auto land mode.

Wasn't a good look at the national Autogyro Association meeting.

**F5 Dave** · 30th January 2018, 19:45

Do you have a Knock gauge?

**WilDun** · 31st January 2018, 17:00

Thats bad luck! I hope that there's a way out with some other proprietry ignition - otherwise it'll make life more difficult by having to build your own ignition as well!

**Flettner** · 31st January 2018, 18:56

O the sadness, I can build all this stuff but can't afford decent test equipment. I guess I'll just have to save up.

Will, no such thing as bad luck, it was a problem just waiting to happen as I didn't test it fully before departing for Dannevirke. Got what I deserved.

Though it wont happen again at least not with this Ignitec. Already got the home made CDI trigger installed on the rear of the engine running off the balance shaft gear bolted to the crankshaft, two steel pins, one trigger, dual 12V CDI funneled into a single, dual lead, coil (RD350LC), wasted spark. No fancy electronics to bugger up the input signal. This CDI would light up tar as a fuel.
I'm sure the Ignitec can be sorted eventually, I've just run out of patience (and pistons)

**speedpro** · 31st January 2018, 21:18

After much testing and tinkering with all the gear supplied by the large aviation company I used to work for, my homemade CDI would fire a 10mm gap with a fat blue spark at some huge rate. The charge pulses looked like a picket fence on the oscilloscope. IIRC it pulled about 10A @ 12V. No more fouled plugs.
I'm surprised you have so many problems with the Ignitech. I sort of suspect a possible shielding problem though I expect you have looked at that

**Flettner** · 1st February 2018, 06:30

I too expect the problem is input signal interference but I'm just over playing games with it. Like your CDI mine will do the job nicely and I know it will work. I just want to go flying and get some time on this engine.
Next engine I'll be running a Link ECU with the mark two TPI so won't need the ignitec.

**Frits Overmars** · 1st February 2018, 07:06

Originally Posted by Flettner

I too expect the problem is input signal interference but I'm just over playing games with it.

I can understand that Neil. Just one final question if I may: did you use resistor plugs, resistor plug caps or both with the Ignitech?

**Flettner** · 1st February 2018, 07:42

plug caps are not but plugs are.
One channel is crystal clear, timing light on the timing mark. Other timing mark (other cylinder) is always goasted. This is clearly the cylinder that gave the trouble.
Piston one is in top condition, with no sign of over heating, under side of the piston is nice.

**speedpro** · 1st February 2018, 12:30

The Link ECU could trigger the Ignitech CDI. I was quite impressed with the Ignitach CDI output when I was using it though only with one channel. Having a dumb CDI and having the Link do all the smarts is probably going to work best though.

**Flettner** · 1st February 2018, 20:21

New balance shaft drive cover. Inset piece can be rotated to get the trigger in the right time, Oring seals inside. Housing gets a bearing pushed in for balance shaft support, hollow dowel location on the housing.

**WilDun** · 3rd February 2018, 18:25

I'm assuming that the large shiny disc is the "inset piece" and is being held in position by the capscrews and washers?

**Flettner** · 3rd February 2018, 20:19

Originally Posted by WilDun

I'm assuming that the large shiny disc is the "inset piece" and is being held in position by the capscrews and washers?

You got it Will. Pulled the engine apart today to clean the debris out of the crankcase and reeds etc. Reassembled with new pistons, already to run up tomorrow with the my CDI fitted. Just spent some time securing the capacitors to the CDI board so vibration doesn't cause problems. Can't wait to hear the difference. Probably need to line the inside of the box it lives in with lead sheet

so all the radios at Matamata airfield don't stop working when my engine is running.

**Grumph** · 3rd February 2018, 20:31

I was CoC at a Ruapuna meeting back in the 90's when a guy turned up with a homemade CDI ignition....we lost all the radio links when he fired it up.
If it hadn't failed in short order, I suspect we'd have heard from Civil Aviation as the approach path to Harewood that day was right over the top of us....