PDonovan Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Merlin engine developed by Rover for Tank Use.... proving reluctant to start !! gets there in the end.... owner blames it on Tesco Fuel !! Sounds great. At Tanks Trucks & Firepower show 2013 Something went wrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caddy Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Nice, but did anyone ask him how he got an extra 100bhp out of it? I also liked the picture of the spitfire...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RattlesnakeBob Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 cracking ol' engine ! Just out of interest ....what's the starting system on such a motor ? is it a straight forward starter motor on a whacking great big battery or is it maybe an airstart system perhaps of some sorts ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecyMech Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 (edited) I've seen this chap & his Meteor at the Carrington show, very impressive (& loud), & it started a lot easier on that occasion. It drew a sizable crowd ! The hat went round after the shut down as 'the petrol fund'. Had to smile when he gave it a quick sip of petrol down one carb as an encouragment to start. I suppose thats the equivalent of 4 pumps on the pedal prior to hitting the button when its actually in a Cent. H Edited September 6, 2013 by RecyMech Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caddy Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 cracking ol' engine ! Just out of interest ....what's the starting system on such a motor ? is it a straight forward starter motor on a whacking great big battery or is it maybe an airstart system perhaps of some sorts ? It's on a starter motor that turns the engine at about 30rpm. One of the magnetos (usually the exhaust mag), has a feed from a booster coil going in to it which feeds a separate arm on the rotor which is about 30deg retarded. This means that the plugs spark after TDC and turns the engine at a speed where the magnetos will then create a spark of their own. The booster coil is only used at the start. Hope that makes sense and helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbo Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Had a good chat with him at the show - thoroughly nice chap - he is working on a replica spitfire cockpit - framework and superstructure fabricated but with genuine fittings, instruments etc, the idea being that this will be mated to the engine to give a bit more interest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongJohn Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 The starter motor is a Rotax direct cranking starter running as has been said at around 30rpm. It acts directly on the end of the crankshaft. The booster coil actually fires out sparks fairly indiscriminately to each of the twelve cylinders, sometimes causing the engine to stall against the starter, but eventually, sometimes sooner, sometimes a little later, but always eventually catching the right cylinder in the right position and firing up. Spark plug changes were a real pain in the a**e though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caddy Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 The starter motor is a Rotax direct cranking starter running as has been said at around 30rpm. It acts directly on the end of the crankshaft.The booster coil actually fires out sparks fairly indiscriminately to each of the twelve cylinders, sometimes causing the engine to stall against the starter, but eventually, sometimes sooner, sometimes a little later, but always eventually catching the right cylinder in the right position and firing up. Spark plug changes were a real pain in the a**e though! It isn't quite like that. The booster coil's High Tension circuit is plugged into the magneto. Yes it is primed to provide a spark all the time, but as it feeds the retarded electrode on the rotor arm in the mag if that is not in line with a HT electrode then the High Tension side of the booster coil's circuit will be open - there will be nowhere for the charge to go. Basically this method is like a very very simple way of distributing the charge. There is no way it can randomly fire off spark plugs. Electricity won't work that way; it's lazy and will take the path of least resistance so will probably spark at one plug only unless you have a means to move it around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david56 Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Nice, but did anyone ask him how he got an extra 100bhp out of it? My old woodwork teacher at school told us the extra 100hp came when they decided to remove the cylinder head gasket. True or false? l always wondered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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