The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

Whens splash down?

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

Whens splash down?

I need to get the EGT's on it before I go trying to break it in on the water. Jetting is ball park right now and I don't want to accidently lean it out. I'll order them from Livorsi today and might have them by weeks end.

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

Post Startup is just as important as pre-start. I gave frank the once over and noticed that the timing was varying when I used my lights advance feature I then looked at the spark and noticed it was not quite as bright as it should be. I opened the spark tester to 1/2" and lost spark.. I pulled the flywheel and moved the stator one hole back so the wires were comming down the split in the case.

This time I had spark on all but #3.. OK so the first thing I do is go get my manual and go through the trouble shooting procedures.

In my mind I'm ready to change a coil but the manual kept me on track and I ended up at the inner switchbox. By the time I got there with all the testing I had lost #5 also.. That adds to the confusion only if you're not following the manual. I pulled the switch boxes and replaced them both with a new set of CDI plastic boxes and the problem was solved. I pulled the flywheel back off, marked the holes with white paint and tightened the screws down permanent with red loctite.

I put the flywheel back on and tested again and it was good so I torqued the flywheel down to 120ft lbs and called it good.

Next I checked the timing and dialed it in at 24 with my lights advance on "0" then I set the light to 24 and checked it against "0" on the flywheel and it was dead on and steady as a rock.

Finally I did a full compression test and all cylinders are at 115 so the 2 stage honing and plateau finish did just like it was supposed to and the rings sealed almost immediately after startup..

So during the run last Saturday the switchbox was going south and the stator wasn't putting out full voltage but it really didn't matter since I didn't have it under load. The plugs read as if it was running on all six so I have to assume it was.

So the moral of this story is. If you don't have a Merc Service Manual get one and if you've got one, use it, even if you think you know what you're doing.

 

[Dukedog]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

OK already. Know you've had enough time ta get it to tha water.
Sooooooooooooo?

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

OK already. Know you've had enough time ta get it to tha water.
Sooooooooooooo?

Got a mystery problem. Been wrenchin on it all weekend. Thought I was gona splash it Saturday so I fired it up Friday night and it was pukin bad. Couldn't get a decent idle. What a difference a week makes!

Swapped out the carbs for a set of WMV-5's jetted for a 175 and it was better but still pukin.

Took the spacer off and put a stock 2L intake and steel reeds on it and jeted the WH40's for a stock 150.. Still pukin.

I swapped out switchboxes again but that wasn't it. Pulled the divider to look for water didn't find any. I just finished pulling the heads to have a look and the cylinders look great. Tomorrow night I'll pull the stator and trigger and swap them and maybe the coils. DVA shows the voltages are all correct but I have known good spares so might as well. Could be an intermittent trigger problem.

I guess is this what you can expect when you build a motor out of parts from a ton of different sources. The bummer is that I can't go fishing until I get this one fixed. I sold my old faithful motor. Might just have to go get another E-Tec.

 

[Dukedog]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

You say pukin'. Fuel, spittin', sputterin' or a random misfire? Which is it or is it all of these?................

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

You say pukin'. Fuel, spittin', sputterin' or a random misfire? Which is it or is it all of these?................

Random Misfire, exhaust chest was pretty oil/fuel wet but that could be from all the testing. I'm begining to think its it's a intermittent stator or trigger problem. Could even be a bad flywheel. I have to keep in mind that all these parts came from eBay or other sources. I may have just bought someone elses problems.

I'm OCD when it comes to these things and it was driving me nuts so I put the O scope on it. Spark is fine at cranking speed. DVA shows it good too. I thought I had and extra divider plate gasket but alas not so. In the mean time I do have a known good 40 amp stator and a good trigger. I'll put them on and when the gasket comes in we'll see what happens.

 

[Dukedog]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

Sounds like ya may be on ta somethin' with tha trigger. They can cause some strange things ta happen when they start goin' south. Let us know whatcha find..................

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

Sounds like ya may be on ta somethin' with tha trigger. They can cause some strange things ta happen when they start goin' south. Let us know whatcha find..................

Will do. Probably this weekend if the gasket comes in.

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

Bit the bullet, just ordered a new 40amp stator, trigger, rectifiers/regulators. Yes, I ordered through iBoats.

I doubt I'll see any parts until the middle of next week so it'll be two weeks at best before run time.

Paitience is a virtue... Virtue's are a pain in the butt..

 

[jmj120]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

I did the same thing. Kept switching and swapping with no luck, finally just ordered everything. Stator, trigger, both switches, both regulators.

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

I did the same thing. Kept switching and swapping with no luck, finally just ordered everything. Stator, trigger, both switches, both regulators.

Yep, sometimes its just better to go with new and not have to worry about it. Well I hope anyway. I've had new ones that were bad out of the box. I'm hoping that won't happen again.

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

All the needed parts have shipped. No joy for splash this weekend but next weekend looks promising.

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

After some really deep thought provoked by the condition of the cylinders and the excessive fuel/oil in the exhaust chest, I've come to the conclusion that stock idle jetting is far to rich for this engine.

It is apparent that the improvements I made to the fuel routing of the engine are actually working too well. Balancing the crankcase volumes with stuffing, smoothing the rod slot ends and getting rid of all the casting flash in the case, block and intake has made this engine far more efficient at delivering fuel to the cylinders than I had expected.

I searched through my "Plano" tackle box of jets and wouldn't you know it, not a single 44, 46 or 48 to be found. I've ordered a couple of hundred bucks worth of assorted sizes from Crowley so I can explore other options if reducing the idle jets doesn't help. I think it will.

The new electricals are still a good choice since it will eliminate that from suspicion and the trigger is acting goofy according to the test equipment.

Another myth has been busted. It is entirely plausable that B O A T does translate to "Bring On Another Thousand"..

On the lighter side of this Blog, I've just about finished blasting the paint off the block from the hosed up motor I took in on trade. It's actually looking pretty good but it's a 89-90 block. No big deal it's a horizontal reed front half and the numbers match up and a 884-9765 block just an early casting.

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

Divider plate gasket from iBoats parts arrived way ahead of schedule. Now I wish I would have had the other parts shipped faster. Oh well that's the way things go. I have Frank all buttoned back up just waiting on the new electricals and carb jets.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

I dont think jetting is your problem,think about it... it started,ran and idled great in video. You dont have the 40 amp flywheel on the 16amp stator do you as it can overload the stator and cause ignition glitches.(bigger magnets)

 

[Dukedog]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

I kinda agree. Ya ought ta try tha new 'lectrics (mainly trigger) first 'fore ya start with tha jetting. Might save a little work. With tha bad firein' all tha unburnt fuel has got ta show up somewhere. Usually right where ya found it............

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

I dont think jetting is your problem,think about it... it started,ran and idled great in video. You dont have the 40 amp flywheel on the 16amp stator do you as it can overload the stator and cause ignition glitches.(bigger magnets)

I was running a good 16 amp flywheel.

Jetting does make sense when you think about it for a couple of days like I did. But the electrics get changed first and we'll see how it runs and how the intial timing looks.

If the timing still needs to be overly retarded to bring the idle down then I'll go with jets changes to get it within specs.

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project

I kinda agree. Ya ought ta try tha new 'lectrics (mainly trigger) first 'fore ya start with tha jetting. Might save a little work. With tha bad firein' all tha unburnt fuel has got ta show up somewhere. Usually right where ya found it............

Yep, that's the plan.. Jets won't be in for a couple of weeks. Merc won't drop ship so Crowley gets them then sends them to me.

I'd re-instate my business license and buy direct but I hate the ensuing paper work and tax obligations.

 

[sschefer]

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project SPLASH DAY COMMING

Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project SPLASH DAY COMMING

Special note: -- iBoats Parts had my new electricals and the divider plate gasket on my door in record time. I had not anticipated getting this motor in the water until next weekend... Thanks iBoats !!!!!!!!

Problem solved.. It was not the trigger or the stator or the switchboxes or the reg/rect's. It was idle circuits on both the WH40's and the WMV-5's. On the 40's the jetting was way to rich and the WMV's have the factory idle air screws setup for a 200.

When I fired it up with the new electricals it started on the first crank with no choke and this was after a week of sitting and pulling the heads off, etc. It took about a minute before it begin loading up and misfiring and I had fuel residue on the front's of the carbs.

I pulled the WH's off and put on a set of WMH-7 with stock 150 jetting (these are 150 carbs with the big venturi's). First crank it started, sputtered for a few seconds, blew smoke for about a minute then settled in at a perfect 800 rpm idle. I ran it for about 1/2 hour in the tub and it never missed a beat or got over 145 on the temp at 4lbs of water pressure so it looks like we're good to go for a splash tomorrow morning at Lake Sonoma. I'll be at the $3.00 public ramp at about 7:00am if anybody wants to witness it. LOL...

So SPLASH DAY is set 7/25/10..