Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Moderators: Sluggo, Amskeptic

Post Reply
User avatar
ruckman101
Lord God King Bwana
Location: Up next to a volcano.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by ruckman101 » Wed Jul 06, 2016 1:30 pm

The pulley has a single notch. Should I assume timing would be at zero degrees at an idle of 800 rpm.

neal
The slipper has no teeth.

User avatar
wcfvw69
Old School!
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by wcfvw69 » Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:00 pm

You know what happens when you "assume", right? :)

Best to identify the distributor number on the side of it. Is it an original Bosch? Is it a new craptastic Chinese copy? Can you post a picture of the distributor?
1970 Westfalia bus. Stock 1776 dual port type 1 engine. Restored German Solex 34-3. Restored 205Q distributor, restored to factory appearance engine.

User avatar
tristessa
Trusted Air-Cooled Maniac
Location: Uwish Uknew, Oregon
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by tristessa » Wed Jul 06, 2016 8:28 pm

IIRC it's got a magneto ignition on it...
Remember, only YOU can prevent narcissism!

User avatar
ruckman101
Lord God King Bwana
Location: Up next to a volcano.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by ruckman101 » Wed Jul 06, 2016 11:50 pm

The magneto died. He just runs it on the battery. It has no generator other than a windless shell that spins the fan. I'll get the number off the distributor tomorrow. It has a vacuum can, but nothing hooked up to it, and no plug, other than sawdust that has settled in on it. He has never adjusted the valves so I did that today, they were all sloppy loose. It sounded better, but still pops here and there. He had been running it with the choke wide open until even that couldn't keep it going. We went over the carb today, and it's doing better, no gas in the bowl, gas starved. So now it's running without the choke and able to cut the 10 inches it couldn't yesterday. But I do think if I can dial in the timing it's gonna be a raging beast in comparison. When I did the valves, lining the notch on the pulley to the crank case split, the notch on the distributor was behind by a good 1/8 inch.

neal
The slipper has no teeth.

User avatar
ruckman101
Lord God King Bwana
Location: Up next to a volcano.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by ruckman101 » Wed Jul 06, 2016 11:55 pm

Funky little carb.

neal
The slipper has no teeth.

User avatar
Amskeptic
IAC "Help Desk"
IAC "Help Desk"
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Jul 07, 2016 7:23 am

ruckman101 wrote:Funky little carb.

neal
Why is this all in a post of its own?

RE: timing an industrial engine. Since it is a steady state engine, you can adjust the timing to optimal at its work speed. A vacuum gauge will tell you where it is happiest. Retard the timing 1/2" hg from happiest.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

User avatar
ruckman101
Lord God King Bwana
Location: Up next to a volcano.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by ruckman101 » Sun Jul 10, 2016 11:29 pm

So at 1800 rpm, where he likes to run it, I should set the timing to zero degrees? The only advance is centrifugal. I have never applied a vacuum gauge to the equation, and there are no vacuum connects on the carb. So maybe I should set the advance to 30 degrees at 1800 rpm?


neal
The slipper has no teeth.

User avatar
Amskeptic
IAC "Help Desk"
IAC "Help Desk"
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:38 am

ruckman101 wrote:So at 1800 rpm, where he likes to run it, I should set the timing to zero degrees? The only advance is centrifugal. I have never applied a vacuum gauge to the equation, and there are no vacuum connects on the carb. So maybe I should set the advance to 30 degrees at 1800 rpm?


neal
I'm sorry, I don't know what you asking.

I see
"1800 rpm, where he likes to run it, I should set the timing to zero degrees?"
I don't know where those numbers came from. Where did "0" at 1,800 come from?

I then see
"maybe I should set the advance to 30 degrees at 1800 rpm"
and I don't know where THAT came from . . . :scratch:

I said, "you can adjust the timing to optimal at its work speed".

Blow by blow . . .
a) set engine to 1,800 rpm. Do not touch from here through the below steps
b) turn distributor CW until you hear a definite drop in rpm.
c) turn distributor CCW to highest obtainable rpm (this is the engine tell you that it is optimal)
d) go back dowen CW from highest speed obtained, by a good 50-75 rpm. (this is easier on the rods and case)

This is off the top of my head, but it will make sure your engine is happy.
I would run it a little faster than that under heavy load . . .
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

User avatar
ruckman101
Lord God King Bwana
Location: Up next to a volcano.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by ruckman101 » Mon Jul 11, 2016 12:26 pm

Zero degrees is the only notch on the pulley. In the past I have been advised to time to 30 degrees of advance max at high rpms to ensure the engine isn't running too far in advance and overheating.

Thanks. I obviously was grasping at the only straws I knew to grasp at.


neal
The slipper has no teeth.

User avatar
hambone
Post-Industrial Non-Secular Mennonite
Location: Portland, Ore.
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by hambone » Mon Jul 11, 2016 12:33 pm

Well what if he's driving the damn thing over a pass at high elevation? Then what?
It's nice to be able to time by ear. Cars don't like that.
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

User avatar
Amskeptic
IAC "Help Desk"
IAC "Help Desk"
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Jul 12, 2016 11:27 pm

ruckman101 wrote:Zero degrees is the only notch on the pulley. In the past I have been advised to time to 30 degrees of advance max at high rpms to ensure the engine isn't running too far in advance and overheating.

Thanks. I obviously was grasping at the only straws I knew to grasp at.


neal
Per the above "optimal", you don't need no notch and no bogus numbers and other evidence of the Man trying to Mash you down, it is just you and your engine, sitting on a bench, free to feel the optimal.

It *is* a steady-state engine, is it not?

Your BUS needs the 30* max advance if it has a centrifugal advance mechanism in the distributor.
The vacuum-only distributors, you can't use that method, right, Hambone? You can only time statically at "0" for our vintage.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

User avatar
ruckman101
Lord God King Bwana
Location: Up next to a volcano.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Proper engine timing, 1600 sp Mini-Mite sawmill

Post by ruckman101 » Wed Jul 13, 2016 6:48 pm

It is a steady state engine, yes. Under load it indeed bogs down, but there is no accelerator pedal, it is operated at a steady state. There is no vacuum attached, only whatever centrifugal the distributor has.

neal
The slipper has no teeth.

Post Reply