Tach Race 2017- March 11-12 FINAL RESULTS!

Hey Ron, aside from "return-postage", is there anything that should be included with our entries? Should there be a starter-spring installed on the engine? Could you use spare mounting-screws or anything? I'd be happy to send some extra stuff if it would help.

Cox International wrote:Ron,

We can include a test stand; please choose your colour here:

https://coxengines.ca/engine-test-stand-for-cox-010-020-049-51-click-on-details-to-choose-colour.html

Those are REALLY nice!! Personally.. I think that the "brown-colored" one would compliment your "Wasp".. should Ron decide to snap some photos..

Cox International wrote:A bit too late as the package shipped today but I believe Theresa included a copper-coloured one.

No doubt she did.. You know how most women have an "eye" for those sort of things! Thanks much to all of you for your support!

All day today, the temp's been in the mid-40'sF but clear and WINDY.. Not that it's that cold.. but yesterday, the high was 73F.. relatively calm and overcast/rain threatening. This is par for the course "weather-wise" in New England. I dragged my feet all day yesterday.. messing around with w/s wipers.. when I could have test-ran my tach-race entry.. my only (as in "one") unlimited-class entry.

Today I had to do something.. but I did prepare to test-run my engine. If you're curious about the true definition of "OCD" (my monogram BTW..) here's a great example..  

Mounting the prop..   (these props scare the 5hi+ out of me..)




Large feed-line connected to a #8 Perfect wedge-tank which is plumbed with larger tubes. Some may remember from the 1st CEF Speed Contest; I had trouble getting this backplate (Killer Bee/horseshoe-style) to draw-fuel on a suction-feed using small-dia. fuel-line. Increasing the feed-line's diameter solved that problem..



Stand-off mounts for max-air intake.. (OCD in top-gear..   )





Took it outside onto the back-deck to run it just a while ago. Safety-glasses.. check.. Kevlar cranking-hand glove.. check.. Fueled-up the #8 tank.. check.. open the needle-valve 4 full-turns.. check.. primed the feed-line.. check.. primed the piston.. check.. flip the prop over a few times.. check.. connect the glow-plug and observe glow-continuity (3A) check.. commence to cranking... engine backfires.. and throws the prop.   Damn.. reminiscent of when I ran this engine on the Rare Bear.. resulting in a broken plastic spinner-cone.. Get a "bigger" screw-driver and re-tighten the mother as tight as I dared.

Using 20+ year-old Sig Champion "25".... she fires-off another exhaust-prime.   Successive exhaust primes revealed too lean a needle-setting   I proceed to open the needle another full-turn.. now she's "barking" and drawing fuel.. but she's still not hot-enough yet. (it's 40F) Patience Roddie.......... I switched to "hand-flipping" (without using the starter-spring) and she fires-up "rich".. and stays running. I peaked her-out.. but my needle wouldn't hold that setting. She's screaming though.. responsive and drawing-fuel. I'd previously set-up my "long-brass" coarse-thread needle with a fuel-line seal, h/d spring held-down by a flat-washer retained by a wheel-collar and a tight-fitting rubber-grommet above, that fit into a slot in my Rare-Bear's engine-cowling. Without that cowling; the needle's "mass" is subject to the "tuning-fork" effect.. and won't hold a setting.

All in all.. I successfully ran my tach-race engine today.. and I'm psyched! I neglected to bring my tach outdoors to get a reading.. but maybe that's for the best.. I'll leave that part up to Ron!