Electrical valves? Variably timed maybe, usually when the engine's going, but not electrically driven.
What car do you drive?
Electrical valves? Variably timed maybe, usually when the engine's going, but not electrically driven.
What car do you drive?
I had a Mk2 Focus 1.8 TDCI and it had glow-plugs fail a couple of times. It was a little harder to start and sooty when cold, but it could also lose power for a while (you could maintain 50mph, but couldn't accelerate above 40mph if you weren't already there).
The information on changing them involved removing all sorts of piping. and wiring.
A good look convinced me that unplugging one wiring connector, loosening one screw holding a pipe bracket and pulling off the rocker-cover breather pipe would allow enough access.
And as long as I was careful removing the electrical connections (a nut holding a tag onto a screwed contact) and made sure I didn't lose the nuts, there'd be no problem.
I was right. Job done in 15 minutes - including getting the tools out (one at a time, as a blizzard started one minute after I started work!)
SteveW
No I wasn't trolling, I was just wondering, since my current car doesn't like starting on the starter sometimes. The reason being I have the battery negative connected via a large crocodile clip so I can disconnect it at night. There's a fault with the alarm and it often used a few amps all night, running the battery flat otherwise. Impossible to fix as the alarm is hidden well inside the dashboard to stop thieves from disabling it. The clip provides a bit of resistance so it can't get quite enough current to start sometimes and I have to try 2 or 3 times. Then the ECU gets confused and doesn't know how much fuel to give it.
"Air to head" we used to call it.
Commonly used to start older industrial engines. However these days, many have been upgraded to geared, air-turbine starters instead - more reliable and use less air.
One problem we encountered with converting to separate starters on one job was finding somewhere in rural Nigeria to machine the faces of three
10-ton flywheels to accept ring-gears! We even considered trying to machine them while they were running by mounting a cross-slide on the grating floor, but eventually found that the Nigerian railway workshops could do it for us.SteveW
Seems like everything's been thought of, if you know where to look.
I know - how about a handle at the end of the crankshaft :-)
I thought the slightest miss of timings resulted in a damaged engine - like when your timing belt snaps.
Best put a slipping mechanism on it. The De Dion-Bouton can break your wrist.
Surely every car with an ECU knows where the pistons are?! It doesn't just randomly fire sparks all over the place.
Actually even with an old distributor powered engine, it "knows" what position it's at by the position the distributor is in.
Timing belt doesn't do ignition timing on a modern engine.
is in the right position gets an injection of fuel and air mix and a spark and stars the engine rotating, without the need for a starter motor? Espec ially 8 cylinder engines, surely one is always in the right position to get it going?
start! A little late or early it is all miss.
Actually you get 2 goes. After sparking it once, on a car with fuel injecti on, inject a bit of fuel then spark a 2nd time. Sometimes it'll work.
NT
no, waggling the ignition on/off switch performed the function that the points normally did.
NT
is in the right position gets an injection of fuel and air mix and a spark and stars the engine rotating, without the need for a starter motor? Espe cially 8 cylinder engines, surely one is always in the right position to ge t it going?
I didn't mean electric valves. I hope they happen one day fwiw, we'll have much more efficient engines.
NT
Maybe not, but the point I was making is mistimings cause breakages.
like starting on the starter sometimes. The reason being I have the batter y negative connected via a large crocodile clip so I can disconnect it at n ight. There's a fault with the alarm and it often used a few amps all nigh t, running the battery flat otherwise. Impossible to fix as the alarm is h idden well inside the dashboard to stop thieves from disabling it. The cli p provides a bit of resistance so it can't get quite enough current to star t sometimes and I have to try 2 or 3 times. Then the ECU gets confused and doesn't know how much fuel to give it.
Pushing the regular battery connector on when using, pulling off when not w orks fine with round posts, not so much with rectangular ones. With those p erhaps a big (market stall canopy sized) croc clip could hold the connector against the battery post, adding a bolt without nut to stop it sliding sid eways.
NT
Battery has round posts, croc clip with arms 2/3rds of the length of a human finger used. But it's only contacting with each of its teeth, not the whole circle like if the proper connector is used.
Almost all crank handle start cars can. Many Ladas had crank handles to enable starting in the savage Siberian cold, but afaik no timing retard control - a recipe for injury.
NT
't like starting on the starter sometimes. The reason being I have the bat tery negative connected via a large crocodile clip so I can disconnect it a t night. There's a fault with the alarm and it often used a few amps all n ight, running the battery flat otherwise. Impossible to fix as the alarm i s hidden well inside the dashboard to stop thieves from disabling it. The clip provides a bit of resistance so it can't get quite enough current to s tart sometimes and I have to try 2 or 3 times. Then the ECU gets confused and doesn't know how much fuel to give it.
ot works fine with round posts, not so much with rectangular ones. With tho se perhaps a big (market stall canopy sized) croc clip could hold the conne ctor against the battery post, adding a bolt without nut to stop it sliding sideways.
man finger used. But it's only contacting with each of its teeth, not the whole circle like if the proper connector is used.
so use the proper connector, just don't bolt it tight. BTDT for a different reason.
NT
Surely all you need is a freewheel mechanism like on a bicycle(question mark) There's no way a bicycle can drive the pedals forwards.
Sorry, no real question mark, got a crumb jammed in my keyboard, time to dismantle.
But then it slips about and doesn't maintain a good connection. And I need something I can quickly take on and off every morning/evening, without messing around with tools.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.