Anyone else?

[LarryA]

WOW! Yes indeed, that trike deserves professional photos!

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Ok so...trying to get back into it.

Put the billet oil cooler on there.

Synced the throats vacuum.

Shimmed on the idle air valve to set idle.

Then started on the tuning again. Then I got mad about chasing the tune around.....so I erased the whole thing, reset the computer and started again from scratch on the tables.

 

[LarryA]

so... how much time to get back to where you can idle/accelerate and cruise?

or is there some feedback type of program that will let you drive and it would self tune.......or is that wishfull thinking?

 

[grandpanystrom61]

That is crazy, I wait to read the reply. It would be awesome to have self balancing and adjusting carb. system, does it exist?

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Ok.....so I had several different things going on, but it all comes from me changing things.

I did start out on the right foot and had come a long way with it. But one day I decided to check my vacuum and change the whole base on which I was tuning on. I switched from alpha n to mass air pressure. I tryed to just convert the tables and settings .....it did seem to work. But I came to find out that my warm up enrichment and other modifiers were effecting my base tables.

You have to start out with basic tuning and then add accel, warm up, cold start....ect.

So now I was just working on the idle air and the adjustments to that had a big effect to the running. So I turned off all the extras and find that the base stuff is not good.

It was time to start over using what I have learned that the engine wants.

It already cranks and runs again, that is not a problem. Now to do a lot of data logging and adjusting. Then add on the extras after.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

So with what I have ..... I can record the reading from the sensors and adjust the tune accordingly.

There are systems that do auto tune. They are geared toward single carb on a plenum intake. They do not work well on an individual runner (non plenum) type intake/engine.

Historically the auto tune program was very basic. It did make the engine run but did not include all the other daynamic things going on. Such as rich to pull hard accelerating.....or lean out cruise......or warm up......ect.

Auto tune is growing all the time now.....adding more dynamics and getting better all the time.

If you wanted to try one on a vw engine you would have the find or build an intake much like the 2 barrel intake that is one big open hole under the carb. It would have to have enough volume to be a plenum the right size for your displacement and rpm. Some measuring and math to do there. But once there you could bolt on a fi tech, holley, ect auto tune fuel injection system and all the sensors. Then adapt some kind of head temp sensor into the water temp input and scale it so that it is in range...........It would work and auto tune.

 

[LarryA]

so this new tune will be map based....yes I forgot about no temp inputs for engine on VW....monitoring oil temp with a gm water sensor? or a small water tube, with a gm sensor located where it would approximate temps like a water cooled engine? Definitely a problem, but an interesting one....

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Yes.

I have been on map for quite a while now.

It is nicer to drive, not necessarily better at making hp.

When I switched over I should have re-started from scratch.......again.

I have re-started several times now, mostly because I change things. Tweaking and modifying all these mix and match parts to do what I want them to...

So yes.....about a temperature input.

The megasquirt kit computer and its code is capable of a lot of adjustments, settings and scaling. So it is possible to use just about any thermistor on it.

But

Most any vw head temperature sensor, (such as the ring thing under the spark plug), is not a thermistor.....it is a thermocouple (usually a k type).

Mario at the dub shop has a thermistor in a bolt down lug. If put in the right location it can be fairly accurate.

The thing about it is......it dont have to be accurate, just has to see a rate of change.

Oil warms up quite slowly....it would work, but you would have an incredibly long choke time.

So you need it on the head (which warms up quickly). But the head is going to be much hotter than the water in a v8. Megasquirt dont care.....you put whatever numbers you like in there for the enrichment. The bought auto tune system will not have this and will be made for a water cooled engine. When it reaches a critical temp....say 280...it will be in alarm/shut down.....but your vw engine will just be getting fully off choke and warmed up. So to use one of the fixed auto tunes systems you will have to externally trick the computer......resistors (inline or to ground) to make the signal from the sensor in scale to match the input capabilities of the tuner.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

And here is mine.

A gm water temp sensor (thermistor).

Bolted to a fin over the exhaust port.

Works well....other than in the rain. The rain cooled it so much that I was stuck in enrichment mode (choke).

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Programming chair.



Rode some Saturday. It is revving hard and pulling like mad. Still needs acceleration enriching right off idle, but getting there.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Have not done much on the trike.

A couple laps around town and to a local show.



Then the youngest is out for summer.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

So I have had her out.

 

[Zammy]

Looked like a great time Rex, nice pics and video.

 

[grandpanystrom61]

Nice, getting to spend time with your daughter. I remember my best friends mom taking us out for summer fun. They taught me to snow and water ski. Thanks for bring back the old memories Rex. Look like so much fun.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Went to a big show this weekend.

 

[Gorilla]

"CONGRATS REX"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LarryA]

A bunch of inspiration, engineering, and machining/ finishing skills put in a small package....turned out great! Congratulations Rex!

 

[Zammy]

Congrats Rex, a truly unique machine.

 

[grandpanystrom61]

:clapping:Nothing like getting a Trophy for all your hard work Rex!

This is awesome, as I knew it had the quality to win, and think this is just the start for you Rex.

I do think you are why I attacked the front end of my trike, you just gave me the inspiration "I can do it"

I thank you my friend. Reba is just one of a kind, and she is all your hard work...……..

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

So......

Now I really need chrome wheels.

I have not found anything much different that I would want for the front (might search some more).

So if I am stuck with the straight spoke front wheel I am thinking to get it chrome colored powder coated. Then replace the rear wheels with chrome something else.

And no.....I do not want huge 50's on it, just to much of a power suck.

Now with the 16 inch car wheels there is not a lot of choices I like. There are a few more choices in a 17 inch wheel, but nothing yet to make it worth buying tires for yet.

Current front.....add shiney coating.



Current choices.

Straight spokes that somewhat match. But dont really look that good.



A straight spoke that dont really match. But look better.



And....s##w matching but look good.

 

[LarryA]

do like the rear wheels shown... but thinking there must be a front chrome wheel out there...maybe larger dia. that would match those rears. looks like your fork has room for a bigger wheel.....just a thought

 

[vwbug72501]

Here's a thought that I've kicked around. What is your front wheel off of? What does the rear wheel from that same bike look like? If you know someone with mad fab skills, I bet he could come up with an adapter hub to mount the MC wheel to the VW bolt pattern. Some of these later model cruisers have some pretty fat rear wheels. Would complete the full custom look for sure!

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

It is kz 550.

Purdy much all jap bikes in the 80's had wheels very much like this.



But......

I would be more inclined to make/modify the motorcycle front wheel to match the car wheels.

I have vaguely matching wheels now that are not chrome. So the objective will be chrome.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

A day trip for me and girlie to the Mississippi delta north of my hometown.

"Flood Fest" a community fund raiser for the backwater flooding of the Mississippi river. The farm land of the ms river delta has been underwater for half a year or more. Dont expect any farm products this season.

So girlie was a volunteer worker for the day and I participated in the car show.

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

[video]https://www.wlbt.com/video/2019/08/18/redwood-flood-fest/[/video]

 

[LarryA]

have you considered chrome spokes on all three?

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Well yes....that is actually what I wanted when I very first built it many years ago.

But.

That is not what I want now.

Still looking and figuring.....

 

[LarryA]

bagger 23"

Hoghalter renegade 23" bagger....might be in 21" also? might match wheel #3 on your post. Now its time for some serious bling!

 

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Very similar to what I have found so far.

But soooooo expensive.



The car wheels are 200 each.

The motorcycle is 1200.