Starting Question O-145 B2 1940 BL65 with the original engine

[ddrewry]

Re: Starting Question O-145 B2 1940 BL65 with the original engine

Thanks for the info and I'll start tweaking the install. Carb was just overhauled by Marvel at an astronomical price, Fresno rebuilt both mags and a new harness (steel braid outer with angled plug heads for less than $150 by the way!), I've cleaned the tank completely, built all new hoses, and its got a couple gallons of brand new 100LL with an ounce of MMO - so its GOT to be in the mag timing... I think. The )145 manual I have says set the mags at 20 deg BTDC for the 65HP but there is no indication of which mark on the crank is how many degrees. Anyone have any idea?

[M Towsley]

Re: Starting Question O-145 B2 1940 BL65 with the original engine

Doug, I would think it is in your set-up. You don't have to muscle these. Mine has very good compression and all I have to do is literally 'walk' the blade through the impulse and it starts.

[jim cooper]

Re: Starting Question O-145 B2 1940 BL65 with the original engine

It has nothing much to do with how "hard" you prop it. If the carb is set correctly, the spark is correct , the gas is not old auto gas, set on idle, it should fire right off. I would find someone familiar with these engines to check things out. It should start right up. If everything is set correctly, they start! Which is why we are told ever to touch a prop unless you are prepared to start it. They will, if correctly set up, oftentimes start with the slightest of movement. Many will tell you the Stromberg carb is simple and easy to repair. Many were not set correctly when manufactured and many more are messed with by people who are unaware of what they don't know. If correctly overhauled, they are excellent! Best JC

[ddrewry]

After more than a year working on our project I finally tried to start it today - with no luck. Installed ovhl carb, new harness & plugs, ovhl Bendix SF4 mags, new fuel hoses and refurbed the gascolator - actually a fuel strainer.

Tried hand propping today until I gave up, didn't seem to get a spark or in the least bit interested in starting. My real question is on the hand-propping, not sure how much prop it takes to start this thing...

I have enough compression that with a full hard swing of the prop - it stops after about a third of a rotation??? It seems in my limited experience with continentals that I got quite a bit more arc out of a swing but its been a while. I start this one in about a 10 o'clock position and it stops by 6'oclock usually with a slight rock back. Trying to figure if this is normal? I'm no light weight (210 lbs) but that's all the rotation I get out of a swing putting everything in it trying to get as much prop speed as I can get - which isn't much.

So is this normal? I'll start trying to verify mag timing and spark when I get back to the airport this week also. By the way, there are 4 hash marks on my prop flange about an inch from the TDC mark. The last and furthest one away from TDC has a dimple put in it with a small needle punch. I did all my mag timing off of this mark as all the numbers around the hash marks (lines) are long gone and I assumed this one was marked as the one to use by someone through the years. Does anyone know what degree each mark actually represents?

Thanks, Doug 713-206-3160