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I have made a 2-part trigger wheel setup that shows as being machinable and will bolt on. I looked into the press-fit, but adding to the rear of the wheel makes it difficult if not impossible to machine.
Part 1 is a spacer that takes the place of the advance assembly. It has a notch in the bottom so it fits in to the crank opening. The top has 2x 8-32 holes in it so the wheel can be bolted on.
Part 2 is the 12-1 trigger wheel. I added 4 sets of holes so it can be mounted in various positions. Coupled with an adjustable Hall sensor, this would allow for a great deal of timing variation.
While I was looking at the advance unit today, I decided to see how the timing marks related to the piston movement. I puled the #4 plug, which is on the same cycle as #1, and rotated the crank with a long screwdriver in the #4 plug hole. When it was at about TDC, I checked the timing mark and saw I was close to the "T" mark for 1-4. I backed it up roughly 7 degrees and saw I was close to the "F" mark.
Now for the odd part- when I looked at the pickups, I thought 1-4 was the rear one. When I had the timing mark at the 1-4 "F", the tooth was pointing at the front pickup. If this is the case, then I've wired my ignition backwards. Fortunately, since I used a Weatherpack connector for this, it will be a simple matter to reverse the pickup wires at the connector so the proper wire goes to the Microsquirt.
I also drew a 24-1 wheel using the gear template on E Machine shop. It's 2" in diameter, and has a .785" center hole with a .08 x .17 cutout for the tooth. My first version had multiple slots 30 degrees apart. The nice thing is the cost estimate and analysis. No unmachineable areas of concern, and about $65 shipped.
I'll do the math and figure out where the slot for the tooth needs to be so 1-4 firing is properly aligned. I think there is some adjustability in the MS software for this.
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Aren't 1 & 4 on the same wasted spark cycle- when #1 is at TDC on compression, #4 is on TDC for exhaust, and vice-versa? The ignition will fire at the same time, hence the "wasted spark" on the exhaust cycle. I have your document here that has the graph with cycles and firing, this appears to be correct. I'm still working on this as far as the slot for the tooth.
I also was reading MS documentation and I see I needed a 24-2 wheel. Updated design is below with one slot for the tooth. Prices out @ $70 shipped.
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When the T 1-4 mark on the base plate lines up with the timing mark the timing should align with the pickup at the 9 o clock position. From the picture of your welded up assembly you have assembled it 180 degrees out I think. Nick
A eureka moment I think. It can only get easier now (hopefully)
I think I've got it!
I was able to trim the weight arms & free & flip the toothed part of the advance assembly.
I made a 24-2 wheel with a second slot 180 degrees from the first one so I could run a straight line through my E Machine drawing, and also added a TDC line after offseting the slot by 17 degrees. I could then rotate it on screen 180 degrees (or any increment such as 17) and check the alignment. It looks like this should work. The best news is I can make 5 of them for under $100. I deleted the second slot and ended up with the drawing below.
Now I need to find a small Hall pickup.
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I just wanted to point out that if the RED wire is getting warm, then the ORANGE wire that goes from the ignition switch back to the fusebox will also get warm, as it is carrying the same current. If you upgrade your red wire, be sure to also upgrade the orange one.The red harness wire that goes to the ignition switch is too small in my opinion- it was warm when I was holding it. It looks like 18 gauge or so. I'd like to replace it with some high quality automotive wire of 16~14 gauge or so.
Quite some time ago, you expressed some concern about your wiring size and temperature.
I just wanted to point out that if the RED wire is getting warm, then the ORANGE wire that goes from the ignition switch back to the fusebox will also get warm, as it is carrying the same current. If you upgrade your red wire, be sure to also upgrade the orange one.
A better solution, though, would be to add yet ANOTHER relay. Use the fusebox end of the orange wire to trigger the relay, have the output of the relay feed the fusebox.
Simple, somewhat elegant, and removes that large load from the contacts in the ignition switch.
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