REFLECTOR: The 340HP Aluminum V-6 runs!

[NMFlyer1 at aol.com]

Well, This was a long time coming!  In short, today I fired up my 340 HP 
Aluminum 4.3L V-6 Chevy. Finally. 
 
I remember telling people a long time ago that I should be able to build this 
thing in about 3 years. Well, If I followed the plans, I'd have been about 
right. 
 
I spent some time this morning trying to see what I may have missed, forgot, 
or done wrong over the last many years. I found a couple loose wires, and 
smoke tested the aircraft systems. All was good. I have a strange setup, so it was 
a bit of an adventure. Turn on battery master 1, 2 or both... and a couple 
things happen. The backup digital engine gauges light up, and power is supplied 
to the ignition key, and master switch. All that worked. 
 
Switch the ignition key to "on", and there is supposed to be power to the 
fuel pumps, ignitions and fuel gauges (including low sump warning).  All that 
worked. 
 
Double checked all the fittings (a few small leaks in some fuel lines were 
tightened up) and poured in the fuel until the low sump warning went out, almost 
3 gallons. I poured in 5 gallons total, and the fuel was just registering on 
the bottom of my digital capacitance fuel gauges (none in the sight gauges 
yet). 
 
I filled the cooling system with Evans Cooling Fluid (_www.evanscooling.com_ 
(http://www.evanscooling.com) ).  Took some time, but I got the system 
"burped".  I read thru the instructions on my airflow performance fuel injection to 
brush up on how to start this sucker... and it was time to turn the key. 
 
Well,... It sure cranked good with the 2 B&C 16AH RG batteries.... But it 
wouldn't start.  We grabbed a timing light and made sure we had spark.. yup.. 
that's good. Seemed like it wasn't getting fuel. While checking a few things 
something odd happened.  NOTHING.  The battery masters, key switch, nothing would 
work. Seems like I neglected to get the panel ground hooked up right to it's 
sub-ground point. Once I found that... all was back to normal. 
 
A short while later.. while playing with the mixture and fuel pump switches.. 
Bang... it fired up and ran like a beast!  about 2500 RPM, nice and smooth, 
and a tad loud :)  
 
Over the next few hours, we got the timing and mixture adjusted to the point 
where it fires right up. I think it is still running a bit rich on the idle 
circuit, but it runs good. Since I have no prop on it.. I cannot run it 
indefinitely because it heats up ... but it can run quite a while with my boost 
cooler/heater on full. 
 
One weird thing I have to figure out:  The oil filter can doesn't warm up. I 
even swapped out a new can, and the same thing. The oil cooler sandwich 
adapter does allow the oil cooler to open up once the oil hits 190, but the filter 
can is still cool to the touch. Oh well. I'll figure that out too. 
 
In the end, I've had a pretty good day. Both ignitions and fuel pumps work 
fine ... not even a burble when you switch from one to the other. Temps and 
pressures seem to be normal, and no leaks yet. 
 
OK.. So it added years to my construction time.... Today it sounded fantastic 
and brought people from all around the airpark to hear, watch, etc.   
Priceless :) 
 
Kurt Winker
173 FGE  
4.3L aluminum V-6... RUNNING! 
 
 
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