REFLECTOR: ] It is ALIVE!!! First Start in Houston]

[David Staten]

(Originally posted in the Rotary Engine's Listserv, reposted here 
because its a 1) Canard and 2) Velocity. We had an unsuccessful attempt 
yesterday where we weren't getting fuel into the engine - injectors were 
unpowered)

 From Christopher Barber:
It actually started.  We turned it off and it started again.  WAHOOOOO.  
But a mear wahoooo doesn't quite express the amazing feeling and sense 
of accomplisment of first engine start of the 2nd gen, turbo housing 13b.
 
David and I rebuilt it about 1.5 years ago.  Dave did most the teardown, 
cleaning, measureing tolerance etc and we both rebuilt it following 
along Bruce T's video and the Haynes shop manual.  Dave final install on 
the CC engine mount and Tracy's PSRU.  I ran the wires, hoses...and the 
rest.  A true joint effort.
 
We tried last night to no avail.  Turns out when I wired the injector 
switches based on a great diagram from the Flyrotary list, the 
illustration stated "top" and I installed that end up with the swithes 
being up when on.  However, when I was checking my wires this pm I 
noticed that power was coming through the switch when the switch was 
down.....doh!  So, I turned them over and rechecked the rest of my wires 
and grounds. 
 
In a damn optomistic gesture while in a pessimistic mood, my hangar 
mate, Richard Sessions (who is restoring a VariEZ) and my S/O, Jana and 
I pushed the tale of the Velocity out the hangar door (of course it 
started sprinkling <g>) (Dave was still at work).  We took basic 
security procedures, ie showing Jana how to use the fire estingusher.  I 
turned on the switches (including the now correclty mounted injector 
switches), turned on the primary fuel pump, hit the starter button and 
DAMN, it fired.........SCARED THE HELL out of us.......you should have 
seen my two Cairn Terriers (Winston and Madison) head for the hills 
(well, Houston has no hills, but y'all get the idea).  We kinda looked 
at each other in a mixed shock and amazement and checke that we didn't 
blow anything off.  We actually mixed fuel, air, compression and spark 
and got combustion.....who'ed of thunk it?
 
We waited for the portable battery charger/starter to bring the battery 
back up and tried again. Switches up, Pumps on, press the starter 
button......damn, it  sputtered and started (after some cranking).  It 
started to rev really fast, or seeminly so, so I brought the throttle to 
closed, which didn't stop it, so I cut the fuel pump and it stopped. Go 
figure.
 
Well, we did this a few more times, never running it too long since we 
do not yet have sensors on it yet. Also, Dave got off work and came by 
to join the fun.  Just the fact it actually ran was great.  Now that 
Tracy should be getting back into town, we should be able to order the 
correct sensors to replace the ones that were missplaced along the way.
 
Not quite sure what to work on now.  Obviously we will want to smooth it 
out and get it to start easily.  It is currently running better on B 
than A.  I may have inavertanly changed someting on A while messing with 
it during start sessions (may need to reset A...donno yet).  I think I 
will now try to start to clean up the wiring so as to make it easier to 
manipulate the stuff in the cabin.  Righ now the panel is laying where 
the front seats should be.  So this may be a good starting point while 
waiting for sensors that will let me know I am not ruining my new engine.
 
Y'all's support and words of wisdom, along with Tracy Crooks great 
products it what helped make this a reality.  Thanks for being there.   
NOW THE REAL WORK (read that as fun) BEGINS.
 
Dave will be posting a much more technical account soon....heck, I bet 
we both rushed home so we could annouce it to the world.
 
Thanks.
 
All the best,
 
Chris
Velocity N17010
w/ a Rotary 13b...that actually runs.