8000 rpm/300 bhp 3.2 rebuild

[MBEngineering]

Also

NOTE: The XDI is shipped from the factory with all the switches DOWN. This will cause the status light to
be solid red when the XDI is powered. The desired configuration must be set before the XDI will function.
NOTE: Be sure that the dipswitch “clicks” into place. This may require the use of a small screwdriver.

also from the fitting instructions

[911hillclimber]

Hello Mike, yes, have set the dil switches, and checked again today. #1 and 6 are UP, rest are down for the twin plug.

I suspect the crank sensor even though the resistance is correct.
Do you know where the sensor is sourced from by chance?
Their diagnostics page shows my 'condition'.
Green solid light on switch on, no red/green alternating during cranking, after cranking, light stays on Red.

They say this is a crank sensor problem in their manual..
Have asked for help from Clewett and electromotive today.

Not at all positive about this.

[DustyM]

As it will only take a couple of minutes, I would close up the crank sensor gap a little and give it a try


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[911hillclimber]

Will try that Jon, I'll try anything.
The words coming back to me from Clewett are not good.

There are so many ifs buts and maybes and this noise and that noise and this distant to another I find it hard this product is fit for purpose and I've told them.
Hitorque starter?
You need to add resistors in the wires.
Plug leads too close, change the lead routes and much more.

So many conditions cant believe this system works at all every time.

May have to re-fit the simple distributor and run 6 plugs and a coil. Old School is perhaps the best route.

Ripping out all the plug wires tomorrow so the crank sensor is 3 feet from the coil pack and 18" from the nearest plug lead.
That will be fun and interesting to do.

miffed off.

[impmad2000]

It is perhaps worth reversing the sensor wires too. My EDIS system (Ford) is sensitive to polarity.

[911hillclimber]

Tried that this morning and yesterday Tim, no difference.
Plan for tomorrow morning is:
Reduce sensor air gap to 15 thou. Try a start.
Remove sensor and try to measure if working (Jonnie style above) Try a start after
Supply the ecu and coil packs with an independent battery supply (to answer volt drop on cranking) Try a start

Wait for a reply from the techies at Electromotive.

[KS]

[911hillclimber]

Two boxes please.
Deliver asap or faster...
New address is, The Sanatarium, Gotham City, Somewhere.

[DustyM]

Like others have said I don’t think it is an interference problem, you would still get the occasional fire / misfire. I would leave your plug leads alone until you have exhausted every other possibility


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[911hillclimber]

Very much what my Senior Advisor on DDK says too.
This absence of a spark anywhere is not a light problem, much darker, something which has a big effect, like no crank sensor signal.

Issue for me right now is what to do.
I'm picking at small things, now getting little help from Clewett; I feel I'm being kept at bay instead of some real engagment to a solution.

i hope Electromotive will respond very soon.

The fact that the XDi unit shows a steady green light when switched on is good.
Fact that the green light does not alternate with the red light is bad.
Fact that the green light stays on during starting is bad and then turns to red when you stop using the starter.

To the people who designed this device that light sequence must describe a failure, and according to their manual it is the sensor, but this is not what Clewett is saying, just lots of this and that produce electrical noise and that is the issue, even the sensor they supply could be wrong!

Now, I'm told the high torque starter is noisy and needs resistors in the wires to it...

This Kit is sold as suitable for the 3.2 air cooled engine, REALLY?
It's cost £2000 and does not work.

I have a month to fix it and get it tuned on the rolling road.
I think I will run this engine on 6 plugs and a distributor yet.

[hot66]

The clewett system works as I had it for years …. Mike Bainbridge installed mine though

[Bruce M]

I humbly suggest you need to diagnose via measurement not guesswork & testing.

For that you need an oscilloscope to back probe the crank sensor (measure while it is connected). Loads of videos on you-tube on that topic so you can see the correct signal.

[Jonny Hart]

Very much what my Senior Advisor on DDK says too.
This absence of a spark anywhere is not a light problem, much darker, something which has a big effect, like no crank sensor signal.

Issue for me right now is what to do.
I'm picking at small things, now getting little help from Clewett; I feel I'm being kept at bay instead of some real engagment to a solution.

i hope Electromotive will respond very soon.

The fact that the XDi unit shows a steady green light when switched on is good.
Fact that the green light does not alternate with the red light is bad.
Fact that the green light stays on during starting is bad and then turns to red when you stop using the starter.

To the people who designed this device that light sequence must describe a failure, and according to their manual it is the sensor, but this is not what Clewett is saying, just lots of this and that produce electrical noise and that is the issue, even the sensor they supply could be wrong!

Now, I'm told the high torque starter is noisy and needs resistors in the wires to it...

This Kit is sold as suitable for the 3.2 air cooled engine, REALLY?
It's cost £2000 and does not work.

I have a month to fix it and get it tuned on the rolling road.
I think I will run this engine on 6 plugs and a distributor yet.

This always seem to happen when company A includes company B's product as part of a kit. Both A and B can pass the buck and the customer is stuck in the middle.

One of the reasons our products are sold at a higher price point is that we factor in the support and you are actually speaking to the designers of the products, not a salesperson. We spend at least 25% of our time supporting customers at all levels.

I'm sure this will get resolved but in my experience, setting up twin plug engines in particular is never straightforward. I would expect there to be other challenges beyond getting the engine started.

P.s. It wouldn't be the first time I have seen a new sensor dead on arrival or the wrong type shipped.

[Jonny Hart]

I humbly suggest you need to diagnose via measurement not guesswork & testing.

For that you need an oscilloscope to back probe the crank sensor (measure while it is connected). Loads of videos on you-tube on that topic so you can see the correct signal.

You can perform a basic check with a DVM if it has a Frequency (Hz) setting. An inductive sensor needs no supply (it generates its own voltage). Just plug directly into the meter and crank. If the crank speed is say 1000, you should get a reading of crank speed/20, e.g 50 Hz.

[911hillclimber]

Thank you all.
I'm sure Mike B has a skill set greater than mine, but the car is in front of me and not Mike.

Clewett suggested testing the sensor just as Jonnie describes, but using volts to 'capture' a voltage disturbance (my word) as the engine cranked.

He did say some/most DVM will not catch the signal from the sensor, they are too sluggish, so the meter may show '000' but the sensor healthy.
When I tried with with John's assistance, there was nothing on the meter.
I'll see if the meter has a frequency mode, doubt it!

I can put a rod in my lathe and fit a 6mm bolt to it radially so the sensor will se it and then miss it until it comes round again etc. With the DVM attached, I might get a signal from it.

He added a bigger air gap was preferable to a smaller one. The instructions state 50 thou max, I'm at 35 thou.

Further, as he has always said, the shielded cable from the sensor must be 8" or more from the plug leads/ starter or interference will disrupt the ecu and show a red light.
The ecu shows a solid red when you stop cranking the engine.

To my surprise, he has requested pictures of the installation today (I've sent them before) and i expect him to say my packaging is the reason.

The sensor is made/supplied to Clewett by the systems design/manufacturer ,Electromotive.

I think after this mornings tests, if i have no luck I will re-arrange the plug/ coil pack layout as close to how it would be in a 911.

I will do the simple tests this morning and call it a day on the current layout if nothing changes.

Right up against the clock now, i have to book the rolling road this lunchtime as there is a long lead time and my first test day is on 2 April, surprised it is not on the 1st!