Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 04:43 AM - Tach (Gary K)
2. 04:58 AM - Re: Tach (Bill Morelli)
3. 05:35 AM - Motor mounts (Don Walker)
4. 10:45 AM - newbie questions (Bill Cardell)
5. 11:30 AM - Re: ICM (HINDE,FRANK (HP-Corvallis,ex1))
6. 11:35 AM - Re: A Stratus Coil / Ignition Observation (HINDE,FRANK (HP-Corvallis,ex1))
7. 11:36 AM - Re: A Stratus Coil / Ignition Observation (HINDE,FRANK (HP-Corvallis,ex1))
8. 01:28 PM - Re: Tach (HINDE,FRANK (HP-Corvallis,ex1))
9. 03:05 PM - Re: Motor mounts (Larry McFarland)
10. 03:24 PM - Re: Motor mounts (Bill Cardell)
11. 04:04 PM - Re: Motor mounts (Larry McFarland)
12. 04:30 PM - Re: Motor mounts (Don Walker)
13. 04:41 PM - Re: Motor mounts (HINDE,FRANK (HP-Corvallis,ex1))
14. 05:44 PM - Oil Cooler (Hugh MacKenzie)
15. 05:44 PM - Fw: Tach (Hugh MacKenzie)
16. 08:00 PM - Re: newbie questions (RLucka@aol.com)
17. 08:13 PM - Re: newbie questions (Bill Cardell)
18. 08:27 PM - Re: newbie questions (RLucka@aol.com)
Message 1
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--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Gary K" <flyink@efortress.com>
What is everyone using for a tach? I assume it's something like a VDO and
it's attached to the negative side of one of the coils?
I'm going to build a digital tach but still would like something to make
sure it's calibrated and working properly before I switch to the digital
tach by itself. I have a Tiny-Tach copy but it doesn't work very well and I
don't have any confidence in the readings, they are off by a factor of two
and it's not very stable. I borrowed an R/C optical tach and couldn't get a
good reading from that either.
Thanks,
Gary Krysztopik
Message 2
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--> Stratus-List message posted by: Bill Morelli <billvt@together.net>
Gary,
I'm using the VDO tach that was supplied. When I installed it, I checked it
using an optical tach I borrowed from work and the VDO was right on the money.
I also have a toggle switch to select which coil the tach is looking at so
I can monitor both ignitions.
Bill
> What is everyone using for a tach? I assume it's something like a VDO and
>it's attached to the negative side of one of the coils?
Message 3
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Seal-Send-Time: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 07:35:15 -0500
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
At 213 hours I found a large crack in the upper right motor mount. Mikel replaced
it for me immediately. Now at 305 hours I found the beginnings of another
hairline crack in the same location on the new one. An engineer friend told
me this is a bad design, referring to the gussets and the stresses.
Have any of you found a fix you feel confident in? Don Walker HDS
Message 4
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| Subject: | newbie questions |
--> Stratus-List message posted by: Bill Cardell <bill@flyinmiata.com>
Folks,
I just picked up a ch601hd, partially built, complete with Stratus EA81,
never fired up. Actually I just *bought* all the stuff, haven't even seen it
yet. Anyway, a few questions. I've heard of guide problems, looked through
the archives a little, but what is the specific problem and what is the
cure? I'm guessing that the guides are sliding in their bores? What other
common weak points, saw the cracking motor mount, has anybody documented a
cure? Does Stratus stand behind the product? Lots of questions, can't wait
to go pick this project up. Feel free to point me toward specific archives,
thanks!
Bill Cardell (TurboDog's Dad)
bill@flyinmiata.com
Flyin' Miata
1-800-359-6957 (sales only)
970-242-3800 (tech support)
http://flyinmiata.com
http://flyinprotege.com
Message 5
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--> Stratus-List message posted by: "HINDE,FRANK (HP-Corvallis,ex1)" <frank.hinde@hp.com>
Kelly,
I been out house remodeling for three weeks so you have most likely figured
this out. But if not, get onto the "airsoob" list at Yahoogroups.com In the
files section you will find the wiring diagram.
I found the PU coil connection had to be reversed from the diagram to make
it work though. Don't worry the TP 45 is bullet proof, so mo issues with
incorrect connections...Same CANNOT be said of the original Soob ignitor
chip.
I swapped both my soob unit and the stratus 2ndary unit that failed for two
TP 45's. They work great.
Frank
-----Original Message-----
From: The Meiste's [mailto:meiste@essex1.com]
Subject: Stratus-List: ICM
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "The Meiste's" <meiste@essex1.com>
OK Stratus fliers, if you recall my #1 Stratus supplied coil ended up
burning out at 60 hours, I've now replaced it with a NAPA replacement. Also
my ignition control module inside the distributor seems to be dead. I have
now purchased a GM 4 pin ICM (TP45 from NAPA) to replace the problematic,
and pricy Subaru ICM.
My question to the group is this ..... has anyone out there done this swap
yet, and if so can you please reply and tell me were the wires need to be
connected?
The stock Subaru ICM has 4 wires coming from it, 2 (a white & red) wires go
to the pick-up mounted across the distributor, and 2 more (a black & yellow)
wires that run out of the distributor to the # 1 coil. This new GM ICM has
posts to connect 4 wires (two on each end). One end has connections marked
"B" & "C", the opposite end has "W" & "G". Thanks to anyone who can help!
Kelly
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Message 6
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| Subject: | A Stratus Coil / Ignition Observation |
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "HINDE,FRANK (HP-Corvallis,ex1)" <frank.hinde@hp.com>
The Stratus chip is different to the soob chip....Both of mine failed in any
case but I suspect the magnetic pickup on the Stratus secondary system is
what actually failed rather than the chip itself....Mykal had a small
collection of bad PU's in a pile at his shop when I visited him.
If you swapped the .4 ohm coil to the standard Soob chip you were very lucky
not to have blown this chip! Less than half the resistance means the chip is
switching more than double the current. Soob chips are FRAGILE.
Frank
-----Original Message-----
From: billvt@together.net [mailto:billvt@together.net]
Subject: Stratus-List: A Stratus Coil / Ignition Observation
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "billvt@together.net"
--> <billvt@together.net>
After reading Kelly's note with regard to his coil and ignition module being
bad, I thought about an experience I had with the Stratus ignitions way back
during building.
I had just gotten my engine running and one day I had shut it down and
inadvertenly left my backup ignition switch on with the engine not running.
Several minutes later I smelled something getting hot and found the ignition
switch on, the coil hot and the backup ignition module box, very hot.
I then started the engine and low and behold, my backup ignition would not
work. So after freaking out, kicking the dog, etc. I measured the coil
resitance and the backup coil read about .4 ohms while the good #1 coil read
1 ohm. I thought for sure that the ignition module was cooked also. I then
swapped coils and to my surprise, the backup module was OK????
I eventually replaced the coil and have been running with the same backup
module for 260 hours now.
I know Frank H. had an ignition module or two fail and Kelly has had one.
Maybe the chip they use in the backup module is differnt than the standard
Sub chip that is in the distributor??
So, do not leave ignition powered without the engine running!!
Regards,
Bill
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Message 7
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| Subject: | A Stratus Coil / Ignition Observation |
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "HINDE,FRANK (HP-Corvallis,ex1)" <frank.hinde@hp.com>
And will probably fry the soob chip as well!
A nice little $300+ repair bill there!
Frank
-----Original Message-----
From: RLucka@aol.com [mailto:RLucka@aol.com]
Subject: Re: Stratus-List: A Stratus Coil / Ignition Observation
--> Stratus-List message posted by: RLucka@aol.com
In a message dated 8/10/2003 12:35:09 PM Eastern Standard Time,
billvt@together.net writes:
> I then started the engine and low and behold, my backup ignition would
> not work. So after freaking out, kicking the dog, etc. I measured the
> coil resitance and the backup coil read about .4 ohms while the good
> #1 coil read 1 ohm. I thought for sure that the ignition module was
> cooked also. I then swapped coils and to my surprise, the backup
> module was OK????
>
Well, it looks like my previous post about Kelly's coil possibly being OK
should be ignored. There is something to a drop in resistance in the coil
that
can render the coil ineffective.
The wires inside a coil is coated with enamel and provides some insulation
to
the wires. If the wires get hot, as Bill described in his previous post, it
melts the enamel and thus the wires touch each other, which explains the
drop
in resistance.
Well, I learned something today...
Dick
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Message 8
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--> Stratus-List message posted by: "HINDE,FRANK (HP-Corvallis,ex1)" <frank.hinde@hp.com>
Hey Bill,
Remember that toggle switch is a single point of failure Bill. If it is the
cause of your primary ignition going down (by shorting the signal to ground)
it could well take both ignitions out.
Frank
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Morelli [mailto:billvt@together.net]
Subject: Re: Stratus-List: Tach
--> Stratus-List message posted by: Bill Morelli <billvt@together.net>
Gary,
I'm using the VDO tach that was supplied. When I installed it, I checked it
using an optical tach I borrowed from work and the VDO was right on the
money.
I also have a toggle switch to select which coil the tach is looking at so
I can monitor both ignitions.
Bill
> What is everyone using for a tach? I assume it's something like a
>VDO and it's attached to the negative side of one of the coils?
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Message 9
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| Subject: | Re: Motor mounts |
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Larry McFarland" <larrymc@qconline.com>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
Subject: Stratus-List: Motor mounts
> --> Stratus-List message posted by: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
>
> At 213 hours I found a large crack in the upper right motor mount.
Mikel replaced it for me immediately. Now at 305 hours I found the
beginnings of another hairline crack in the same location on the new one.
An engineer friend told me this is a bad design, referring to the gussets
and the stresses.
> Have any of you found a fix you feel confident in? Don Walker HDS
Don,
Try Bill Morelli's web site that describes the fix he added to prevent this
mount
from cracking again. It looks pretty good.
Larry McFarland
Message 10
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--> Stratus-List message posted by: Bill Cardell <bill@flyinmiata.com>
Where can we find Bill's website?
Bill Cardell (TurboDog's Dad)
bill@flyinmiata.com
Flyin' Miata
1-800-359-6957 (sales only)
970-242-3800 (tech support)
http://flyinmiata.com
http://flyinprotege.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry McFarland [mailto:larrymc@qconline.com]
Subject: Re: Stratus-List: Motor mounts
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Larry McFarland" <larrymc@qconline.com>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
Subject: Stratus-List: Motor mounts
> --> Stratus-List message posted by: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
>
> At 213 hours I found a large crack in the upper right motor mount.
Mikel replaced it for me immediately. Now at 305 hours I found the
beginnings of another hairline crack in the same location on the new one.
An engineer friend told me this is a bad design, referring to the gussets
and the stresses.
> Have any of you found a fix you feel confident in? Don Walker HDS
Don,
Try Bill Morelli's web site that describes the fix he added to prevent this
mount
from cracking again. It looks pretty good.
Larry McFarland
Message 11
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| Subject: | Re: Motor mounts |
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Larry McFarland" <larrymc@qconline.com>
Subject: RE: Stratus-List: Motor mounts
> --> Stratus-List message posted by: Bill Cardell <bill@flyinmiata.com>
>
> Where can we find Bill's website?
Most of the posts you're interested in are on the Matronics page site.
Try this address.
billvt@together.net
Larry
Message 12
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| Subject: | Re: Motor mounts |
Seal-Send-Time: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 18:30:05 -0500
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
Thanks Larry,
I found out today that the mount brackets are made of mild steel rather than
4130. I was surprised at the difference in the materials. The 4130 is much tougher
to bend and is much less susceptible to fatigue. The engineer who looked
at this said that the engine must not be vibrating much or the mild steel would
have been fatigued sooner. Anyway he has designed some fixes I will try. He
cut the parts for me out of 4130 today on a waterjet which included a full length
gusset on top and a longer one on the back. I will get pix if anyone is
interested.
In defense of the mild steel, it took quite a bit of bending to get the bracket
to break clean, even though it was already over half way cracked through.
Don
----- Original Message -----
From: Larry McFarland
To: stratus-list@matronics.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 5:09 PM
Subject: Re: Stratus-List: Motor mounts
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Larry McFarland" <larrymc@qconline.com>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
Subject: Stratus-List: Motor mounts
> --> Stratus-List message posted by: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
>
> At 213 hours I found a large crack in the upper right motor mount.
Mikel replaced it for me immediately. Now at 305 hours I found the
beginnings of another hairline crack in the same location on the new one.
An engineer friend told me this is a bad design, referring to the gussets
and the stresses.
> Have any of you found a fix you feel confident in? Don Walker HDS
Don,
Try Bill Morelli's web site that describes the fix he added to prevent this
mount
from cracking again. It looks pretty good.
Larry McFarland
Message 13
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--> Stratus-List message posted by: "HINDE,FRANK (HP-Corvallis,ex1)" <frank.hinde@hp.com>
Motor mounts not made of 4130?....Here we go again...more problems
-----Original Message-----
From: Don Walker [mailto:dwalk3dw@msn.com]
Subject: Re: Stratus-List: Motor mounts
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
Thanks Larry,
I found out today that the mount brackets are made of mild steel rather
than 4130. I was surprised at the difference in the materials. The 4130 is
much tougher to bend and is much less susceptible to fatigue. The engineer
who looked at this said that the engine must not be vibrating much or the
mild steel would have been fatigued sooner. Anyway he has designed some
fixes I will try. He cut the parts for me out of 4130 today on a waterjet
which included a full length gusset on top and a longer one on the back. I
will get pix if anyone is interested.
In defense of the mild steel, it took quite a bit of bending to get the
bracket to break clean, even though it was already over half way cracked
through. Don
----- Original Message -----
From: Larry McFarland
To: stratus-list@matronics.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 5:09 PM
Subject: Re: Stratus-List: Motor mounts
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Larry McFarland"
<larrymc@qconline.com>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
Subject: Stratus-List: Motor mounts
> --> Stratus-List message posted by: "Don Walker" <dwalk3dw@msn.com>
>
> At 213 hours I found a large crack in the upper right motor mount.
Mikel replaced it for me immediately. Now at 305 hours I found the
beginnings of another hairline crack in the same location on the new one.
An engineer friend told me this is a bad design, referring to the gussets
and the stresses.
> Have any of you found a fix you feel confident in? Don Walker HDS
Don,
Try Bill Morelli's web site that describes the fix he added to prevent
this
mount
from cracking again. It looks pretty good.
Larry McFarland
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Message 14
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--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Hugh MacKenzie" <hugs.mackenzie@sympatico.ca>
I am thinking on putting in an oil cooler and a remote oil filter kit. Has anyone
done either of these?
Thanks, Hugh
Message 15
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--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Hugh MacKenzie" <hugs.mackenzie@sympatico.ca>
The VDO is the one I am using as well. How do you check it's calibration and
what equipment do you need?
Hugh
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Morelli" <billvt@together.net>
Subject: Re: Stratus-List: Tach
> --> Stratus-List message posted by: Bill Morelli <billvt@together.net>
>
> Gary,
>
> I'm using the VDO tach that was supplied. When I installed it, I checked
it
> using an optical tach I borrowed from work and the VDO was right on the
money.
>
> I also have a toggle switch to select which coil the tach is looking at so
> I can monitor both ignitions.
>
>
Message 16
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| Subject: | Re: newbie questions |
--> Stratus-List message posted by: RLucka@aol.com
Bill
There were/are common problems with the Stratus EA-81 engines. They are:
1) Valve guide failures. Probable cause: inadequate valve guides (yes, valve
guides may move when you get the engine hot enough). Probable cure: replace
valve guides (RAM Performance seem to be the company that uses collared valve
guides that would prevent the guides from moving).
2) Upper right engine mount cracks. Because of P-factor, this mount may be
subject to more stress than any of the other three. The solution would be to
have more welding done (have an aviation welder do that one).
There have been other failures but they don't seem to be things that everyone
experiences. As for me, I've had to replace a bad ignition coil and a
leaking water pump, in addition to an inflight valve guide failure (summer of 2000)
and a cracked engine mount (2 times!). I plan to have my valve guides
replaced this winter for peace of mine, until then I am running my engine at 3800
RPM
at cruise to keep the engine running cooler. After every flight, I check the
engine mounts very carefully.
Hope this helps...
Dick
Message 17
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| Subject: | newbie questions |
--> Stratus-List message posted by: Bill Cardell <bill@flyinmiata.com>
Thanks, Dick, that's exactly the info I was looking for. How is Stratus
about taking care of any of this? My engine hasn't even been run yet, but I
suspect it's several years old (haven't picked up the project to get the
receipts yet). I'd just as soon pull the heads now.
Do not archive
Bill Cardell (TurboDog's Dad)
Flyin' Miata
www.flyinmiata.com
www.fmprotege.com
970-242-3800
-----Original Message-----
From: RLucka@aol.com [mailto:RLucka@aol.com]
Subject: Re: Stratus-List: newbie questions
--> Stratus-List message posted by: RLucka@aol.com
Bill
There were/are common problems with the Stratus EA-81 engines. They are:
1) Valve guide failures. Probable cause: inadequate valve guides (yes,
valve
guides may move when you get the engine hot enough). Probable cure: replace
valve guides (RAM Performance seem to be the company that uses collared
valve
guides that would prevent the guides from moving).
2) Upper right engine mount cracks. Because of P-factor, this mount may be
subject to more stress than any of the other three. The solution would be
to
have more welding done (have an aviation welder do that one).
There have been other failures but they don't seem to be things that
everyone
experiences. As for me, I've had to replace a bad ignition coil and a
leaking water pump, in addition to an inflight valve guide failure (summer
of 2000)
and a cracked engine mount (2 times!). I plan to have my valve guides
replaced this winter for peace of mine, until then I am running my engine at
3800 RPM
at cruise to keep the engine running cooler. After every flight, I check
the
engine mounts very carefully.
Hope this helps...
Dick
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Message 18
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| Subject: | Re: newbie questions |
--> Stratus-List message posted by: RLucka@aol.com
In a message dated 9/2/2003 11:16:53 PM Eastern Standard Time,
bill@flyinmiata.com writes:
> How is Stratus
> about taking care of any of this?
Well, if you experienced valve guide failures, Stratus may send you
replacement heads if you send them the bad heads. Stratus replaced my heads.
Per the
other Stratus owners, it looks like the best option now is to have RAM
Performance replace your valves and valve guides, which is what you might want
to do
as soon as you receive your HD. I am planning on having RAM replace my
valves.
As for cracked engine mounts, they may send you a replacement mount, which
would be the same as the original. There is no guarantee that the replacement
mount would not crack. I have opted to have a welder beef up my mount.
Dick
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