Bench running ignition engines

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Bench running ignition engines

Postby sportpilot » Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:43 am

I am new to vintage engines, but I have started a nice sized collection. I aquired a never run vivell 35. I have made and stained a test stand for it. I am trying to run it, and have come to the conclusion that my batteries can't take the load that the points put on them. I put a volt meter across the battery, and after three rpm the voltage goes down to 1.4 volts, and the engine quits (no good). My question is what is everyone using for a battery to bench run an engine. Big dry cells from the 40's and 50's are no longer available.
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Postby chiefss » Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:32 am

If your Vivell is new, running it will devalue it by a large amount. If you are a collector you should never run a new engine.
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bench running

Postby sportpilot » Tue Sep 07, 2010 3:03 pm

Ya you have some truth to your statement, I have some used O&R's.
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Postby chiefss » Tue Sep 07, 2010 4:37 pm

More than just "some" truth". It's always true. New and unrun is always worth more than used.
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Postby Jim Kraft » Sat Sep 11, 2010 6:23 pm

Yes; But you can't put a price on the fun you can have running a new in box engine. I have done a couple and smiled for a week. Then I figure they are used and put them in a plane and fly them. Then I smile again. They are nice to look at, but they were built to fly planes. Just my 2 cents.
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Postby chiefss » Sat Sep 11, 2010 9:41 pm

You can have just as much fun running a used engine and not devaluing it by running it. As a matter of fact you could sell the NIB engine and buy a used one then have a bunch of money left over for other "fun" stuff.

I suppose you get a kick out of taking an uncirculated 20 dollar gold coin and spending it after you cleaned it with rubbing compound.
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Postby Jim Kraft » Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:19 am

I agree with you Chiefss to a point. I am not a collector, and all of the old spark engines that I have bought have been to use them. I just happened to buy a couple that had not been run, and way below market value. I have traded some of the ones that I would never use for ones that I do run. They were semi rare engines that collectors like, but I had no use for. I probably could have resold the new ones I had and bought a couple of used ones for running, but sometimes you don't get what they are worth, and sometimes you pay more for ones that need a lot of work. I just took a short cut and ran the ones I got. One was a Marvin Miller Spitfire that was new in the box, but being it was not an original it did not bother me to use it. The other one was a new never run original Spitfire, but no box. If it would have been a rare engine I would not have run it.
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bench running

Postby sportpilot » Mon Sep 13, 2010 4:04 pm

You guys win, I have put the Vivell away, and I am changing the test stand set up to hold a Foster 29 used. Still looking to find out what type of batteries are used for bench running
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Postby Jim Kraft » Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:25 pm

A couple of alcaline D cell's should work. I use three nicads or NIMH batteries. Use at least 18 ga. wire for hookup. VOM test lead wire makes good spark plug lead as it is very flexible, and won't bite you.
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Postby chiefss » Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:40 pm

I use three nicads
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bench running

Postby sportpilot » Tue Sep 14, 2010 6:41 am

All of my coils are standaed 3 Volts. Three nicads can go to 4.2 volts, won't shorten coil life. I did the 2 d cells, but I think I got some old cells for the Hardware store. Some where I read to use A123 cells, but that would mean another charger.
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Postby Jim Kraft » Wed Sep 15, 2010 5:58 pm

Yes Sport Pilot; Three nicads or NIMH batteries work really well and won"t hurt your 3 volt coil. I have been running them for years on old coils and new ones without ever having one go bad. In fact, when your batteries get down to around 3.7 you will start having trouble starting your engine. What happens is that when they get down to that point they do not have enough current to drive the coil. I have used the 4 AA cell plastic battery holders from Radio Shack, and then cut one battery holder off to make it a three battery holder. You do have to cut the right one off to make them work.
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bench running

Postby sportpilot » Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:22 am

Harbor freight has nimh 2200 and 2400 ma cells on sale from time to time. I am going to give it a try. Thanks for the advice, at least I won't have to buy a different charger.
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Postby FLOYD CARTER » Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:28 pm

The Vivell 35 isn't a very rare motor. Even NIB it wouldn't bring more than $100 at a MECA collecto. I recently restored one, and it does pretty well and it was an advanced design it its day.

The curious thing about the Vivell is the point spring. The timer is similar to the Ohlsson, in that the flat spring pushes up on the moving point to close it. However, unlike Ohlsson (spring bears on part of the crankcase), the Vivell spring rides on the ROTATING crank! This has got to lead to a short life for the spring! I ran mine for a few minutes, but wouldn't trust it in a C/L plane (8 minutes running). Maybe a FF model running for 30 sec.

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bench running??

Postby collie » Tue Jan 25, 2011 4:21 am

i think some collectors just like to own and run there engines and enjoy the experience, they are not in it for the money they may bring ,when sold!
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