40/44 tech and buy sell swap

[Guest]

40/44 Engines

Hi Kevin,
It is great racing with you and it trully is a fun class. I will bring the TX444DK to a couple NBRA races for all to see. We will test with it and if the folks want we could run it in FE for the show. The engine is unreal when you hear it run. I agree that my son has really been enjoying himself and it is fun to share ideas and information.
Alan

[blueskyracer]

Technical question. For a 44 with the mag system what is the procedure for setting the timing? I know how to do it with a dial indicator and buzz box on a 102 and have set it on a 302 but that is it.

[thetrailergod]

Mike are you swinging the mag or running a fixed system??

[Guest]

Merc 4 cylinder timing

Hi Jeff,
Timing is very much the same on the Merc. Dial indicator in #1 cylinder to first locate top dead center then back off the desired advance. Attach the buzz box to ground and the hot terminal on the mag. Then rotate the mag until you get the point opening indication and then adjust the mag stop. I would redo it a couple times to check it.

Alan

[blueskyracer]

Hi Jeff,
Timing is very much the same on the Merc. Dial indicator in #1 cylinder to first locate top dead center then back off the desired advance. Attach the buzz box to ground and the hot terminal on the mag. The rotate the mag until you get the point opening indication and the adjust the mag stop. I would redo it a couple times to check it.

Alan

I would guess you set it to what works for your set up but is it somewhere in the 230-240 range. Don't give away your secrets just a ball park. Fixed sytem is what I think I will have. Get the engine April 1st at Nationals.

[EKorpe]

Timing

.175-.375

[trident]

My 2 cents...

I would recommend, after finding TDC, you back the crank well down past where you want to set it, so you are setting it as the piston is coming up. There is some crank train slop, so you can have some variation as the piston comes up vs goes down.

I ran fixed timing on all my four cylinder Mercs, but learned the hard way that a simple linkage to retard timing down to .100" or so for starting was a benefit. My linkage allowed the retarded setting to start, then I rotated the mag to advance, and the linkage locked at the 'run' setting. Also be very careful not to grab the hot terminal when advancing the mag. A protector cap makes that much less exciting.

Jerry

[blueskyracer]

I would recommend, after finding TDC, you back the crank well down past where you want to set it, so you are setting it as the piston is coming up. There is some crank train slop, so you can have some variation as the piston comes up vs goes down.

I ran fixed timing on all my four cylinder Mercs, but learned the hard way that a simple linkage to retard timing down to .100" or so for starting was a benefit. My linkage allowed the retarded setting to start, then I rotated the mag to advance, and the linkage locked at the 'run' setting. Also be very careful not to grab the hot terminal when advancing the mag. A protector cap makes that much less exciting.

Jerry

Thats funny Jerry. I remember helping someone last year and got a little personal with a ungrounded plug wire. It will get you attention!!

[trident]

Another 2 cents...

Yup, retarding it minimizes breaking your hand, the cap keeps you from accidentally going incandescent.

On that ungrounded plug wire, bad thing! I'd recommend a gap board or someting grounded to the block. I have a piece of bar stock with 4 spark plugs and a ground strap with an alligator clip. Otherwise, ungrounded leads cause arcing across the points, when you crank. Then you're left wondering why the points are nasty and your sparks escaped.

[blueskyracer]

I personally have from my GM HEI days a tool that I bought. I will post a picture later but it is basically a sparkplug with a aligator clip welded to the side. It works great and you can watch the spark. It eliminates the HURT.

[Mark.Wheeler]

If anyone is looking for 44XS cranks or reed cages, I have both for sale. Used cranks are $150.00 (plus shipping). Used reed cages, including long reed stops and steel reeds, are $35.00 each (plus shipping).

Contact: mark.wheeler@wmich.edu

[trident]

Ground all four wires

I personally have from my GM HEI days a tool that I bought. I will post a picture later but it is basically a sparkplug with a aligator clip welded to the side. It works great and you can watch the spark. It eliminates the HURT.

That's a great tool, but be sure to ground the other three. If nothing else, just leave the plugs in, with 3 of the wires still connected, and the fourth wire to this tool...

[thetrailergod]

Mike most of the guys running a 44, are running between 300 and 380 btdc depends on the race course, 340-350 runs good on a long course and as high as 380 on a short course

[Guest]

44xs

We are finishing my spare 44XS powerhead and would like to have it complete with flywheel and recoil. If anyone has these items please let me know.

Alan

[Guest]

Spark advance.

On my 40 Mod engine we run .360 and on the 44 we run .350. Both engines we swing the mags. Seems to work well for us and make it a bit easier to start. The TX444DK takes a bit more advance and it also has a swing mag.

Alan