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Re: What I've been up to...

To: "Mike Gigante" <mikeg@vicnet.net.au>, <team-thicko@autox.team.net>, <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: What I've been up to...
From: "Wm. Severin Thompson" <wsthompson@thicko.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 16:09:49 -0500
References: <03f901bf0e02$50e56e80$0a5689ca@mikeg>
Reply-to: "Wm. Severin Thompson" <wsthompson@thicko.com>
Sender: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net
Mike,

Below... you said "It is well known by spridget racers that you can't run
off battery alone you'll get a high rpm misfire..."

I run the RRB up around 7,500rpm in hour long enduros, on a garden tractor
battery. Now, this is with a piece of shit stock distributor. We charge the
battery between sessions. very rare that you see any vintage Sprite guys
with generators or alternators... but most of them don't rev over 7,000 rpm
either.

I did have an un-explained high speed miss when trying to use a Mallory dual
point...maybe because of the scenario you've described. I'm not sure if the
horsepower drag from the alternator is worth the slight advantage of the
dual point. What do you think?

WST


> In the post race check, I discovered a dangling wire - it was from the
> alternator -
> the small tab that goes to the alternator light (the energiser circuit)
was
> broken
> (damn Lucas alternator). This may have explained the inability to rev over
> 7000.
> It is well known by spridget racers that you can't run off battery alone -
> you'll get
> a high rpm misfire. I was hopeful that I'd get my power back. I'd been
> having other
> electrical problems that first became evident by unreliable brake lights
and
> a partly
> melted rear wiring loom. There was further evidence of electrical problems
> in the
> engine bay which led us to power a couple of items directly from the
> battery! This
> certainly wouldn't have helped as it would have cost voltage to the
ignition
> circuit.
> With the alternator fixed, it was just putting out 13 volts at 5000rm. Not
> great, but
> maybe enough I hoped. I put the car on trickle charge all night.
>



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