mprather wrote:

What's the key to starting a P-Port without getting a dead battery?  Is the
variable port timing going to help. I have read about people with P-Port
race cars having to be towed around the track to get them running.

Regards,

Matt-

Good question Matt. They had no trouble starting the Lemans engine P-port 4 rotor at the last
Seven Stock. In fact there were a couple of street cars there with P-port engines. 
Electronic fuel injection should help. Unlike a carburetor  EFI takes intake manifold 
temperature into consideration. EFI engines are always easier to start than
mechanical fuel injection engines for that matter.

Here are a few pictures of one of them.

The trouble with carbs is they rely on airflow to draw fuel in from the float
bowl. When using a carb for a high power engine you need a large
venturi. A venture of a given size works well only over a narrow range of air velocities. 
At low air flows the fuel signal is unreliable  so consequently  it is difficult 
for a large carb to achieve a proper starting mixture. The four barrel carb with
divergent venturi sizes was invented for that reason. Nothing to do with the type of 
porting other than the fact the P-ports will flow  way more air than side ports 
or a piston engines with silly poppet valves. We will find out shortly as we
are building a p-port engine. If starting proves to be a problem we will move 
the primary injectors down next to the rotor housing.
 
Paul Lamar
 
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