I was running hotter spark plugs (BUR6EQ-L / BUR8EQ-T) as an experiment
to see if it would help with the 100LL spark plug fouling issue.
Lynn Hanover made me aware that this could cause detonation at high
power settings, so I removed the plugs with only 6 flying hours on them.
They still looked like new and color was normal so I don't think I was
entering any dangerous territory, possibly because my engine runs so
cool with the new two-pass rad. I put new stock plugs back in, don't
want to take the risk.

I started looking at aquiring an off-the-shelf RX-7 cap discharge system
again. I found this page, it looks like the installation is actually
very straightforward:

http://www.fc3s.org/how_tos/electrical/hi_6.html

It is only installed on the leading coil and the stock coil is still
used. My experience has been that it is the leading plugs that get
fouled anyway, the trailings are less affected, maybe because they are
more protected, firing through the small hole in the rotor housing.

The two internal wires are disconnected that go from the igniter to the
coil. The coil is then hooked up directly to the CDI output (orange and
black wires in the attached photo). The igniter outputs that used to go
to the coil now go back to the CDI to trigger it (red and white wires).
Very simple!

I still plan to work with you on developing a multi-spark high voltage
CDI for aircraft rotary engines, but I want to install one of these
automotive systems first, because it's cheap and readily available.

I heard from Butch recently, I think he hasn't had time to go through
the LAEV yet since he got it back. I'm still piddling on the test stand
turbo engine anyway, I did some wiring but there is still a little more
to do and I still need to make the oil plumbing connections for the
RD1B. I don't expect to be ready to do any LAEV testing until early next
year. Once the engine is running I can also use it to develop the new CDI.

Perry




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