Bench testing EA81

ajcmbrown · Post by **ajcmbrown** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:09 pm

Hi all, I want to bench test an EA81 engine and the thing I am not sure about is the ignition wiring.
So that I don't burn up the ignition module in the electronic distributor by just connecting 12v to it, what do you guys do for ignition wiring?
In the car it appears as though 12v does go directly to the positive terminal on the coil, as does the black/white wire from the ignition module, is it really that simple? It would be great if it was, but I suspect that I may do more harm than good if I just run 12v to it.
I have the two wires from the ignition connected to the coil, black/white to positive and yellow to negative, so logically if I run 12v to the positive coil terminal and to the starter post, (larger one) and earth to the engine, then connect the starter solenoid to 12v when I want it to engage the starter, as long as I have spark I will be able to fire it up.
Does this coil require a ballast resistor? It is an original that tests fine and came from a running car. I couldn't find a ballast resistor on the car, so I'm guessing it doesn't.
Is there anything I am missing here?

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:26 pm

it is just that simple. The EA81 electronic ignition IM M is for module, gets 12V and no ballast resistor, that is just for the poverty pack points dizzy edition

Check what coil you have as they are meant to be points or IM specific, originals say something like something something only

There is also fusible link and fuse protection in our circuits to consider

You are missng photo's or youtube

ajcmbrown · Post by **ajcmbrown** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:50 pm

"You are missng photo's or youtube" Hahaha, you wouldn't want to see this, it is a dirty old ea81 sitting in a trailer with jumper leads running to it.
Good to know it is that simple, I just walked outside and connected the 12v to the coil positive that the dissy lead is connected to and hit the starter, no spark.
Just to recap, 12v lead to starter motor, 12v to positive pole on coil, distributor leads are yellow to earth, black/white to positive, should I have this set up differently?
It turns over no problem, at this stage it does not matter if it is timed correctly (though I believe it is), I just have a plug sitting on the cylinder head (grounded) to make sure it is sparking first. The coil came from a Brumby with the same electronic ignition and it runs, so I guess the coil is not the problem. How can I test the ignition module in the distributor?
Sorry for all the questions, but I would like to get this running with the minimum of wiring needed. Don't ask why!

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 10:13 pm

another IM ? Have you wired in an ignition switch to replicate in car coz you may have gipped it of power somewhere some stage ?
Lead, and um, the rotor being left out on the bench has been done before too !

ajcmbrown · Post by **ajcmbrown** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 10:32 pm

I think I will try supplying 12v from a different source and see if that helps, maybe it is not getting quite enough voltage, I could try the ignition module from the other Brumby, but if I have fried this one, I don't want to fry the other one.
I put a multimeter across the two IM wires and compared it to the running car, both very similar. I am now scratching my head.
Rotor button is in, cap is good, leads are 6K when tested, not great but should still work. I will compare the two distributors tomorrow, maybe someone robbed something from this one, but I doubt it, it looks complete.

ajcmbrown · Post by **ajcmbrown** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 6:37 am

Well I swapped the distributor from the running car to the engine and now have a nice fat blue spark! Now to see why the starter is so lazy, probably just gummed up, will pull it apart and lube it up.
I will need a distributor for a EA81 if anyone has one for sale?

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 7:30 am

you might just need a new module. ACA did them about $100 or snaffle module from earliest L Series - same thing. I am running one in my Brumby now - explains the L Series dizy I have that is now no good unless I get another little module

ajcmbrown · Post by **ajcmbrown** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 9:57 am

It looks suspiciously like this one http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Beck-Arnley- ... 188&_uhb=1
Great price if it is, but would rather support Aussie sellers first.

ajcmbrown · Post by **ajcmbrown** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 12:28 pm

Or this one in Australia.....http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-OEM-QUAL ... d3e&_uhb=1

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:14 am

That is about it !
All you need now is a gearbox, some axles and a small fuel tank and you will have a powered trailer!

ajcmbrown · Post by **ajcmbrown** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 9:03 am

Don't laugh Steptoe, but I want this old engine to power an irrigation pump for my farm. I don't yet know how big I can go in pump size, but I would think that even if I only ran it at 2000 rpm (around 35-40 hp) it should run a fairly large pump, and run for quite a while on a small tank of fuel, what I haven't determined, but I think it will, is whether or not it can run as a total loss electrical system, i.e no battery but an alternator to power the ignition while it is running, and a total loss cooling system, with a water supply line from the pressure side of the irrigation pump to the lower radiator hose, and a restrictor jet on the top hose to slow the water volume and keep a little heat in the cooling system.

I know the purists here will most likely hate what I an doing to this poor old ea81 but it has been sitting in my machinery shed for years doing nothing and I only kept it to maybe recondition it to one day replace the engine in the Brumby.

I think this engine is a perfect candidate for this purpose, self contained ignition, push rod engine (no belts or chains to worry about) that I can simply fill the fuel tank with fuel and start it with jumper leads and leave it to run until it runs out of fuel, no flat batteries to worry about, no radiator to set up, simply just a belt to run an alternator, the water pump doesn't even need to rotate since the water will be pressure fed. I need to make sure that there are no airlocks though.

If I mount this permanently on the trailer, I can move it from one dam to another easily. I have a gearbox on the engine in order to fit the starter motor, but will make up a spacer so that I can remove the gearbox and make the whole assembly a reasonable size.

What are your thoughts, is this sacrilege? I have an old Isuzu G161 engine I could do this with, but this engine is so light, compact and reliable that is seems the logical choice.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:36 am

No purists in here like that to hate your project

They go in planes too ! So, if you need 140HP for water pumping - it can be done

Only ever seen one flat four doing odd duties - VW engine made to run on just two cylinders, which ones ?? , the other two pots converted to make compressed air to run something, mounted on a draw bar and axle. Was covered in black crud and paint , was in service for many years before i saw it !

Where is the power to come from for the dizzy and coil - jumper or alternator ? May take a bit of spinning to get the volts up, or just two power.earth supply posts for jumping as well ?

I like that, keep a spare engine for a Subaru just in case it needs one. People like that (me included) can give Subes a bad name

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:09 am

You will need a battery, just to act as a load for the alternator. You could use an old battery that doesn't hold charge if you like. You will still need jumper leads to start it. As for using the pumped water to cool the engine it could work, but make sure you have a temperature gauge set up when you are testing it and adjusting the flow.

Sent from my new touchy phone thingy

ajcmbrown · Post by **ajcmbrown** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:43 am

A dud battery is not a problem, I have a couple of likely candidates on the farm.
I will have either the battery in a convenient place for jump starting from a car, or if that's not easy, then a separate + and - terminal posts for that purpose.
The temp should be fairly easy, especially since it will still have a thermostat. Bottom line is that it wont matter if it runs a little cool, just as long as it doesn't overheat, but I will monitor the temp with a capillary gauge just to see what it's doing initially.
If one day I need another engine for the Brumby (assuming I don't bung an EJ in there) I am sure this one will still be rebuild-able if needed.