EA81 into trike VW automatic

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:53 pm

Tweety wrote:Your ride is booked when you drop in Bennie.

Sweet! I'll let you know when I'm back up your way - It might not be until next year though, unless I'm running something to Harrietville for my brother.

I'll let you know when I'm in your neck of the woods anyway

Cheers

Bennie

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:41 pm

I've decided to purchase a second Kawasaki radiator and mounth them vertically in frotn of my knees in series so there is a lot of heat fanning us. And i'll make up some louvres to direct hot air away in summer.

I have for a while not been totally happy with the kickdown and the run out of the vW auto. It has been changing up too ealry and not kicking down exactly when I wanted it to.

So spent an hour adjusting the solonoid screw in the middle of the solonoid on the auto (vacuum form carbie).

Wow! went for a run and up a hill squeezed the throttle and that sweet little engine howled right up to 110kph when it went into top.

Cant tell you guys how happy I am with my choice and its result.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:35 pm

To offer a comparison -my EA81 4 speed has a max of about 80 k in 2nd, and 110 in third. You are doin 110 in VWsecond with just one more gear to go (same as me with that speed)

Good bit of fiddlin'

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:55 pm

Yes Steptoe but 110kph was when it changed gear (which was the speed that I was seeking for it to change when I adjusted the auto) but if I held it in second it would likely hit 130kph. (not that I'd break the law).

Then when I'd put it in top it would likely not accelerate very much after that.

As i said previously it would be like putting tyres on your car that have 20% more legs.

it would be much better to lower the circumference by 5% with the original 295/50 tyres to put it in the rev range more. I only put these larger 275/60 r15 tyres on because the VW engine was so darn thirsty.

Of course towing is the main reason to raise the revs about 200 at 100kph. But I have noticed on windy days the trike, with its slight windsock effect of the roof it could do witha bit more response.

And get that turbo idea out of your mind!!!!!! I aint gunna get influenced!!!

Be nice though.....

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:53 pm

Good to hear it's all working out for you with some further tweaking!

Tweety wrote:And get that turbo idea out of your mind!!!!!! I aint gunna get influenced!!!

Be nice though.....

Yeah - get that idea out of your head... yeah right! The seed has been planted. Maybe time to see Steve's turbo setup (Subie boys), a work of art!

Cheers

Bennie

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 5:00 pm

Bennie (EL Freddo) spent the best part of the day at my place in Strathbogie. A great time we had.

Among the things we did was check his ea81 Brumby timing. It was at the 8 degrees required. And where was the notch on the crankcase pully? it was dead centre of the block halves!!

Regular readers will recall that when I carried out my ea81 conversion mating it to my type 3 VW auto transmission, that the timing marks on the flywheel disappeared when the flywheel was discarded. This left me wondering how to time the engine.

There is a notch on the front pully. I had incorrectly assumed this notch was TDC. I tuned my engine to 8mm advanced from this point. Because the pully is 360mm in circumference that meant 8 degrees (which was wrong...it was actually 16 degrees. Well it pinged so much on 95RON that I kept backing the advance off. 4 adjustments later it stopped pinging and that mark lined up on the block halves with the timing light.

When we checked Bennie's timing 8 degrees on the flywheel meant that the notch lines up on the block halves. This meant that the timing of my ea81 engine ended up correct at 8 degrees. Amazing I feel because the method I used was the old one whereby I would ride up a hill in a taller gear and back off the timing until it stopped pinging.

So anyone that wants to time their ea81 engine by the front pulley notch can safely assume that the notch lines up with the centre line of the block halves is 8 degrees not TDC.

Thanks Bennie.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:17 pm

Tweety wrote:Thanks Bennie.

No, thank you Tony! That ride was awesome. It's on my want list! And I'm "drawing up plans" for a build

Cheers

Bennie

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 6:58 pm

I',m sure we'll talk more Bennie as you trike plan takes shape over time. Bare in mind:

The lower a trike the better it'll handle like a f1. So, considering the VW design has a "dog house" as part of the cooling which raises the rear seat height this can be lowered by- using later model kombi van engine with flat cooling design or Subaru engine with radiator up front.

You also said you like the roof addition. If the rear seat height is lowered so would be the roof height. As much as I love my roof design if it was 150mm lower it would be better in every way.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:02 pm

Tweety wrote:I',m sure we'll talk more Bennie as you trike plan takes shape over time. Bare in mind:

The lower a trike the better it'll handle like a f1. So, considering the VW design has a "dog house" as part of the cooling which raises the rear seat height this can be lowered by- using later model kombi van engine with flat cooling design or Subaru engine with radiator up front.

You also said you like the roof addition. If the rear seat height is lowered so would be the roof height. As much as I love my roof design if it was 150mm lower it would be better in every way.

Yeah mate, these plans may take some years to complete/start as discussed - there's a well distinguished line up already!! But that said, if/when Kez and I get our own place who knows what could evolve! I've already been thinking that a libery front/rear end could be used, the struts could just be shocks to help support the hub and the air bags would do the rest

Yes I do like the roof, and I like where you're going with the idea of the lower rear seat, I'm sure kez would like to do some riding too which would mean the I'd not want to always be sticking my head out the top

We'll talk more, but more to the point, we'll see what happens. I think I'd need to get Kez on to it first

Cheers

Bennie

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 7:24 pm

Thought I'd drop this in here:

And I think it may be time for your own thread about Tweety in the "my car" section

Cheers

Bennie

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 7:43 pm

Good idea Bennie.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:59 pm

Tony, have you hooked up that manual kick down switch on the handle bar yet? I'm keen to know how it goes and what it does for your fuel consumption

Cheers

Bennie

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:26 pm

nah Bennie. been too busy and havent found a switch yet that'll fit on the 1" bar (starter type)

been planning the suspension bushes renew so I dont have inside wear to be done Monday and also looking at White wall tyres for rear and white wall M/C tyres front (coker classic 500-16 from antique tyres)

but am eager to get the switch.

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 4:29 pm

Today I ran two wires from the kickdown switch from the auto to a new switch on the left hand handlebars. then connected up the other side of the switch to the negative of the coil.

This is a carbon copy of the circuit of the electrical kick down switch that is mounted under the arm of the throttle I think it is the accelerator pump.

The concept is that at some speeds especially uphill one would like the auto to kick down to second without full throttle being used.

It didnt work.

My theory is- 1/ that the elctrical switch on the auto (the VW 3 speed is 45 years old) might not be operational.
2/ the vacuum solonoid at the end of the auto might work in conjunction with the electrical switch.

So I got home and adjusted the auto solonoid yet again by screwing in he adjusting screw and tok it for a ride agian. Muck better. Holds hears longer esp uphill and kicks down with less throttle. Being only 3 speeds it needs to operate at its best to get the power down.

So I'm so happy about the new adjustment I think I'll leave that new switch alone and disconnected. And connect it up when I buy my rocket launcher....or ejection seat.

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 2:09 am

A few pics below depicting Tweety's new heater/leg warmer.

I used two Kawasaki radiators (ebay) and plumbed them in series. Test ride was very encouraging. I need to plan some defectors so some hot air is pointed upwards but our legs should be really warm in winter. And thats with an 82 degree thermostat....if needed can replace with the 88 degree one I took out.

On the test ride the temperature remained at 76 degrees. Think it will work perfectly even towing in hot days to be problem free.

I know I need to wash Tweety!!!

Both have rock screens made from one section of gutter guard from Bunnings and trimmed with very small door trim (cant recall the name) that has rubber on one side.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:21 am

Yeah tony, looking good there! Those radiators look very subtle now that you've got them painted up!

No handle bar kick down switch required = bonus in my book - less wiring to go wrong and less mess to try and make look neat on an application such as this!

On a side note, there's talk of hanging out at Nillacootie on an upcoming weekend - could be a good day for a ride

Cheers

Bennie

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:09 am

Nillacootie sounds like a goer. only 25 mins over the track. hope I'm not working. tony

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:33 pm

Finished the vent for the heaters tonight. Changed to vertical M/Cycle radiators.

The vents closed

Vents open

Holes at the bottom allow heat to go to ground when doors closed.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:39 pm

Tweety wrote:

Holes at the bottom allow heat to go to ground when doors closed.

The next question is - does it actually work with the air going around the doors when it's closed as you've said?

Cheers

Bennie

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:54 pm

Gee Bennie,,,,,that was quick.

I ahvent gone for a test ride yet mate. If it stops 90% of the heat I'll be happy. I ahve to plug up some vertical slots on each side of the vents when I take it to Clark rubber. they have that stuff that's used for doors and some have rubber on one side.

Test ride maybe Sunday.