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Soft Start Kit???

Been running with soft start now for about six weeks, 11hrs., and ten start ups. Installed my soft start Jan. 30 as per my earlier post. It works fine after learning how to start it. (Main Ignition sw. on, A ign.on , start, pause a few seconds while engine runs then on with B ign.). Still can't really feel any difference in start up, but I presume it's taking the bump out of it. I use the reverse order to shut it down and keep the rpms bet. 1700 and 2000 while doing it.
Dick Seiders
 
Finally installed my soft start...

Well, I finally got around to installing the Bullyhawk soft start module on ignition circuit A. I have never had a kick back, well...maybe one, I'm not sure. But I have had the unit on the bench for over a year and if I did get a serious kickback I'd feel kind of foolish for not installing it.

Now just a reminder, those of us with older motors, before about mid-2010 sometime, have a green label on the ignition modules and do not have a soft start feature from the factory. The later motors with yellow labels have factory soft start as discussed in detail in this thread.

The installation is very easy, the module just installs in series with ignition circuit "A" and like Larry said the only hard part is reaching back behind the motor to install the lead to the starter solenoid. I took the voltage regulator off to get some room to get my arm back there.
P1030040-M.jpg


Once installed I did a start using only "A" switched on and it started as quickly as ever, maybe with less initial shake, then the motor livened up after a couple of seconds as the timing advanced. At that point "B' is switched on and everything runs as before with same "mag drop" test result.

Works as advertised, I think, and I expect the sprague clutch should live a long and healthy life.

Tony
 
Think I covered this on another thread, but to refresh- I used the SS module for a few months last year and it was fine until experiencing a power drop on climbout that was sufficient to cause me to abort takeoff. I landed and checked evrything and no obvious issues. Went out again and again aborted takeoff and managed to get it back on the runway. I disconnected the SS module and haven't used it since. It's still in the plane just disconnected. Also I haven't experienced a power drop since either. Frankly if the engine shuddered less on start up I could not discern any difference anyway. I never went back to the supplier as I was advised by a number of folks that the modules either work or they don't. Mine was intermittent. I didn't feel like arguing with suppliers or anyone else for that matter. Foolish perhaps as $200 went down the tubes, but you know what? I don't need to abort another takeoff as they are no fun, and it's worth kissing off $200 to avoid them.
Dick Seiders
 
Thanks for the update Dick...

I was wondering how you were making out with your soft start. As noted in my earlier posts, I am always skeptical of after market bolt-ons -- in the automotive world they hardly ever work as promised and oft times create more problems than they solve. If you had said something earlier, I probably would not have put it on ;).

Tony
 
Pete, no problems with the run ups on the ground-none. After the first abort I did run ups two or three times, and nothing remarkable on the ground.

Tony, I am sorry, but as I said earlier I do recall discussing this when it happened last year. I believe it may have been on another post. At any rate I will try to be more timely in future. At the time I really felt I was going to try it again, and follow up, but I never did. I suppose that's why it's still sitting on top of the original module. I really did not want to get into the climb out and have the d--- thing fail when I was beyond the runway and over the trees. Most of them may be fine. Mine isn't.
Dick Seiders
 
Old thread, I know. I'm looking for someone who may have purchased a Soft start module they're not using and it's been kicking around the hangar for a while. :)

Anyone?
 
I think the secret to not having kickback during start sequence is to have a strong battery that can power through the spark advance. A weak battery may not be able to overcome the ignition and beginning power stroke in advance of top-dead center.
 
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