Hearse

[ernie wrenn]

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Afterburner and flame holder assembly.
J-34/34 with J-85 A/B nozzles.


The Hearse


Afterburner


Fuel Tank Vents (Clear Tubes)


Control Stick (Side)


Control Stick


Afterburner Fuel Pump


Avionics Panel


Switch Panel and Stick


Hearse "Cockpit" interior


Fuel Tanks and Pumps


Pumps and Electrical


Fuel Pumps


Fuel Vent Covers


Removable Windows

[turbochris]

you're sick in the head......

[mveach]

Now that's AWESOME!

[ernie wrenn]

08-26-10

The Hearse is ready to "FIRE"...... All gauges are attached and batteries are charged. Got a Lawyer appointment this afternoon, sooooo Tomorrow or Satruday looks like a launch date.
2 days and counting!! tick....tick...

Video will be posted, good or bad.

Ernie

[ernie wrenn]

08-28-10

Filled her up with fuel and fixed fuel leaks.... Spun up to start RPM ... fix oil leaks.(still have 1 small leak @ filter). Getting pissed off, I thought I had checked everyting 10 times!

Time for short start.. RPM's up on starter... no fire, got spark. Checked tail pipe, no fuel.

Disconnected fuel lines at pumps to bleed any air. Spin Up... No fuel... pipe dry.

It appears I must install a "prime pump" , now really PISSED OF. I am ready for a NOISE FIX!!!!

Patience "Grass Hopper". Tomorrow bring other problems for sure!

I will work on prime pump tomorrow... SAD

Ernie

[ernie wrenn]

Tried one more time... Flooded fuel pump as best I can, ran it up and no fire!! What he Hell.

Back to a priming pump, any body got any other ideas?

30 psi oil pressure, batteries gettig low.. MINE not cars! PISSED.

[ernie wrenn]

08-30-10

Richard and I work most of the day trying to find the fuel problem... SUPPRISE... the pressure check valve on the pump discharge was stuck closed. What a BITCH!!.

Reinstalled all the the lines and fittings, fixed check valve, Ready to test again tomorrow.

Ernie

[Richard OConnell]

Fuel systems now appear to be functioning properly. We are having a new problem with getting the fuel to ignite. Engine turns RPMs on the starter, igniter pops, then all the fuel we give it ends up in the tailpipe. We are currently running the igniters through a sonic cleaner, but it appears that the power draw from the starter may be taking a toll on the igniters. Even so, I would think that they are creating enough spark to light fuel.
I am also considering the fact that the fuel may be flooding the igniters. In any case, we will continue working on it today and hopefully will get the problem resolved

[ernie wrenn]

08-31-10

Reinstalled ignitors... same problem.

Removed small ignitor and used a torch to lite engine.... Instant power.. Runs great, oil leak on filter (no problem).

We are going to rearrange throttle ratio for a longer throw. 0 to 20% now is approx 1/2 inch. To touchy. Found a crack in the A/B transition, other than that excellant power and NOISE!!!

Hearse moves under it own power in PARK! Richard is going to have to learn drifting.. Had a strange look on his face.

[ernie wrenn]

09-01-10

Removed A/B, while testing we fond several cracks in the old section. Going to build a new section.

Oil leak was coming from oil filter, ever try to find a 40 year old element? Replaced with a Olberg filter left over from the Fuel Funny Car days.

Removed throttle assembly and drilled more holes to get ratio back closer to 1:1. Easier to fill and more control.

Adding a 150# by-pass to A/B to relieve pressure spike when valve shuts.

Every try to stuff a 300# man into a 10 inch hole.... It will fit, but leaves bruses everywhere. A PAIN in the ass when you try to back out, ribs do NOT flex backwards!

Fuel in the armpits DOES burn and leave a rash, reconsider draining filter first.

Talked to Fred Sibley and got some important info on start up.
1: spark
2: as soon a starter hits 500 RPM (which is almost immediately and fuel pressure is positive (5#) move fuel lever to 20% and watch egt for ignition.
3: slowly increase throttle to 40%, letting engine catch up as you increase throttle. (slow to catch up, heavy compressor section).
4: 40% is engine idle. Check gauges
5: Now you can raise RPM's as needed.. quicker but not like a gas engine.

Ordered a newer tac, the one I have does not respond properly, will use a Fluke meter till new part shows up. 70 Hz = 100% @ 4200 rpm generator sped.

[scuferrari]

I know on my jet engines there's fuel going thru the engine that pours out the back and there's high pressure fuel going thru the engine that lights.and its a fine line between the two. If fuel is add before pressure is up it just pours out the exhaust. My engines have a electric fuel pump to prime the main high pressure mechanical pump. but even with two pumps the mechanical pump has to have correct start up RPM = pressure to light. My TRI-60-5s idle at 20100 rpms, At 6000 rpms fuel pressure has to be 1200 psi and it lights an spools up so fast its scary, 100 psi to low fuel pours out the back and if you don't abort start it just gets worse making the next start harder. 100 psi to high and it shakes 4 city blocks like an earthquake when it lights with a 20 foot flame out the exhaust and the fire department shows up, also very scary. I spent 3 months and a few hundred gallons of fuel to get the right start up sequence. But it sure was fun. Good Luck.
David

[ernie wrenn]

pictures of A/B section. Having to remake burner section that had cracks. We will have to cut out nozzles and Bishop hat and relocated in new spacer. 22"x8'" INCONEL.

AB nozzels are from a J-85 set up.

[ernie wrenn]

09-08-10

Spent ALL day cutting and grinding to get the nozzles and Bishop hat off of the ring. What a F##KING job. A lot of the stainless had metal fatigued and split. Finally gave up and sawed the ring into 4 pieces with a porta-band then switched over to a ziz wheel cutter... 14 blades later I started with the 4" grinder.

I can promise you, my right arm will never rust with that much inconel in it. That stuff gets hot!

Hope to have a new ring rolled today then we will reverse engineer the project.

Look at the above pictures.... Each one of those ='s approx 30 minutes of grinding....

And what a surprise.. The Bishops hat supports had stainless wielded to the back of them. The 3 of them took over 2 hours to clean up.

I need to get a job!

[ernie wrenn]

New inconel ring rolled .102 thick.x 7". That will hold the beast. Now getting it wielded in place and cut to size is the next pain. A 21 3/4 pipe has approx 7 foot of wielding on each end.

Time for a tan. then drill holes for the nozzles and EGT sensors.

ernie

[ernie wrenn]

Wielded the new section in place. It only took 2 men 4 hour, 1 second degree burn (Don used a regular glove...Hot slag went inside for a visit.)

We used .035 flux core stainless wire with a 75/25 shield gas, beautiful wields.

Laid out for Bishops Hat, hope to have it installed today, the 21 A/B J85 nozzles must be laid out, drilled and wielded in place. Maybe by this weekend.