OK..... got the RAM back from MBUSA. Alberto said it ran good at the factory. Ran it on test bench on Sunday and seemed to run OK except for some "popping" at idle. I am a little concerned about this since the fuel manifold was repaired for some REAL rough idling before - it is definately better now but still "pops" every few seconds. So I left the field with mixed emotions thinking I might be ready to put it in an airframe.
Once I got home I though I better check it out again - no people around, I can really try to figure out what was going on. So I fuel up and commence with the autostart - Holy $%^# !! it looks like a comet when ramping - (wanting to run away like a little girl) I stayed with it and the temps stayed within range (somehow) and just as it started to stabilize it shut down with a "tx - off" message. I didn't cut the throttle trim so I immediantly thought I better re-teach.
I did that and got the guts up for another start - same thing, lots of flames on the start - actually made it to "Run" mode this time and stabilized (if you can call it that) at idle. The popping was back and since it was dusk now I could see that with every pop there was about a 12" flame - this would only last as long as the audible "pop" but is obviously very concerning - thinking to myself - "I better shut this down" when all the sudden it shuts down again on it's own with "tx - off" message. OK...... now I'm thinking "I know I didn't do that" and I look down at my trim that is definately not at kill.
There obviously are several things at play here and I need to get them solved pretty quick before I return or sell all the electronics. (add currently posted and if I find a buyer I'll have down payment for another something purple if this doesn't work
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Ok...... So to sum up:
RAM 750p Autostart ECU Ver: T03
1) Did the fuel pump get looser after the first start? And do I need to lower the voltage? There were not flame problems with the first ramp and I used hemostats on the fuel line to the turbine when refueling in addition to having the valve closed.
2) What are people using as a starting pulse width? (mine came back from MBUSA at 57)
3) What would cause the tx-off event to keep occuring? Fuel pump or ECU noise?
4) What about the popping at idle? Has anyone ever experienced that?
As a final note I will say this - the first run seemed to go really well (besides the idle) and the power of this engine was very apparent- and all this at pretty low temps - it was in the high 400's at 100k and only 500's at 120k.
As always, your input is always appreciated.