SnowChicken Bombi Build

[Snowy Rivers]

Alcohol in the gas and running is not a really big issue.....
Letting small engines sit can really foul up the carburetors...
Alcohol attracts water....water causes corrosion in the carburetor castings.....

Also the small engine carbs have parts that do not do well with the alky....

 

[NDPilot]

I use Aviation fuel in my cat and all my small engines. No problems ever.

 

[DAVENET]

I use Aviation fuel in my cat and all my small engines. No problems ever.

Exactly. Just bought 10 gal. yesterday. (used to pump it back in the early 90's - man the price has jumped!)

Everything since that time gets 100LL for the last tank of the season. Zero issues ever and takes 2-3 (4?) times as long to go 'bad'? I've seen fuel sumped out of some really old non flyable planes and it looks and smells just like it came out of the truck. VERY unlike pump gasoline.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

That Av gas is "Da good stuff"

Used to get it at the little airport locally...Now they will only pump it into planes ?????? NOT JUGS

 

[DAVENET]

Hit or miss on who will do it or not. There is ZERO reason that they legally can't do it. What if you have a private ultralight on your farm for checking fencing, but it's too small to fly all the way to the airport? People used to bring in jerry cans all of the time for their private aircraft. The only thing you can't do is pump it directly into a over the road motor vehicle.

 

[NDPilot]

You could also find an airport that has a self service credit card pump.

 

[HillBilt]

Might be better to make it from wood or other material that doesn't transfer heat, With the crappy winter gas that boils at room temperature, a metal one my cause vapor lock under hot conditions.

As far as heat transfer I don't see it being much different than what was on there before with the governor aside from aluminum to steel, but good information to remember if I run into issues The cat generally runs ethanol free 91 for the most part.

 

[HillBilt]

Great idea! Let us know how that works (have had problems with governor myself, will likely add a rev limiter off the coil and delete the governor).

Will do!
I ran it all last year without a governor, I wasn't really worried about over revving, just drove it accordingly

 

[HillBilt]

That’s interesting on the coil with the pertronix system. I just switched over as well
Anyway great ride you have there. Hope to see you out on some rides!!! It is definitely a Good sickness to have.

Thanks!

 

[HillBilt]

Oh, the ole AV Gas debate

You should be able to purchase Lowlead100 (Av gas) at any airport that has fuel service by the barrel. Or if you dont want to deal with airports buy directly from VP or Fury racing fuels for lots of different octane blends by the barrel and pump it at home...which is what I have done in the past

 

[Bobcatbob]

Hillbilt you nailed it! I just deleted the governor, used a phenolic/aluminum spacer combo under the carb,added a Petronix rev limiter (set at 4500 RPM…..wasn’t sure on max for these engines)……worked like a charm!! I was losing power in 3rd gear….runs like a whipped dog now! Added a tach….why not.

Having fun!

Bob

 

[HillBilt]

Sweet! You beat me lol. Looks real clean Bob. I got the spacer welded up and mounted the new carb. Have to modify the throttle linkage but chipping away. The fuel line is only on there for mock up I’m changing it to a 90* fitting and moving my fuel pump location

 

[Bobcatbob]

Looks great! Deleting that velocity governor made a world of difference (not sure if the internal mechanisms let go, but it was an unresolved issue since owning the Bombi). How’s that new carb?

Oh, as a side note….I reset the max RPM to 3600, tested the power in all gears (in a farm field), runs like a champ (was able to go from a standstill in 4th gear until I hit the rev limiter at 3600 RPM). It could never do that….on snow! I hit a bumpy patch in the field, got thrown around in the cab….scared me a little….lol.

Im sure these engines could take more than 3600 RPM, but I believe they were designed for that max limit (Ford Industrial KSG416).

Bob

 

[HillBilt]

Looks great! Deleting that velocity governor made a world of difference (not sure if the internal mechanisms let go, but it was an unresolved issue since owning the Bombi). How’s that new carb?

Oh, as a side note….I reset the max RPM to 3600, tested the power in all gears (in a farm field), runs like a champ (was able to go from a standstill in 4th gear until I hit the rev limiter at 3600 RPM). It could never do that….on snow! I hit a bumpy patch in the field, got thrown around in the cab….scared me a little….lol.

Im sure these engines could take more than 3600 RPM, but I believe they were designed for that max limit (Ford Industrial KSG416).

Bob

Thanks, I found some posts here on it and the guy said deleting the governor and bumping the timing up a couple degrees was night and day difference, glad to see it also worked for you. As for the carb I haven't been able to properly run and idle it just yet as my fuel pump decided to die on me, I was going to replace and move it regardless so no biggie. But I did fill the carb manually to test fire it and it definitely revs up alot quicker than before, but still have lots of tuning to do.

 

[Bobcatbob]

The manual on the KSG416 calls out 6 deg. BTDC (I set it when rebuilding the engine as there are no timing marks on the crank pulley….at least my pulley didn’t have them…..only on the block). Here’s a couple pages on the advance.

The fuel pump I used came from Summit (working well). I bought an electric pump for an emergency back up, but mechanical keeps it simple on the fuel side.

Airtex 1002 Airtex Mechanical Fuel Pumps | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Airtex Mechanical Fuel Pumps with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Fuel Pumps at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

 

[HillBilt]

Great info Bob, thanks for sharing that

 

[HillBilt]

Ohhh, its really bad....regret for the issue you are facing.

I have suggestion, if your gear box is not working properly and you are planning to replaced it then Helical is great option due to its high performance and efficiency. Thankyou!

Cool story

 

[SKINOW11]

Hillbilt you nailed it! I just deleted the governor, used a phenolic/aluminum spacer combo under the carb,added a Petronix rev limiter (set at 4500 RPM…..wasn’t sure on max for these engines)……worked like a charm!! I was losing power in 3rd gear….runs like a whipped dog now! Added a tach….why not.

Having fun!

Bob

Love the spacers!
Can share the supplier and part numbers?
Thanks!
Chris

 

[Bobcatbob]

Love the spacers!
Can share the supplier and part numbers?
Thanks!
Chris

Hi Chris

I picked up the parts on that ecommerce sight that rhymes with SeaRay…..

The phenolic risers (came in a pair)…..search under:

“Solex Kadron Brosol Carburetor Spacer 40mm Riser Phenolic Intake Insulator 1/2"

The aluminum spacer …..search under:

“Fits Stove 2 Bolt Aluminum Riser BXOV-2 Stromberg Carb Ford Autolite Spacer 1"

I had to open the bolt holes about 3/16” each (was to wide)….nothing a die grinder can’t handle.

Bob

 

[HillBilt]

Waiting for some fueling parts I moved onto the lights. I wasn’t sure of what to do but knew I didn’t want to run the factory lighting. They didn’t work and didn’t want to put time into making them work last year as I just ran with the light bar. A sale came up on some led pod lights and picked them up. Floods and spots.
Removed the factory lights and started on the mounts for the pods

drilled some holes and hacked something together

 

[HillBilt]

Got the lights on for mock up

 

[HillBilt]

Got the mounts welded up and splashed with some spray on bedliner. I had to move the mount lower down on the plate to clear the headlight pocket. Also the flood pods have taller mounts than the spot pods. It annoyed me but at least the same left to right. Also notched the bottom of the mounting plate to pass the wires through.

 

[Bobcatbob]

That….is……cool !!!

 

[Caribou]

Okay, I guess my wet-dream just came true… I found / bought a 1977 Bombi here in Colorado and just tried it out on Buffalo Pass in Steamboat Springs, CO… The FUN!

 

[sheep_mtn]

Okay, I guess my wet-dream just came true… I found / bought a 1977 Bombi here in Colorado and just tried it out on Buffalo Pass in Steamboat Springs, CO… The FUN!

Did you buy Craig’s machine?! Buff pass is natural snowcat habitat.

 

[Caribou]

Yes, I did buy his machine

 

[sheep_mtn]

Yes, I did buy his machine

Should be great. He put a lot of work into that unit. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[Caribou]

 

[HillBilt]

Well, after the great backorder of 2021 it finally came in. Bombi is getting EFI. Pulled the carb off and started running the harness and sensor lines. Hopefully get it fired up this weekend.

 

[Caribou]

Did you need to modify anything at the throttle linkage?