MTFCA Forum

Some of you may have seen this on the Facebook model t page but I wanted to post a couple of photo's here also. Spent the last year and half working on this. I've been wanting to learn about DIY fuel injection for several years and finally decided to use my 16 t for the project. This isn't so much to replace the carb and Ford ignition but more of an experiment. Since my t is a hobby vehicle I could let it sit for awhile during the project.

In a nutshell I'm using a Honda CB250R integrated TBI, VW smart coil and a Speeduino NO2C DIY kit. Merging modern electronics to a hand cranked primitive engine was quite a challenge but I figured out a work around for most problems. Still in the tuning stage but it's slowly running better.

Please no haters.

Interesting project. Hope to see more updates on how it runs and more pictures of the car.

Is that a thermocouple for coolant temp on the hose flange at the head?

GM temp sensor

Interesting setup ! Some sort of time machine

Looks like someone is having fun with experiments..., I like it when the normal is not normal!

Hank

I saw fuel injected model T speedsters at the Newport Hillclimbs several years ago. they were Hilborn type on side of engine.
Have fun with your project.



John

How do you prime for hand cranking?

Andy

Definitely no hate here - I think it's neat when you can take a 100 year old engine and use it as a test bed for a project.

Lots of questions - A few to prime the (water) pump :
(1) How are you timing the coil system? I get the Honda syatem as a "smart coil" but you need some way to time the thing.
(1a) Do you still have manual control over the ignition timing, and if not, how do you keep from fracturing your arm?
(2) Does running this result in a cleaner/smoother/more bulletproof running T engine?
(3) Are there any performance plusses and/or minuses?
(4) What's next? Turbocharging? A blower? (I'm guessing at that point pressure oil would also be in the mix)

A propane conversion, or a propane/gasoline system, would give some of the advantages of fuel injection. Where to put the tank would be an issue, except in a pickup or TT. High compression would offset lower BTU. Hard seats and stainless steel valves might be needed.

Susanne wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 05, 2023 9:18 am

Definitely no hate here - I think it's neat when you can take a 100 year old engine and use it as a test bed for a project.

Lots of questions - A few to prime the (water) pump :
(1) How are you timing the coil system? I get the Honda syatem as a "smart coil" but you need some way to time the thing.
(1a) Do you still have manual control over the ignition timing, and if not, how do you keep from fracturing your arm?
(2) Does running this result in a cleaner/smoother/more bulletproof running T engine?
(3) Are there any performance plusses and/or minuses?
(4) What's next? Turbocharging? A blower? (I'm guessing at that point pressure oil would also be in the mix)

Here's some answers:

(1/1A) Anderson timer is used, advance/retard is manual just as Henry designed it. I designed and built a couple of circuit boards to fire the VW smart coil from the Anderson timer.
(2) I haven't shot a bullet at the engine yet so I can't say, still tuning.
(3) Still tuning, I can say that my engine does not like to run stoichiometric (14.7:1) like modern automobiles. My guess it has something to do with cam design and overall engine design.
(4) No further mods are in the future except getting the ECU to control timing. I have to create a circuit for that and at this point I have other projects that need attention

A mild cam and high compression would probably help burn leaner mixtures. Valve stems seals and precision-fit pistons & rings would also help as would a high operating temperature and intake air heat.
Side valve engines with huge combustion chamber volume don't like a lean mixture.

AndyClary wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 05, 2023 8:58 am

How do you prime for hand cranking?

Andy

I use a Arduino Nano running a simulated rpm program to "trick" the ECU to fire the injector when hand cranking. Once it starts the ECU takes over.