Briggs Cooling Fan Removal

**brlcla** · 01-17-2010, 07:55 PM

Anyone pulled the front fan on their mini with Briggs or Kohler Engine... I am considering it. Should not have any cooling issues being that it is an airboat. May add a larger oil cooler and put it in the prop airflow instead of on the motor. May help offset some of the cooling lost by the flywheel fan.

Chuck,
I know you were considering it.... Tried it yet?

**chuckitt** · 01-17-2010, 08:05 PM

No, we haven't done it yet but we have all the new parts to put in the race motor and when it goes back together it want have the fan blades nor the cooling shrouds. All the engine covers will be left off. I hope to get time this coming week to start putting it back together.
Thanks, Chuck

**brlcla** · 01-17-2010, 08:25 PM

What happened to the motor? Didn't know you were having issues. I will be doing it to mine, but I need to extend the wires on the rectifier so I can mount i on the engine stand. And get my hands on a larger oil cooler.

**chuckitt** · 01-17-2010, 09:32 PM

Yea, we had more cam than your motor, we had too much cam. It would beat the valve seats in and they would start leaking. We reseated the valves twice. Mike sent us a new cam like the one in your motor so it should be ok now. We had about 230 lbs compression in the cylinders. The 70 HP we sent to Alaska worked great and it has the same cam as yours. I hope to get it together this coming week
Chuck

**brlcla** · 01-17-2010, 09:56 PM

I still haven't gotten a clear idea of what happened to my motor... it "popped" at about 9 hrs on the engine. Had a lot of vibration and the block found the weakest part and decided to spit fluids at me.... "how rude..." Had to pull the mechanical fuel pump and weld all of that area up so now running electric fuel pump. Still have a little vibration but not near as much. Runs good now.... Ready to finish tweaking it... The last few changes should be this week and hopefully be riding soon.

Glad you are not having near the issues I have run into.

**chuckitt** · 01-18-2010, 08:12 AM

I was trying to think of what could cause your excessive vibration. I haven't seen close ups of your boat so i will just make some suggestions. The drive belt being too tight could be one reason, The motor mounts being too solid or too close together, The 2 into 1 exhaust made with solid tube, ( we put flex tube on the down tubes and the exhaust never cracked.) I also like using a 3 blade prop on a 2 cylinder motor more than a 2 blade. It's harder to find the problem when it may be caused by 2 or more items. The smoothest running performance motor we had was using the X pipe exhaust. I plan to do more X pipes due to this. I hope my thoughts help.
Thanks, Chuck

**brlcla** · 01-18-2010, 08:39 PM

Always enjoy a little advice... I think having rubber under the motor gave it room to move which loosened bolts on the reduction... When it got loose I probably ended up with a little whirl effect in the prop which really loosened the already slack movement in the back cover then all you know what let loose.

Working on getting Whirlwind to develop a three blade which I hope may be available soon.... American is pushing for a 3 blade.

**chuckitt** · 01-18-2010, 09:07 PM

We have gotten 4 of the new Sensenich Sabre blades in that we want to try on the Harley powered boat this weekend. They fit in the Warp Drive Plates. They are ligther than the WD blades. Set up it is 72 inches so we have to cut 3 inches off each blade to get a 66 inch. After that i want to run 3 of them on a mini motor. The first reports i heard was good so we have to try them.
Thanks, Chuck

**Duane Scarborough** · 01-19-2010, 07:30 PM

Chuck,

I've been keeping my ears open for a test report on the Sensenich Saber prop.

But, I haven't heard anything yet on them, either good or bad. It's sorta' like they've gone into the twilight zone....

I'm glad you've got a set of blades to test. I'll respect your opinion of them more than some yahoo that I don't know.

Thanks,

Duane

**Duane Scarborough** · 03-23-2010, 07:54 PM

brlcla,

Have you learned any more about when Whirlwind is going to do something with the 3 blade Mini Prop?

Chuck,

Did you get a chance to try out the 3 blade Sensenich Saber on a Mini yet?

Thanks,

Duane

**brlcla** · 04-04-2010, 01:51 PM

Well took the time this weekend to pull the fan and shrouds off the motor... took a hole saw to the black plastic on the front to create areas where the prop can pull air accross the heads. Really want to keep the plastic from to protect the coils and exposed wiring. Should have everything back together mid next week for a good bit of riding planned for the weekend of the 10th and a trip to TX to ride near Houston on the 17th.

Will post driver seat video when I can.....