I feel ya on the timing marks problem. The Mazda only has two notches in the harmonic balancer, TDC and 6°BTDC or something low like that. Not sure if there’s any timing lights that can tell how advanced it is using only the TDC mark, if there are I’d like to know.
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Very interesting watching all the temperatures now. While I was getting the timing slowly dialed in I was keeping a sharp eye on every gauge in the truck since I have just put the motor back together. At a stock timing setting (about 8°btdc) the motor was running close to normal gasoline temperatures 180-190°f. As I slowly advanced the timing and got more and better power while on wood, the engine temperature began dropping with every timing adjustment all the way back to 150-160°f like it ran at before. I’m sure there is a technical explanation for this somehow. Also since moving my hopper probe into line of sight with the nozzles it is FAR more accurate to when I am running low on wood. Before I knew I would get about 25-30 miles between fill ups, now it seems I can much more reliably count on the hopper temp to tell me exactly when I need fuel. I did have a bridge this morning on the way to work this maple I chunked pretty big but that’s the first bridge in probably 3000 miles. And through all the timing adjustments I still have not gotten a hopper or mixer puff, I read so much about those being a pesky problem? And I just don’t get them on my truck for some reason? Also in traffic this morning for the very first time I ever I had someone roll down there window and ask about the truck. Guy was following me for 10 miles or so towing a trailer with a newer f150 and had been swerving all over the place, getting on the shoulder flashing his lights I thought something was wrong with my truck so I pulled over and he rolled up and stopped about 60 cars behind him so he could ask me about the truck. Sure it irked some people on there morning commute but I got a laugh out of it
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Hey Norman,
As more of the combustion heat-expansion energy is converted to real used shaft power; then less of that combustion heat will be there. So there will be less heat remaining to go out into the water jacket.
The exhaust temperature should lower too.
But you have no exhaust temp probe.
S.U.
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Yeah. Yeah. I know this will-be-colder be contrary to the experiences of most of you Hot-Rodding guys.
Just aways realize Hot-rodding was about shear noisy catch attention show off power.
Going for best fuel energy conversion to shaft power is very different.
Practical daily useable engines will always be a balance of these two and many other factors.
Racers are about viewing balance as an untapped place to skew for their racing winning intents.
Yes. Yes. Hotrodders and Mudders, fellows do mileages racing too. Why all of the circuits use reduced pit stops and fuel on-board limitations now. Add this challenge element too.
S.U.
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Finally? Quite a fast job you did. Thanks for the video!
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Timing light has a knob on the back that can adjust the degrees before tdc that it flashes. I believe the Dakota’s only have a tdc mark.
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Helper with a full clean out this morning, last week I had a hot leak in the heat exchanger where the crossover welds on, today I discovered clinkers in the heat exchanger clean out port. Filled it with water and found 2 pin holes in the bottom. Said it before and say it again, thin barrels SUCK. This will have to get fixed ASAP
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I don’t remember how that clean out is made but I believe that when you are dealing with high temps that anywhere you can add a replaceable sacrificial liner is a good plan. I added a second lid to the top of my RMH because sooner or later that bottom one is going to burn out. Even with the second layer the lock band still worked.
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It’s just a 2" pipe plug and nipple on the bottom of the housing and these drums were not in the best condition when I started. I think I’m going to build a box that will bolt to the crossover with a clean out hatch in the side of it facing back into the bed instead of down at the floor, then cut the top of the heat exchanger with the lid, clamp ring and gas and air inlets and just use the top half like I did with the hay filter. Then rebarrel it with some thicker material. I have a good size chunk of water tank left, or a old air compressor tank that I think would work well enough and the insulation would slide right back in and be reused. Easier cleaning and inspection as well. Need to get the truck down to the shop and do that this week, guess I know now why I have been seeing higher temps in the rails and feeling a bit doggy in the power department
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One nasty carberator that needs some TLC cleaning. How are you going to clean the intake out, or are you just going to leave it the way it is?
Bob
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For now with how little soot there is I’m going to run a wire brush down each runner and if anything kicks loose it will get shop vaced out. Carb I’ll take in to work Monday and tear it down and give it a good scrub out in the solvent tank and be back on the road. It was still drivable, but I had to start on woodgas all the time for the last week. Even if I turned the fuel pump on it made no change at all in how the truck would run and fuel gauge didn’t move at all. The woodgas starts in the morning was taking to long to and I didn’t like getting to work late so finally time for a good cleaning. Somewhere between 7-8000 miles
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Wow you have invented a super high mileage carberator that uses NO fuel at all . Look out the goverment might want their hands on this. Take the first offer they give you. Lol
Bob
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Marcus it may finally be time to do a divorced carb for the truck 
.
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Do you mean go to a throttle body injection style on the truck Cody?
Bob
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That would be more ideal but I mean a small gasoline carb and an inert throttle body for woodgas. Keep the gas carb clean.
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I have been thinking along the same lines for carb guys Cody. Dual quad manifold with a carb on one hole and some kind of throttle plate on the other.
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I would have done it for the Mazda a long time ago if I didn’t have height restraints.
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Marcus, about white spots and oxidation. I noticed the same in my Volvo tb and intake for the first time the other day. I’m pretty sure it has to do with moisture.
We’ve had mid 80s temps for a couple weeks and I’m a bit low on cooling area. Had to make quite a few 100+ mile trips and in these temps the system seems to have a 15-20 mile duty cycle until the woodgas starts to be warm enough to carry all the moisture forward and leave the rear tank empty.
Moisture is a pita.
I’ve been thinking about extending my cooler, but so far no action. Back to below 70F right now and winter is approaching 
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I have driven this truck now in just about every condition known to our state from over night freezing temps snow and ice to 90+° beating sunshine and wicked high humidity. It doesn’t seem to matter how dry my wood is, there is ALWAYS moisture in my gas, at least a cup out of each slingshot filter every 100 miles. 4-5 gallons daily between hopper and rear tank. Several times I have seen moisture make it all the way to the carb and turn the mixing box into a muddy soot mess. Lots of compressed air and brake clean, and resulting engine bay is about stained black. Still after all this, I’m still smiling and having fun!
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