Kostov 12V Test

[MR MITCHELL L OATES <RRKR45A@PRODIGY.COM>]

     Well, I finally started checking out the Kostov and spun it up on 12V
for the first time today. I guess you could call it an exercise in
dedication, working on an unheated covered porch with 3" of snow on the
ground and wearing long underwear, two pairs of socks, gloves, etc.
     The Kostov arrived about 2 weeks ago if I remember correctly. I'd sent
the old GE adaptor plate and original flywheel (which weighed nearly as
much as the damn transmission!) along with a new clutch assembly out to
Gary Flo previously. With the addition of an aluminum spacer on the motor
side to get the right "magic number", we were able to reuse the GE adaptor
plate with the only modification needed being new bolt holes. An added
benefit of using the old adaptor plate was that the motor shaft opening was
about 6" diameter to accomodate the back side of the flywheel. This
provided an opening for air flow thru the Kostov as the "goes out" is along
the motor shaft. Gary also had the flywheel lightened (for which my back is
eternally grateful) and balanced along with the new clutch assembly. Even
with taking half the material off the back side of the flywheel, it's still
over an inch thick. That thing was HUGE. Topping this off is a hefty steel
taperlock coupler, seemingly in proportion to this beast of a motor. The
keylock is 1/4" square steel. This motor was built hefty.
     The motor arrived in the crate with the adaptor plate and taperlock
torqued down and ready to go, and the flywheel and clutch attached finger
tight. First order of business was putting a new pilot shaft bearing into
the flywheel. Almost an anticlimax from what I was anticipating. A little
bit of grease, and two whacks with a hammer and piece of wood and the beast
was in.
     Next came the fun part, torquing on the flywheel and assembling the
clutch. I used blue grade Loctite on the flywheel bolts, as I didn't relish
having to use a propane torch to disassemble the thing sometime in the
future using one of the higher grades. I used a homemade flywheel locking
device made of a piece of copper bar and the appropriate bolts for the
flywheel and adaptor plate.
     The alignment tool which came with the new clutch had a little too
much slop, both in the pilot shaft bearing and in the clutch disk splines.
A little electrical tape solved this problem. Then the clutch disk and
pressure plate went on and were tightened down. I didn't loctite the
pressure plate bolts, anticipating the need for possible adjustments.
     Then came the first test, mating up the transmission. With a small
amount of wiggling to get the pilot shaft started, it slid on right up to
the adaptor plate with a nice solid clunk. Checking the alignment revealed
all the bolt holes for the adaptor plate dead nuts on.
     Now for the power test. Using a 12V starting battery recently removed
from my sister's car (she left it parked for 6 days with part of her stereo
system still on) and the old jumper cables, the beast came to life.
Flywheel and clutch assembly spun up straight and smooth, with no apparent
vibration. You could rest your finger on the outside of the flywheel, on
the spline collar of the clutch disk, or on the inside edge of the clutch
release levers on the pressure plate with the beast running. No sideways
movement or vibration, just the feel of the surface moving underneath your finge
 r.
     However, I was getting enough overall vibration to visibly shake the
sides of the crate (hey, it makes a damn nice workstand with the ends
pulled off) and to visibly vibrate your hand if you laid it on the motor.
Occasionally it would hit a harmonic and change tone, with the change
apparently coming from the fan on the opposite end of the motor. Looking at
the fan revealed it had a visible wobble, both under power and when spun by
hand, almost as if it were warped. It doesn't look to be that much of a
problem to remove the front cover and check out the fan. If that's not the
problem, guess I'll have to try the patented Rod Wilde method of balancing
the pressure plate. Once power was removed, the vibration stopped and the
motor took about 20 seconds to coast to a stop.
     Other than the vibration, everything has worked out fine with this
motor. Gary did a damn fine job, with everything being dead on on the first
try, and everything having a clean professional look to it.
     Guess it's about time to go find an engine hoist.

                                        Mitch Oates
Kostov 12V Test