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Posted by: Jesco Reient Dec 13 2013, 11:12 AM

After test driving my wife's 914 last night for the first time since 2003, I'd like to take just a minute and say Thank you to this website. I owe many people here a big pile of gratitude.

Thank you to those that took the time to help a guy that didn't get The D-Jet injection and all it's little quirks. Sometimes I asked questions, sometimes I searched posts from years gone by, some of you didn't know you helped me because I merely re-read your earlier posts.

Specifically I'd like to thank Brad Mayeur of 914 Limited Inc. He was a treasure chest of patience answering many, many, phone questions and having really cool parts when required.

Specifically I'd like to thank Dave Ellison of TRIAD West performance, Dave gave me a ton of time when I was going through my wiring harnesses, and in some cases provided parts of cut up harnesses to use to fix mine. Triad West makes a series of really nice exhausts as well, One of the few parts I have ever bought aftermarket that just bolts on like it was supposed to. Dave also loaned me a Type IV case to test my align boring boring fixture I designed and used on my engine and one for Dave and Brad Mayeur as well.

Len Hoffman of HAM, INC. did a beautiful job on the heads, setting them up for the Raby 9590 cam and kit.

Pacific Northwest related, a huge Thank You to Kate and Nate at Olympia Autohaus, again a lot of time answering questions, and a great source of parts. I'm sure they will be a big help again if I adopt the little 356 barn find that wants to follow us home.

My background is that of a machinist and race engine builder. In my professional life I built racing 18 cylinder radials (hold a world record there) and I built racing V-12 Merlin engines (hold a World record there as well), V-8s were my main hobby engine of choice until everything went wrong with my wife's 914. So I'm not a neophyte, still this website was invaluable to me.

OH, Yes AND THANKS TO JEFF BOWLSBY for the wonderful research and technical illustrations that I used for rebuilding my own harnesses, So sorry Jeff your site rocks!

Thanks all

Posted by: buck toenges Dec 13 2013, 11:40 AM

Quick question off topic. I have heard that an allison aircraft engine sounds a lot more "smooth" then a merlin engine. A merlin sounds more "clanky". Can you comment on that?
Thanks,
Buck

Posted by: Jesco Reient Dec 13 2013, 12:11 PM

You might be hearing more of the Vertical drive and reduction gear noise in the Merlin, But IMHO at full chat the Merlin has a song that is hard to beat, Some of the smoother sounding Allisons are on P-38s and they flow through a common exhaust to a single in the case of airplanes where the turbocharger has been removed, giving them a very mellow almost Chris Craft Cruiser like sound. Also of course in the case of P-38s where the turbocharger is still installed is a mellow sound as well.

Posted by: bandjoey Dec 13 2013, 12:14 PM

(So Buck, your saying the Merlin sounds like a type iv with loose valves? )

And Jesco, so glad your wife is back in a hot 914!

Posted by: rick 918-S Dec 13 2013, 03:06 PM

Wow! You had issues sorting the 914 F.I.? Considering your street cred that has to make some of the hobbyists here feel more at ease with their lack of understanding of the F.I. on the 914. Glad you were able to get what you needed to make your wife's car live.

Very impressive resume'

Posted by: Jesco Reient Dec 13 2013, 03:49 PM

Rick,
The D-Jet is as I was told a very simple system, however it does require that all of the components operate as designed. As part of my background I have never accepted the answer "Well that's just how item X works". as a result of that my questions move towards "OK Why does item X work that way, and what happens when item Y becomes the new variable". So I had lots of questions and still have a good number of questions as my theoretical education with the D-Jet becomes my practical experience with the D-Jet.

I'm not trying to come off like a genius or anything resembling one, I'm just a car/airplane guy that loves machinery with a wife and daughter that accepts that.
In fact my daughter was my inspection buddy while torqueing up the cases, and rods.

Posted by: 914_teener Dec 13 2013, 10:58 PM

So nice to hear humility.


In my book the Merlin is the sweetest sounding combustion engine ever built.

Welcome and Merry Christmas.

Posted by: boxsterfan Dec 13 2013, 10:59 PM

One sure fire way to rid yourself of D-Jet issues is to convert to L-Jet.

Posted by: Jeff Bowlsby Dec 13 2013, 11:27 PM

<soapbox>

Please lets not hijack the admirable spirit of this thread, and quash any future potential misunderstandings by the uninformed. Any fuel injection system can be a very fine, reliable, sufficient and well-performaing system, if everything is to spec and in good condition. D-jet and L-jet are included as well as the myriad of other FI systems ever built. Many of us here have experience with both and appreciate their differences. They are merely different and one is not 'better' than the other. One does not have 'flaws" "quirks', or 'defects', implied or literally, or any other issues to avoid. All can and should be appreciated for what they are.

</sandbox>

Posted by: euro911 Dec 14 2013, 01:03 AM

Posted by: Jesco Reient Dec 14 2013, 11:26 AM

OH, Yes AND THANKS TO JEFF BOWLSBY for the wonderful research and technical illustrations that I used for rebuilding my own harnesses, So sorry Jeff your site rocks!

Posted by: Dr Evil Dec 15 2013, 11:03 PM

Dude, working on Alison and Merlin engines? I want to see your work shop

Posted by: Jesco Reient Dec 16 2013, 04:08 PM

The shop is much smaller now that I am retired from building large V-12 engines, I actually never did any Allison V-12 work, my work consisted of Packard and Rolls Royce Merlin engines and 2 stage Rolls Royce Griffon engines. I also worked on Pratt & Whitney R-2800, and Curtiss Wright R-3350 hybrid race engines. I still have pretty good machine capabilities. I also read your information on building the gear box. Thank You as well.