got the parts for the next step here now:
that's a crank tone wheel from a Ford Triton V10 (40-1 teeth), a steel v-belt pulley and an interference fit collar for the crank.
I was surprised how difficult it was to get a steel v-belt pulley instead of a cast iron one. all i could find was this 5/16ths one instead of a 1/2" but i'll make it work.
everything needs to get welded together and onto the prop flange and we'll be in business.
I also ordered two of these: http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/hall … p-489.html (threaded body hall effect sensors)
there are a few reasons for the change from the previous crank/cam sensors:
1)it was noisy as hell
2)it was beating up the alternator bearings. the alternator expects some level of give in it's drive.
3)my ratio was a bit off, the alternator wasn't charging enough at the target idle RPM
4)the crank walks back and forth about 1/10" or so.
I hadn't expected the ability for the crank to move like that, nothing looks out of place, i think it's just a fact of this motor. in it's normal application it would have quite a bit of forward pre-load and there's no need to stop it from going the other way. the front loading surface is a roller bearing. the rear surface is a thrust bushing. this caused my gap sensor to catch on the toothed wheel. damage was definitely accumulating, not sure how long it would last.
with the new setup, crank walk won't affect anything as long as it does not runout more than 2mm, we'll be in business.
Then, for the cam pulse, i'm debating what i want to do.
option 1) just do without. i can lie to megasquirt and tell it that it's running a 10cylinder even fire waste spark motor. everything will run right, but the scaling on the fuel values will be all wrong.
option 2) install a hall effect sensor in the valve cover of the #1 intake valve. the sensor can detect when the valve is depressed and get me my 720degree synchronization pulse.
here's a pic to make it a bit clearer
the nice thing is i've been thinking about this one for a bit. so i even have an extra valve cover that isn't in very good shape (it's cracked in a few spots) so it would be no loss to modify it.
my thought is to try option 2 and if i can't get it to work right, screw it and go to option #1.