"Name That Outboard"

[Jeff Akers]

Well lets see, we have carbs and throttle body's from an OMC V- ? looper, A custom billet intake manifold, twin fuel pumps/with a manual primer,The tower and expansion chamber are custom pieces mated to a 45 gearcase. The ignition and cylinder head is were things get a little tricky. It looks like he's running dual OMC 2cyl power packs going to four dual OMC coil assemblies and then to the "custom 8 plug head". The main thing I don't understand is were the other two sets of ignition primary leads are coming from. Unless he has just spliced into each of the existing leads coming from each pack...... It will be interesting to know why you thought it needed 8 plugs to fire the little beast

Interesting Ideas Tim, I would love to try it out on my boat to see what it would do in comparison to my 3 cylinder.

[Powerabout]

There is another thread on this head courtesy of Tim
I asked about the ignition on that

[Mark75H]

This is an APBA FE/850 legal engine that began life as a 45SS.

I see more than the 2 carbs that the 44.9 twin is limited to in 850/FE

[Tomtall]

I see more than the 2 carbs that the 44.9 twin is limited to in 850/FE

Sam - Are you sure there are 4 carbs. here. Look at the 90 hp OMC parts list and see what part is called the carb.

[Mark75H]

Hmmm ... so Tim intends to use the parts list description and the fact that they have a single shaft to claim they are tall 2 barrel carbs meeting the letter of "that same manufacturer's carburetors"

[Tomtall]

Yes I believe that is his intent. The block that the throttle shaft goes thru is called the carburetor in the parts description.

[Tim Kurcz]

Jeff has most of the hardware correct (carbs are from an OMC 90HP V-4) except the inlet manifold is a casting - fully machined for weight reduction. The midsection is my copy of Rich Welch's six cylinder Parker box tower, improved with a vernier thrust control similar to the 45SS, but on a Merc clamp & swivel. It uses a yoke to encircle the pivot pin, but why? And we all recognize the 45SS gearcase; fast, bullet proof, and parts are readily available.

As for ignition, the second set of ignition primaries are indeed spliced. But can you explain how it fires 4 plugs per cylinder? The next question is what benefit might 4 plugs (firing simultaneously) do for the engine and why?

Sam is concerned that there are four carbs instead of two. The parts list clearly shows that each two barrel is only one carb, and FE/850 rules clearly state two of "any OMC make/model carburetor" for this powerhead. These just happen to be vertical instead of horizontal shaft. But why choose these?

There are a few other mysteries yet to be identified. Keep thinking and see where the images take you. Good luck!

Tim

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

From the time I first got interested in racing engines of all kinds, I read everything I could find about the proprietor of the "Best Damn Garage in Town", Smokey Yunick. For all those who followed NASCAR and INDY CAR in the years after WWII and into the 80's, he was the leader in ingenious interpretation of whatever rule books governed whatever type racing he was involved in. He was mostly involved with 4 strokes, but lots of what he theorized about and came up with had possible applications with 2 strokes also. He was a mastermind at getting out of the rule book what would benefit him, and usually those loopholes went right over everyone elses head. He really was an innovator and original thinker. If you want more information about one of the most innovative mechanic/builders in the history of internal combustion engines, there are several books, including his autobiography available. I am sure if you googled his name, much information about him could be found. Harry Pasturczak, who many who frequent this forum have heard of and knew, was much the same type thinker insofar as getting the maximum from an engine, by trying unusual and out of the box thinking and modification.


All that being said, I have read, and looked at pictures of engines that Tim Kurz has built that have information about them published on BRF. I especially was interested in Sam's comment about the carb being used on the most recent engine shown, and then Tom's comments about the whole assembly being called a "carb" not withstanding it having two barrels or venturi's. This type of rule interpretation by Tim is worthy of coming from Smokey himself, and this is what more of is needed in boat racing today. I especially would like to see Tim Kurz spend some time on a PRO engine, as his original thinking, factory like workmanship, and general engineering knowhow are obvious from the information and pictures posted about his engines on this thread. At this time anyway, most of the engine builders for the PRO Category are competitors themselves, and there is always the thought you don't get everything from someone building your engine that you also compete against. Human nature at work again.

I wish I had known about him after Harry passed away in the early 90's, if he was doing this type work then, as I surely would have wanted him to try some things with my RB engines.

[Allen J. Lang]

Hi Tim- Can you hear the gears turning as they try to figure out what you devised? Who gets the honors of testing? What else do you have up your sleeve?
Al

[Powerabout]

Jeff has most of the hardware correct (carbs are from an OMC 90HP V-4) except the inlet manifold is a casting - fully machined for weight reduction. The midsection is my copy of Rich Welch's six cylinder Parker box tower, improved with a vernier thrust control similar to the 45SS, but on a Merc clamp & swivel. It uses a yoke to encircle the pivot pin, but why? And we all recognize the 45SS gearcase; fast, bullet proof, and parts are readily available.

As for ignition, the second set of ignition primaries are indeed spliced. But can you explain how it fires 4 plugs per cylinder? The next question is what benefit might 4 plugs (firing simultaneously) do for the engine and why?

Sam is concerned that there are four carbs instead of two. The parts list clearly shows that each two barrel is only one carb, and FE/850 rules clearly state two of "any OMC make/model carburetor" for this powerhead. These just happen to be vertical instead of horizontal shaft. But why choose these?

There are a few other mysteries yet to be identified. Keep thinking and see where the images take you. Good luck!

Tim

Your trying to get it to meet current emission regs?
Your running nitro and thats hard to light and burns slow?

Charge coil split to a pak on either side, coil output split to the '2 coil paks' and one on each side = 4
Triggers obviously split as well
Easy to make staggered throttle with those vertical shafts.
How fast does it idle with all those butterflys or are the stb set customs?
Great job Tim