My Senior design project - a "Swamp Thing" tracked vehicle clone

[Garauld]

I don't have plans to add a plow although the front bumper brackets are made from 3/8" plate. I may add a 60" snowblower however. I have an underutilized 20hp Onan 2-cyl engine in my shed. I thought it may be possible to mount it on a frame that plugs into the rear trailer receiver. I could then use a vari-drive pulley setup similar to a snowmobile drive to turn a driveshaft mounted in pillow blocks under the tub frame. The shaft would power the front-mounted snowblower unit. Nothing has been drawn up in Cad at this point. I want to get Snowzer running around the yard first.

 

[Garauld]

I spent the last couple of days connecting the original Echo wiring harness back up to the engine, fuel pump and battery to see if I could get it to turn over. Yes, it did, so I guess it should start (assuming I reassembled it properly) when I push it outside once the weather gets a bit warmer. I'll start dissecting the harness to remove superfluous wiring and keep working on the cab frame in the meantime. I wish I could figure out how to remove the sockets from the connector housings. I bought a special toolkit off EBay that should help with that. Does anyone have a trick on how to do it?

 

[MossRoad]

I spent the last couple of days connecting the original Echo wiring harness back up to the engine, fuel pump and battery to see if I could get it to turn over. Yes, it did, so I guess it should start (assuming I reassembled it properly) when I push it outside once the weather gets a bit warmer. I'll start dissecting the harness to remove superfluous wiring and keep working on the cab frame in the meantime. I wish I could figure out how to remove the sockets from the connector housings. I bought a special toolkit off EBay that should help with that. Does anyone have a trick on how to do it?

View attachment 592327

With the wires all over the place, it now resembles most of my projects just before I give up. :laughing:

But seriously, looking good and enjoying your progress. :thumbsup:

 

[Dave M7040]

The steel piano hinge will be 30" wide and the engine cover frame & fascia will be aluminum. Still think it is not robust enough?

Some doors on schools and institutional buildings are piano style. They support very heavy doors so if the item you are going to use does not stand up there are products which will.

Dave M7040

 

[The Fred]

Couple of thoughts,

Cab frame rugged enough to protect you during a rollover?
Radiator fan pulling hot air into the engine compartment or out so cool air will come in and evacuate the heat off the engine, fuel tank area?
Have you considered using the stock vapor canister for the gas tank? Not much worse than smelling raw gas during a nice ride.

Those connectors are a PITA, I have plenty of the special tools but still they are quite miserable to deal with. I use a pair of 300 magnifier readers and a bright light too, taking apart those things is like trying to pick a lock.

Looks nice!

 

[Garauld]

Cab frame rugged enough to protect you during a rollover?

-> Probably. The c.g. is pretty low and it would be tough to roll it.

Radiator fan pulling hot air into the engine compartment or out so cool air will come in and evacuate the heat off the engine, fuel tank area?

-> if you look at the cad images a page back or so, you would see the louvered panels near the rear of cab on each side - they are air intakes. The rear engine fan will be reversed to push the air out the rear.

Have you considered using the stock vapor canister for the gas tank? Not much worse than smelling raw gas during a nice ride.

-> I have not considered using it. The gas cap is vented and the tank is sealed. Where would the vapors come from?

 

[KubotainNH]

Cool build. Looking forward to seeing more.

 

[The Fred]

The gas cap is vented and the tank is sealed. Where would the vapors come from?

Place a gas can in your garage tonight and leave the cap cracked, in the morning after your wife bitches you out think about utilizing at the very least a charcoal canister.

Things you think are minute are easier addressed now during the building stage. Like the wiring you want to delete, it might be ok to leave some of that in case you decide to use that part of the system later. Case in point the charcoal cannister, purge valve and vent valve; they are all there for a reason just like the catalyst.

A clean running auto engine with a catalyst emits 90% less unburned hydrocarbons than a new push lawnmower.


Regards, Fred

 

[John_Mc]

The gas cap is vented and the tank is sealed. Where would the vapors come from?

Place a gas can in your garage tonight and leave the cap cracked, in the morning after your wife bitches you out think about utilizing at the very least a charcoal canister.

Things you think are minute are easier addressed now during the building stage. Like the wiring you want to delete, it might be ok to leave some of that in case you decide to use that part of the system later. Case in point the charcoal cannister, purge valve and vent valve; they are all there for a reason just like the catalyst.

A clean running auto engine with a catalyst emits 90% less unburned hydrocarbons than a new push lawnmower.


Regards, Fred

How is this any different than the lawnmower, motorcycle, ATV, or generator in my various garage/workshops? All of them are simple vented caps. My wife has never mentioned a thing about fumes from them.

 

[ArlyA]

John, I'll agree with you. From looking at Garauld's photos and prints, it appears the fuel tank is in a separate compartment from the people.

How is this any different than the lawnmower, motorcycle, ATV, or generator in my various garage/workshops? All of them are simple vented caps. My wife has never mentioned a thing about fumes from them.