Build Your Own Flow Meter

First you need to contact an air filter company that handles industrial air filters and Dwyer products. Then you need to order a 0-100" water gauge Magnehelic (Dwyer) and a 0-10 SCFH flow meter (Dwyer) that does not have a valve in it. What you do is connect a propane fuel torch (the basic kind) source w/valve to the + side of the magnehelic using barb air fittings and silicone fuel tubing. The (-) side of the magnehelic is open to the atmosphere however plug the other two Hi and low pressure ports to the mag with plugs so that you only have one + and one (-) port. Since you have connected the tubing from the propane source to the + side of the magnehelic, now tee this line and send it to the bottom of the 0-10 SCFH flow meter gauge. Out of the top of the 0-10 SCFH flow meter connect a piece of tubing and from this point run the tubing to the carb inlet fuel fitting before your needle valve. Test the carb with 40" W.G. (1.33psi) and read your flow with your carb at W.O.T.(wide open throttle). Make sure that your gauges stay vertical and keep all tubing lengths the same size and length. Run your boat and adjust your needle until you obtain a good run and then flow your carb and check the setting with the flow meter. You may use this as a baseline for your readings. While I have you here may I add that to the best of my knowledge, a lot of credit needs to be bestowed to Mr.Tom Hyner (IMPBA 2083) for fathering this technological application to our model boats. Tom is one of the older racers out of the Detroit area who was a Wolverine Miniature Race Boat Association member. Mostly a straight-away time trials racer, Tom and I put on many straight-away record events up at Thread Lake, in Flint, MI back in the mid eighties when thumbs were popular and "F" records were in the early 80 mph range and not many people were into it. Tom is the only person that I know of to first use the flow meter that many of us racers use today. I was just lucky to have him as a friend and he shared this idea with me when allot of racers viewed this as voodoo magic stuff! So if you ever see Tom Hyner at the record trials in Flint, MI please tell him thanks and by the way... he's into some awesome inline twin motors that he makes himself! I have always admired his custom inline O.S. Max .46 inline twin and he had some .60's as well (inlines of course!). Well... that's the scoop...remember No Smoking when you use your flow meter otherwise you may become smoked!!! Happy boating...

Dwight Holien IMPBA 8073