Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #46427
From: Don Wallker <drwalker@gbis.com>
Subject: Not developing full power.
Date: Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:47:30 -0700
To: <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Now that I have the cooling problem well on the way to being solved.  It's time to ask you guys about not developing full power.  The RV-8 flys great,but is only producing what feels like 150 hp or so. At this point in the engine development, I'm not feeling confidant enough to take it much outside of the traffic pattern.  Running strong as long as a don't take off on B controller.  I'm only getting 6400 RPM or so in flight and the throttle won't give any more power past the 2/3rds point.  66mm ford TB
I spent this morning running it on the ground  and have some data that my shed some light on the situation.

                  R1 EGT       R2 EGT       prop RPM                               manifold pressure EM-2
Both  inj on      1570             1589              5850  at midrange O2                  25.0
Both, rich        1710              1450              5890                                           27.8
Sec only          1530               1570              5900 at midrange O2                 26.5         Pri only            1606               1587             5443 at midrange O2                 27.9

The interesting thing is that I am getting about the same power using one or the other set of injectors.  What I am doing is tying off the plane to my truck, running it to full throttle and then turning off one set of injectors and then the other and recording the info.  Could it be that I am flooding on rotor 2 with both sets on?  I'm not seeing it on the O2 mixture graph.  I'm running with the cowl off for better cooling and have temporarily added a radiator fan.  This gives me 2 or 3 mins more run time.  It also cools things down faster for the next run.  Unfortunately, the manifold reading don't mean anything.  The numbers jump around on the  EM-2 from 19 to28.  I just took down the ones that seem to be displayed the most.  Hummm?  Engine running smooth.  This jumping around has been like this from the beginning.  I have lines running to ports on the front of the manifold and rear and have them teed together and then to the EC-2.  Yes, the lines are tight on the EC-2.  My mechanical gauge is smooth.  I doubt the pressure is fluxuating.  I think the signal is being distorted somewhere. Additionally, When I switch off one of the Injector banks, the RPM display on the EM-2 goes to 0.  Not NOP.  This happen with both the Primary and secondary injectors banks.
I  have always had a problem with Controlled B.  It does not seem to copy from A.  I have tried this many times, with all other power in the plane off.  It is quite different running on B than A and I have to adjust the mixture a lot as I advance the throttle.  These engine running conditions are also happening when I turn everything but the essential buss off.
I've tried some of the things you all have suggested.  Disconnecting the Hushpower 2.  Louder but no real RPM diffferance.  It's about the same loudness as an unmuffled O-540.  For those of you that don't know,  I have a tangential muffler in series and acting as a manifold.  I even turboed it this morning by attaching the shop blower to the intake to pressurize the intake to make sure there is not an 'eddie' in the intake manifold that is preventing air to flow to rotor 2.  All I got was about 50 more RPM and the same EGTs.  Didn't record the manifold pressure.  I've switched the injectors,  no difference.  Some possible solutions would be to weld on a bung to each rotor exhaust and add a switch  to see where the individual rotor are as far as O2 is concerned.    Another solution is to  swap out someone else's EC-2 that is set up for Renesis and the small primary injectors and the large secondary.  Anybody?  The fact that B controller won't copy makes me think there may be a problem here.  Another possible solution it to rewire using Joe's suggestion from yesterday of using twisted pairs, although if this is the problem, it is happening on the power wires and not the signal ones.  Another is to use Tracy's suggestion from his post today to put the EM-2 and EC-2 on it's own breaker.  My setup now as per Tracy's original diagram,  a non critical buss that has the EM-2, instruments, radios, flaps,etc. on it and a critical buss with coils, injectors, fuel pumps and EC-2 on it.  I'm thinking there is one common cause.  Well, at least hoping!
Your thoughts, suggestions, admonitions

Don Walker
N113BR

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