Return-Path: Received: from flamingo.mail.pas.earthlink.net ([207.217.120.232] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.1.1) with ESMTP id 2545569 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Sun, 24 Aug 2003 23:36:46 -0400 Received: from user-2injrei.dialup.mindspring.com ([165.121.237.210] helo=Carol) by flamingo.mail.pas.earthlink.net with smtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 19r89b-0004oQ-00 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Sun, 24 Aug 2003 20:36:27 -0700 Message-ID: <004001c36aba$060d1d90$0000a398@Carol> From: "sqpilot@earthlink" To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" References: Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Turbo flames, and spontaneous brake failures Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2003 22:36:08 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_003D_01C36A90.1C6EE390" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2720.3000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2727.1300 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003D_01C36A90.1C6EE390 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable MessageHey, Rusty....at least there was some GOOD news in there. Glad = to hear the engine is running better. Keep plugging away....you're so = close. (wish I were at that stage of construction). Paul Conner ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Russell Duffy=20 To: Rotary motors in aircraft=20 Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2003 9:52 PM Subject: [FlyRotary] Turbo flames, and spontaneous brake failures Greetings, =20 As before, I'm going to be lazy and just post my daily log. I'm sure = the turbo flame subject will make you read it :-) Rusty 8-24-03 / 8 hours / 1385 total =20 Finished up the top cowl tidbits, and tuned the engine. The A = controller was perfect, with Tracy's default settings. I did set the = staging point at 18" MAP (12" vacuum, 14" vacuum indicated on my = defective gauge), but it ran OK before I changed this too. So much for = the good news. =20 =20 The B controller was waaaaaaay rich across the board. I couldn't get = the mixture lean enough, even with the mixture knob all the way CCW, so = used mode 3 to reduce the flow rate several steps to bring the mixture = down to the point where I could center the mixture knob. I also set the = staging point at 18" MAP on the B controller, but had to do lots of = fiddling with the mixture to get the low power and staging area to = behave. It's odd, the mixture indication on the AF gauge needs to be = leaner with the B controller, than it does with the A. In other words, = on the A controller, two yellow bars rich of center is what seems to run = best at low power, but on the B controller, it's one yellow bar rich of = center. If you try to get two, it just won't run right, and can be = improved by turning the mixture knob CCW. Very strange. Don't = understand this, but it works. =20 My theory, until proven wrong, is that the intake air temp at the = throttle body is pretty darned hot. Since it was 100 degrees on the = ramp, and I'm running a turbo with no intercooler, I can imagine this to = be true. The A controller compensates for this by reducing the fuel = flow to match the very hot air. The B controller doesn't have a temp = sensor, so it assumes that the air isn't so hot, and gives me far more = fuel than I need. Yep, that EM-2 would sure tell me how hot the air = temp is :-) In the mean time, I'm going to take this as another reason = to NOT boost the engine too much at low altitude, since the air is so = hot already. =20 =20 Now, as for injector mismatch problems- it seems that the only = operational problem appears when you turn off the primary injectors = (wimpy over-rated MSD's), and try to run at low power. At higher = powers, the engine seems to function OK, but I have to turn the mixture = almost fully CCW to make the engine happy at low power. I don't see = this as a no-go problem, but would like to match these up better at some = point. I'll be sending all my unused injectors (2-MSD's, and 4- Mazda = 550's) out to someone this week to find out what they really flow. =20 =20 While testing the engine, doing everything I could think of to throw = it off, I was going from idle to full throttle, then back to idle. A = friend on the ground was shocked to see a nice flame appear at the turbo = exhaust when I closed the throttle suddenly. I hadn't noticed this = before, but I'm not surprised, or alarmed by it, because RX-7's do it = too if you take off the catalytic converters. What was more = entertaining/disturbing was when I accidentally left the cold start = switch engaged while trying to start a hot engine. The engine was too = rich to fire, but the turbo ignited the fuel, and kept a continuous = orange flame about a foot long flowing out of the exhaust pipe. I can = live without seeing that again :-) =20 For the record, both the tiny tach, and the new Equus 8068 worked = perfectly. Static rpm at 30" MAP was 4900, and at 36" MAP was 5400. = This is just a bit below the 5000 at sea level that I was looking for, = but I think I'll leave it hear for now. I'm pretty sure I have enough = power to fly :-) =20 Finally, I took the plane for a spin around the taxiway, and tried to = clean the rest of the crud from the brake discs. About half way around = the airport, I noticed that the left brake pedal would sink if I held = it. Knowing what this meant, I took it back to the hanger and found = that the flare fitting on the aluminum hose at the brake caliper just = decided to start leaking. After all the times I've tried to over-stress = these lines by standing on the brakes, it just decided that now was the = time to leak. By the time I got back to the hanger, it was just = dripping from gravity pressure. Just amazing. Of course now I have to = pull the top skin again to get to the reservoir when I fix the = connection. Rats. =20 ------=_NextPart_000_003D_01C36A90.1C6EE390 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message=
Hey, Rusty....at least there was some = GOOD news in=20 there.  Glad to hear the engine is running better.  Keep = plugging=20 away....you're so close. (wish I were at that stage of = construction).  Paul=20 Conner
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Russell=20 Duffy
Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2003 = 9:52=20 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Turbo = flames, and=20 spontaneous brake failures

Greetings,  =

As before, I'm going to be lazy and just = post my=20 daily log.  I'm sure the turbo flame subject will make you read = it=20 :-)

Rusty

8-24-03  = /  8 hours  /  1385 total

 

Finished up the top cowl tidbits, and tuned = the=20 engine.  The A = controller was=20 perfect, with Tracy=92s = default=20 settings.  I did set the = staging=20 point at 18=94 MAP (12=94 vacuum, 14=94 vacuum indicated on my = defective gauge), but=20 it ran OK before I changed this too. =20 So much for the good news. =20

 

The B controller was waaaaaaay rich across the board.  I couldn=92t get the mixture = lean=20 enough, even with the mixture knob all the way CCW, so used mode 3 to = reduce=20 the flow rate several steps to bring the mixture down to the point = where I=20 could center the mixture knob.  = I=20 also set the staging point at 18=94 MAP on the B controller, but had = to do lots=20 of fiddling with the mixture to get the low power and staging area to=20 behave.  It=92s odd, the = mixture=20 indication on the AF gauge needs to be leaner with the B controller, = than it=20 does with the A.  In = other words,=20 on the A controller, two yellow bars rich of center is what seems to = run best=20 at low power, but on the B controller, it=92s one yellow bar rich of = center. If=20 you try to get two, it just won=92t run right, and can be improved by = turning=20 the mixture knob CCW.  = Very=20 strange.  Don=92t = understand this,=20 but it works.

 

My theory, until proven wrong, is that the = intake air=20 temp at the throttle body is pretty darned hot.  Since it was 100 degrees on = the ramp,=20 and I=92m running a turbo with no intercooler, I can imagine this to = be=20 true.  The A controller=20 compensates for this by reducing the fuel flow to match the very hot = air.  The B controller doesn=92t = have a temp=20 sensor, so it assumes that the air isn=92t so hot, and gives me far = more fuel=20 than I need.  Yep, that = EM-2 would=20 sure tell me how hot the air temp is :-) In the mean time, I=92m going = to take=20 this as another reason to NOT boost the engine too much at low = altitude, since=20 the air is so hot already. =20

 

Now, as for injector mismatch problems- it = seems that=20 the only operational problem appears when you turn off the primary = injectors=20 (wimpy over-rated MSD=92s), and try to run at low power.  At higher powers, the engine = seems to=20 function OK, but I have to turn the mixture almost fully CCW to make = the=20 engine happy at low power.  = I=20 don=92t see this as a no-go problem, but would like to match these up = better at=20 some point.  I=92ll be = sending all=20 my unused injectors (2-MSD=92s, and 4- Mazda 550=92s) out to someone = this week to=20 find out what they really flow. =20

 

While testing the engine, doing everything I could think of = to throw it=20 off, I was going from idle to full throttle, then back to idle.  A friend on the ground was = shocked to=20 see a nice flame appear at the turbo exhaust when I closed the = throttle=20 suddenly.  I hadn=92t = noticed this=20 before, but I=92m not surprised, or alarmed by it, because RX-7=92s do = it too if=20 you take off the catalytic converters. =20 What was more entertaining/disturbing was when I accidentally = left the=20 cold start switch engaged while trying to start a hot engine.  The engine was too rich to = fire, but=20 the turbo ignited the fuel, and kept a continuous orange flame about a = foot=20 long flowing out of the exhaust pipe. =20 I can live without seeing that again :-)

 

For the record, both the tiny tach, and the new Equus 8068 = worked=20 perfectly.  Static rpm = at 30=94 MAP=20 was 4900, and at 36=94 MAP was 5400. =20 This is just a bit below the 5000 at sea level that I was = looking for,=20 but I think I=92ll leave it hear for now. =20 I=92m pretty sure I have enough power to fly :-)

 

Finally, I took the plane for a spin around = the=20 taxiway, and tried to clean the rest of the crud from the brake = discs.  About half way around the = airport, I=20 noticed that the left brake pedal would sink if I held it.  Knowing what this meant, I = took it=20 back to the hanger and found that the flare fitting on the aluminum = hose at=20 the brake caliper just decided to start leaking.  After all the times I=92ve = tried to=20 over-stress these lines by standing on the brakes, it just decided = that now=20 was the time to leak.  = By the time=20 I got back to the hanger, it was just dripping from gravity = pressure.  Just amazing.  Of course now I have to pull = the top=20 skin again to get to the reservoir when I fix the connection.  Rats.        

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