X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from qmta09.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net ([76.96.30.96] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.4.1) with ESMTP id 5083927 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Sat, 06 Aug 2011 09:40:57 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=76.96.30.96; envelope-from=hoursaway1@comcast.net Received: from omta05.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net ([76.96.30.43]) by qmta09.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net with comcast id H0rq1h0010vp7WLA91gJBJ; Sat, 06 Aug 2011 13:40:18 +0000 Received: from sz0081.ev.mail.comcast.net ([76.96.26.137]) by omta05.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net with comcast id H1gL1h00l2xV6SL8R1gMNt; Sat, 06 Aug 2011 13:40:21 +0000 Date: Sat, 6 Aug 2011 13:40:17 +0000 (UTC) From: hoursaway1@comcast.net To: Rotary motors in aircraft Message-ID: <1569002261.195743.1312638017295.JavaMail.root@sz0081a.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net> In-Reply-To: Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Fwd: Flex plate cracks MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_195742_1412242415.1312638017294" X-Originating-IP: [76.20.137.185] X-Mailer: Zimbra 6.0.10_GA_2706 (ZimbraWebClient - IE8 (Win)/6.0.10_GA_2697) ------=_Part_195742_1412242415.1312638017294 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Chad, more than likely the cause of the bent plate was caused by some auto = mechanic in the past that did not know not to pry on the flex-plate with hi= s giant screwdriver-prybar he just bought from the Mac, Snap-on, Matco, Cor= nwell,=C2=A0 tool truck while trying to get the trans to brake free from th= e eng. block-to-trans alignment pins that are all corroded because the manu= facturer didn't apply a little grease to the pins at assem.=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0 Hows that for a short rant.=C2=A0 I see this often on all brands in my = shop.=C2=A0=C2=A0 David R. Cook=C2=A0=C2=A0 RV6A Rotary=C2=A0 ( I drilled &= installed pins in two of the thin single bolt stand-offs on the RWS RD-1B = so they could not turn & hit flex-plate if bolt came loose at all, & yes I = applied some lube to the stainless steel pins to help prevent corrosion so = the technician working on it can actually get it apart without creating mor= e damage. )=20 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chad Robinson" =20 To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" =20 Sent: Friday, August 5, 2011 10:04:51 PM=20 Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Fwd: Flex plate cracks=20 On 8/5/2011 9:08 PM, Charlie England wrote:=20 > I was moving stuff around in the hangar today& =C2=A0picked up my salvage= =20 > yard flex=20 > plate. Found two 3/4" cracks: down from 9 o'clock& =C2=A0up from 3 o'cloc= k=20 > holes in=20 > the pic. Plate has never flown AFAIK.=20 The timing of this whole conversation is eerie. Literally 24 hours=20 before it was first posted I had finally installed my starter and turned=20 my engine over for the first time. When I did, I noticed visible runout=20 in my flex plate ring gear (the whole plate had runout - I just noticed=20 it because I was making sure my starter alignment was good).=20 I initially contacted Tracy to see if it was acceptable, but the number=20 he pulled from thin air for what might be acceptable was a small=20 fraction of what I had - mine was like 3/16". It was very noticeable.=20 SO, when the whole hoopla erupted on the list that sealed it for me and=20 I decided to tear it out and put a new one in. I lucked across an eBay=20 seller with THREE flex plates, and at only $40 each I just said "f---=20 it" and bought them all. I'm glad I did. One of the three had runout of=20 its own - not as much as my first plate, but definitely not a choice=20 part. I ended up installing the best of the three.=20 Close examination of these three seems to suggest that some stress=20 during use caused the warp (heat?). They don't appear to be=20 manufacturing tolerances. I understand Lynn's point about that and don't=20 disagree, it's just that all of mine have visible indications of wear=20 and tear to varying degrees. If somebody had a transmission seize or=20 hydro-locked their engine, this part is right in the chain to take some=20 abuse there... It might be worth establishing some guidelines for what's=20 acceptable in this part.=20 Regards,=20 Chad=20 --=20 Homepage: =C2=A0http://www.flyrotary.com/=20 Archive and UnSub: =C2=A0 http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/flyrotary/= List.html=20 ------=_Part_195742_1412242415.1312638017294 Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <= div style=3D'font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000'>Chad, mor= e than likely the cause of the bent plate was caused by some auto mechanic = in the past that did not know not to pry on the flex-plate with his giant s= crewdriver-prybar he just bought from the Mac, Snap-on, Matco, Cornwell,&nb= sp; tool truck while trying to get the trans to brake free from the eng. bl= ock-to-trans alignment pins that are all corroded because the manufacturer = didn't apply a little grease to the pins at assem.    Hows t= hat for a short rant.  I see this often on all brands in my shop. = ;  David R. Cook   RV6A Rotary  ( I drilled & insta= lled pins in two of the thin single bolt stand-offs on the RWS RD-1B so the= y could not turn & hit flex-plate if bolt came loose at all, & yes = I applied some lube to the stainless steel pins to help prevent corrosion s= o the technician working on it can actually get it apart without creating m= ore damage. )

From: "Chad Robinson" <crobinson@medialantern.com>
To: <= /B>"Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Se= nt: Friday, August 5, 2011 10:04:51 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] R= e: Fwd: Flex plate cracks

On 8/5/2011 9:08 PM, Charlie England wrote= :
> I was moving stuff around in the hangar today&  picked u= p my salvage
> yard flex
> plate. Found two 3/4" cracks: down = from 9 o'clock&  up from 3 o'clock
> holes in
> the p= ic. Plate has never flown AFAIK.
The timing of this whole conversation i= s eerie. Literally 24 hours
before it was first posted I had finally in= stalled my starter and turned
my engine over for the first time. When I= did, I noticed visible runout
in my flex plate ring gear (the whole pl= ate had runout - I just noticed
it because I was making sure my starter= alignment was good).

I initially contacted Tracy to see if it was a= cceptable, but the number
he pulled from thin air for what might be acc= eptable was a small
fraction of what I had - mine was like 3/16". It wa= s very noticeable.

SO, when the whole hoopla erupted on the list tha= t sealed it for me and
I decided to tear it out and put a new one in. I= lucked across an eBay
seller with THREE flex plates, and at only $40 e= ach I just said "f---
it" and bought them all. I'm glad I did. One of t= he three had runout of
its own - not as much as my first plate, but def= initely not a choice
part. I ended up installing the best of the three.=

Close examination of these three seems to suggest that some stress =
during use caused the warp (heat?). They don't appear to be
manufac= turing tolerances. I understand Lynn's point about that and don't
disag= ree, it's just that all of mine have visible indications of wear
and te= ar to varying degrees. If somebody had a transmission seize or
hydro-lo= cked their engine, this part is right in the chain to take some
abuse t= here... It might be worth establishing some guidelines for what's
accep= table in this part.

Regards,
Chad


--
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