----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Anderson" <eanderson@carolina.rr.com>
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 11:14 AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: air pocket in cooling system


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "sqpilot@earthlink" <sqpilot@earthlink.net>
> To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
> Sent: Monday, March 08, 2004 10:07 PM
> Subject: [FlyRotary] air pocket in cooling system
>
>
> > Hi, fellow rotary enthusiasts.  I decided to temporarily take the
> thermostat
> > out of my 13b for initial run-ups, testing and ECU programming.  When I
> > removed the thermostat, there was coolant right up to the bottom edge of
> the
> > thermostat. However, you could look up and see the water temp sensor,
and
> it
> > was in an air pocket.
>
> >      I've been following the many posts that are currently being sent
> > discussing cooling issues.  I have installed the "closed" system, with a
> > pressurized expansion tank with the radiator cap on the aluminum
expansion
> >  about something like 60 seconds or more like 5 minutes ?  I
> > installed a "real" throttle cable and throttle assembly today. No more
> coat
> > hanger run-ups.  Thanks so much for everyones assistance here.  Paul
> Conner,
> > 13b powered SQ2000 canard
> >
> >
> Paul, I would recommend no more than a 60 second full power run up to burp
> the engine.  I find it takes me about 3 such run ups to purge 95% of the
> air.  Also, if you radiator is oriented somewhat vertically, you can
> generally place your hand on the radiator side tanks and tell where the
air
> and coolant line is.  The tank will be noticeably hotter below that line
and
> cooler above it.  You can monitor your purging process after each run by
> again determining where that line is and it should keep rising higher as
the
> coolant replaces the air pocket.    That's for my system of course and
> anyone with radiator cores that may trap air.
>
> Ed Anderson
>
> Thanks, Ed....I won't be able to do full-power run-ups as my propeller is
not yet installed, but I can limit it to around 4000 RPM's and see how that
works out.  I am likely to follow Neil's suggestion and install a small 1/8"
NPT plug in the -16 AN elbow that comes out of the top of my water pump
(above the thermostat). As this is the highest point on the engine, it makes
sense that I could do the "final" filling from that hole, then just
re-install the plug.
    I removed the thermostat, but now I'm thinking that if I am successful
in purging all of the air out of my system, it will all be for naught, as
when I re-install my thermostat, I will loose a lot of coolant, and have to
start all over with the purging.  Oh well, no-one said this was going to be
easy.  Thanks again, Ed for your experienced guidance.  Paul Conner
>
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