Greetings,
 
I'll be lazy and post the log entry for today.  It was a good day, give or
take two ugly landings.   Cheers,
Rusty (daily log font enlarged for the visually challenged)
 
 
 
5-28-05  .5 hours  /  48.2 total

 

I used my new ACES 2015 balancer today to balance the prop.  Ended up adding
19.3 ounces of weight at one spot.  I used 1900 rpm on the prop, which works
out to be about 5300 on the engine.  This seemed to be about the worst spot,
with 6000 being just a bit lower in vibration.  The instructions say to use
a low cruise, and this is probably as low a cruise as I'll ever be at.   

AT 1900 prop rpm, the initial vibration reading was .45 ips, and the
solution was to add 18.5 gms to one spot.  I used the split weight function
to add two smaller amounts of weight to the existing spinner screw holes.
This was great, and gave a reading of .06 ips.  I then used the balancer to
calculate the diff in weight for the permanent spot inside the flange of the
spinner, and it came up with 19.14 gms.  I ended up using 19.3 gms, since
the longer screw would be more inboard, and have less effect, and also
because I'd be drilling a hole, and removing a little weight.  This was
perfecto, and the final run was also at .06 ips.  

While I had the analyzer out, I did a vibration spectrum survey at the front
hub, and at the front housing on the engine.  At the front hub, the only
peak was the prop itself.  On the front housing, there were no prominent
peaks up to 10,000 hz.  To me, this means there isn't any other significant
vibration such as rotor imbalance, flywheel, counterweights, etc.   

Took the plane for a quick spin around the area, and it's like night and
day.  No more compass spinning like it's possessed from the vibration at
full throttle.  Just dandy, and much better for my evap cores and such.    I
still hate the fuel transfer pump though.   

I can also officially report that my oil leak is gone, gone, GONE!  Temps
are awesome, but still could close the oil scoop some.  I climbed from 80 ft
to 5000 feet at 100 mph, with a ground OAT of 88 degrees.  Max oil temp was
186, and coolant was 215.  The cowl baffle keeps them in the 160's for oil,
and 180's for  water in cruise.  Running out of excuses not to fly
someplace.