X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from [24.25.9.100] (HELO ms-smtp-01-eri0.southeast.rr.com) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.0.6) with ESMTP id 930289 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Tue, 17 Jan 2006 16:39:46 -0500 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=24.25.9.100; envelope-from=eanderson@carolina.rr.com Received: from edward2 (cpe-024-074-025-165.carolina.res.rr.com [24.74.25.165]) by ms-smtp-01-eri0.southeast.rr.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with SMTP id k0HLcuSt015446 for ; Tue, 17 Jan 2006 16:38:57 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <001301c61bae$6f94ccc0$2402a8c0@edward2> From: "Ed Anderson" To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" References: Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Auto v 100LL Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 16:39:03 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0010_01C61B84.86773470" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2180 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 X-Virus-Scanned: Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C61B84.86773470 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi, Tom, I fly using 100LL 95% of the time. For the reason you mentioned, auto gas is not normally available on = cross country trips. However, as in aircraft, spark plugs can foul from = carbon and lead. Auto spark plugs for some reason seem more susceptible = than aircraft spark plugs to lead fouling (my opinion). We have called = this the SAG (Sparkplug Attention Getter), because the engine = performance sags when this happens. EGT will drop approx 300F on the = affected rotor and rpm will drop off and it WILL get your attention.=20 Before I learned to recognize its early symptoms, I once took off on a = hot day fully loaded and had SAG on both rotors - which did adversely = affect performance and condition of my seat cushion, but I was still = climbing at over 500 fpm which was more than the Cessna 150 did on its = good days {:>). So I circled the airport until I reached 5000 feet and = then by pulling back on the throttle made the SAG go away and flew on to = Memphis, Tenn. However, I have found after 300+ hours of flying over six years that if = you change spark plugs around 20-25 hours you'll have no fouling = problems. Even when it happens, its a gradual thing - which if you = recognize the cause of the engine sub performance - can be immediately = rectified by replacing the plugs. But, if you don't it will start to = happen more frequently and for longer duration. As you might imagine you can accumulate a lot of spark plugs over six = years changing them every 25 hours and other than the lead fouling they = clearly are serviceable for at least another 25 hours (probably more). = You can sand blast them and get the lead off the ceramic cone but of = course that erodes the electrodes. Therefore, I am looking for an = elusive solution that would dissolve the lead. With Auto gas, Tracy Crook, is reporting over 150 perhaps closer to 200 = hours before replacement. Hope this helps Ed ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Thomas Phy=20 To: Rotary motors in aircraft=20 Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 2:58 PM Subject: [FlyRotary] Auto v 100LL OK, so do the pilots flying use auto gas or can I use avgas? Hay, I'm = into saving $ and use auto gas, but if I'm going X/C, it's not always = available. I don't want to worry about sparkplugs fouling or racking up = gliding time (nothing against gliders mind you) Don't want to scare my = wife w/horror stories. She already thinks I'm crazy, no need to prove = her correct,,, again! Tom RV-7 PROSEALING ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C61B84.86773470 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hi, Tom, I fly using 100LL 95% of the = time.
 
  For the reason you mentioned, auto gas is = not=20 normally available on cross country trips.  However, as in = aircraft, spark=20 plugs can foul from carbon and lead.  Auto spark plugs for some = reason seem=20 more susceptible than aircraft spark plugs to lead fouling (my = opinion). =20 We have called this the SAG (Sparkplug Attention Getter), because the = engine=20 performance sags when this happens.  EGT will drop approx 300F on = the=20 affected rotor and rpm will drop off and it WILL get your=20 attention. 
 
Before I learned to recognize its early = symptoms, I once=20 took off on a hot day fully loaded and had SAG on both rotors - which = did=20 adversely affect performance and condition of my seat cushion, but I was = still=20 climbing at over 500 fpm which was more than the Cessna 150 did on its = good days=20 {:>).   So I circled the airport until I reached 5000 feet = and then=20 by pulling back on the throttle made the SAG go away and flew on to = Memphis,=20 Tenn.
 
However, I have found after 300+ hours of flying = over six=20 years that if you change spark plugs around 20-25 hours you'll have no = fouling=20 problems.  Even when it happens, its a gradual thing - which if you = recognize the cause of the engine sub performance - can be immediately = rectified=20 by replacing the plugs.  But, if you don't it will start to = happen=20 more frequently and for longer duration.
 
As you might imagine you can accumulate a lot of = spark=20 plugs over six years changing them every 25 hours and other than the = lead=20 fouling they clearly are serviceable for at least another 25 hours = (probably=20 more).  You can sand blast them and get the lead off the ceramic = cone but=20 of course that erodes the electrodes.  Therefore, I am looking for = an=20 elusive solution that would dissolve the lead.
 
With Auto gas, Tracy Crook, is reporting over = 150 perhaps=20 closer to 200 hours before replacement.
 
Hope this helps
 
Ed
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Thomas Phy =
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 = 2:58=20 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Auto v = 100LL

OK, so do the pilots flying use auto = gas or can I=20 use avgas? Hay, I'm into saving $ and use auto gas, but if I'm going = X/C, it's=20 not always available. I don't want to worry about sparkplugs fouling = or=20 racking up gliding time (nothing against gliders mind you)  Don't = want to=20 scare my wife w/horror stories. She already thinks I'm crazy, no need = to prove=20 her correct,,, again!
Tom RV-7=20 PROSEALING
------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C61B84.86773470--