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After my uneventful 1600 mile detour through
Louisiana after Sun & Fun, I went out several days later and could not start
the engine. Didn't have time to trouble shoot it then, but I did
today.
The simulation modes were a great help. If put
the EC2 in mode 1 (fuel pumps off) and pushed the store button - the injectors
clicked like mad. I detached one sparkplug wire , placed a screw driver in
it and laid it on the motor mount. I put the EC2 in mode 8 (ignition) and
pressed the store button - nothing, nada, not a spark.
So I started from the circuit breaker, confirmed I had
voltage on each side. Next was a Molex circular plug which connects the
instrument panel wiring to the airframe, I have 6 of them. I
pulled the one which had the power line to the ignition coils and noticed that
the power pin did not look bright and shiny as did the others.
I sprayed some Corrosion X on it and stuck it back on - the engine fired right
up.
However, during the running it died at low rpm, so I
pulled the plug back off an got out my near vision glasses and noticed that not
only did it not look shiny but it looked slightly pitted and corroded. So
I got out some fine sand paper and clean the pin and took a small fine tooth
file and gentle "reamed" the socket. Put it back together and that
apparently did the job. I wiggled the plug quite a bit while the engine
was running and no further disruption of the ignition.
Lesson Learned? Well, way back when I was doing my wiring
(hard to believe over a decade ago), I was faced with a choice of pins - tin or
gold plated. Well, need I say which one I went with - the tin ones, they
were cheaper naturally. Later on I decided to use gold plated pins/sockets
for the critical circuits (of which this is one), but never went back and
changed this one (after all I did want to fly in my life time).
Perhaps Bob White can chime in here, my recommendation
would be to go with the gold plated pins vice the tin plated on for critical
systems especially where they might be exposed to weather (like the tip up
canopy can do).
Anyhow, back in running shape - I did pull all the
remaining plugs and squirted some Xrossions on the pins. None of the
others had the dark/pitted look to them.
Those simulations modes are really an asset in trouble
shooting. Thought I would pass this on.
Ed
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