Q: At or around sea level in a non-turbo airplane, like a 152 or a 172, should you lean your air fuel mixture for takeoff?
Buyer beware
Please help me! Some of you who know me are probably saying I’ve needed help for years, but this is something even more serious than helping some old guy who’s been in this industry for a long time. I’m asking all of you to do your small part in getting the word out about the importance of getting a good pre-purchase inspection before buying an airplane.
Ask Paul: What is proper timing for my engine?
Q: I am an Italian homebuilder of a Van’s RV-3. I read on the Internet that you are an expert of Lycoming and I want to impose on your kindness. I am ready to make the timing on my Lycoming O-290 D2 but there is a little doubt about the timing degrees because the O-290 is not a common engine in Italy, as it was used only by the Italian Army in a PA18. An AD issued in 1954 changed the timing at 18° (label on engine) to prevent detonation, probably with 80/87 fuel. If I use 100LL, will I have to change the timing? Many thanks in advance and sorry for my bad English.
PIERO PETA
Ask Paul: Should I worry about my #2 cylinder?
Q: I had my Lycoming 0-360-A1A rebuilt at Victor Aviation in 2001 — new crank, new cam, new pistons with new Millennium cylinders. The engine, which now has about 400 hours on it, has digital cylinder head gauge probes in each cylinder. My question: On a warm summer day in Alaska (75°F), with a load in the plane on floats, during climb out, the #2 cylinder head temperature hits 400°F. [Read more…]
Ask Paul: Solving a mystery
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming.
Q: Here is my mystery: I have a Geronimo Apache equipped with 0-360-A1As. The left engine is about 1,200 SMOH, the right engine is about 700 SMOH. They both had oil pressure of 85 psi in cruise and about 50 psi taxiing in after a flight. At about 1,150 SMOH, the LE began to show low oil pressure. It slowly, over about 20 hours, started dropping in cruise from about 85 psi to about 65 psi and down to 30-35 psi taxiing in. I thought bottom end bearings. [Read more…]
Failure to check fuel leads to fuel exhaustion
This March 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Cessna 210. Injuries: 2 Serious. Location: Madera, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot was entering the traffic pattern at his home airport. He switched to the left tank. As he continued in the pattern he asked his pilot-rated passenger if he would like to make a landing for currency. When the passenger said yes, the pilot changed his planned full-stop landing to a touch-and-go. [Read more…]
Frozen wheel compromises landing
This March 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Hazen, Idaho. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot took off from an airport where there was snow, water, and slush on the taxiways. He landed at another airport for fuel and then departed for his destination. The approach and touchdown at the destination airport was normal but when the pilot applied the brakes, the plane veered to the left and the left main wheel went off the runway. [Read more…]
Tips to install an oil cooler
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming.
Q: We have a Citabria 7ECA with a Lycoming O-235-C1 engine. We live in East Texas, where summers are very long and very hot. Even with an external oil filter with a blast air tube, the oil temps push 220°+ on normal altitude flights, even when babying the air speed and climb rate (which means that we need to climb to pattern altitude to get from cruise to landing configuration. Not really, but the old joke does illustrate the point.) We think we need an oil cooler.
Ask Paul: What’s up with my oil temperature?
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming.
Q: I’ve been having trouble with my Lycoming O-360-AIA engine for some time. The oil temperature is running about 200° on a cool day. The head temperature is in med green.
I have completed the following to determine the problem: A few months ago a new temperature control oil cooler by-pass unit was installed; and I checked the oil temperature probe by placing it in boiling water. The instrument in the aircraft read about 200°.
The oil cooler is a Positech with six tubes. The air source is an outside air inlet. I believe that the air flow is enough to cool the oil. I have no way to check. I have asked around the airport for help but this has not been fruitful.
GARY QUESTA, via e-mail
A: Gary, after reading your e-mail, I could hardly get the smile off my face. I don’t quite know how to tell you this, but most Lycoming engine operators would really like to have that kind of oil temperature on their engine.
Let’s look at some of the important things about oil temperature. [Read more…]
Ask Paul: Why are holes larger than dowel pins?
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming.
Q: I recently saw your article about Narrow Deck vs. Wide Deck and believe you are just the person to ask this question. A fellow AMT has been field overhauling his Lycoming O-360A1A engine. It is a “first run engine” out of an early Mooney. It is a Narrow Deck engine. (Yes, I know it is way past the 12 year time frame).
Here is the issue: The engine has small “stepped” dowel pins in the case half main bearing saddles (where the main bearings are installed). The removed bearings (original from factory) have small holes to match the small dowel pins. The new bearings (except for the forward {long} bearing) have much larger holes for the dowel pins. [Read more…]