109jb

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Everything posted by 109jb



  1. 109jb added a post in a topic Rotax 582 power loss diagnosis   

    I realized that I never updated on this.  It turned out that the pump was bad. I ordered a rebuild kit and replaced everything even though none of the old parts looked bad in any way. I know that it was the pump however because when I got it done I found that the fuel pressures were very steady on the gauge. Before I rebuilt it I always had some fluctuation on the gauge that I assumed was normal. With the new parts in the pump the gauge reading at cruise is very steady. It varies with RPM, but once an engine speed is selected the fuel pressure is steady. The pulse pump will be on an every year rebuild cycle since it is only $15 for a genuine Mikuni rebuild kit.
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  2. 109jb added a post in a topic Stopped project   

    Sorry to hear this. Condolences to you and your family.
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  3. 109jb added a post in a topic Tiny Tach problems   

    Not sure what I'm doing different, but I have one on the Kitfox, and 3 others on lawn maintenance equipment. Over the years I have had others as well. All have worked great. Some are/were stored outside and I have never had a issue with any of them. Of the 4 I currently have, I have one genuine tiny tach and 3 import copies. The import ones you can change the battery. On the genuine one if the internal battery dies then that's it since it isn't replaceable.
    @Yamma-Fox - I have that same digital hall effect tach on my milling machine. On that it works excellent.
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  4. 109jb added a post in a topic HKS install   

    Looking good!!
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  5. 109jb added a post in a topic Adding dual brakes - Matco MC-1   

    I used MC-1 on one side and non-reservoir MC-4A master cylinders on the other side. My MC-1's have the mod done and everything works great.
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  6. 109jb added a post in a topic Determening wing twist   

    Personally I don't see why any twist is required. A rectangular wing planform stalls root first naturally and progresses out to the tips. Twist is generally to prevent tip stall, but can be for performance. On a kitfox I can't see twist helping performance much if at all.  I also have a Sonerai with rectangular wing and that one has no twist and stalls fine with no crazy wing drop.  Since I'm not building from scratch I won't be changing what I have, but if I were building from scratch I may just leave the twist out.
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  7. 109jb added a post in a topic Adding dual brakes - Matco MC-1   

    There is a simple fix if you have some mechanical ability. Here is the matco SB on it.
    http://www.matcomfg.com/ServicebulletinForMC1PressureLock-idv-2661-23.html
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  8. 109jb added a post in a topic Determening wing twist   

    Just for information, the Kitfox IV has 0.5" twist.
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  9. 109jb added a post in a topic Rescued Avid Model C SN573   

    If possible, I would personally stick to the same covering system.  If it is polyfiber with a polytone top finish it is very easy to stay with polyfiber, and the color should match. The only reason I would switch from what is already there is if it is problematic to stay with the polyfiber system. The only reason that would be the case is if the top coat color is aerothane or something other than polytone. To tell the truth, even if the top coat was aerothane I would still stay with the same covering system. 
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  10. 109jb added a post in a topic Kitfox 4 rebuild   

    The more I look at your plane the more I think I may have to go with a smooth cowl on my IV rebuild. It just look soooo nice.
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  11. 109jb added a post in a topic Inspection covers location   

    Inspection covers are placed in order to inspect or perform maintenance. On a Piper for example they are placed to get at the drag and anti-drag wire fittings, bellcranks, pulleys, etc. On a kitfox there are riveted and bonded drag/anti-drag tubes, not wires with clevises, and a kitfox has no internal wing controls. With a removable wingtip, you can see down through the entire structure. If you want a closer look, you can buy a USB inspection camera that can be inserted from the removable tip to look at any spot in a kitfox wing. I recently bought one for about $20. Also, even on production airplanes many of the inspection rings are placed in case of needed maintenance but not cut out until needed, hence no cover. I would not be putting a bunch of inspection covers on just to satisfy an inspection cover happy A&P.
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  12. 109jb added a post in a topic Scottsbluff area Avid owner   

    If it is an experimental amateur-built then anyone can do all of the maintenance with the exception of the annual condition inspection. That needs either the original builder with the repairman certificate for that specific airplane, or an A&P. The A&P dos not have to have an inspection authorization.
    For doing all of the maintenance except the condition inspection you aren't required to have any specific training. For an ELSA you would be required to take training for each ELSA for which you get a repairman certificate. I believe it is a 16 hour course.
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  13. 109jb added a post in a topic solo in my avid C   

    Very nice. You have a good looking bird.
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  14. 109jb added a post in a topic flying !!   

    Oh.  I see now from the first pic that someone is in the left seat. He was ducked down and I thought you were solo from the right seat.
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  15. 109jb added a post in a topic flying !!   

    Very nice looking airplane and congratulations on the flight.
    I'm surprised you flew it from the right seat with no brakes on that side? 
    Also it looks like your rudder pedals are not reinforced.  Not sure about Avid Flyers, but on Kitfoxes they recommend reinforcing them due to some breakage that occurred. Here is link to the Kitfox Service letter and a thread on TeamKitfox about it.
    https://www.kitfoxaircraft.com/images/serviceletters/SL-47.pdf
    https://teamkitfox.com/Forums/threads/7605-Model-IV-Rudder-pedal-AD/page2?highlight=rudder+pedal+reinforcement
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  16. 109jb added a post in a topic Rotax 582 power loss diagnosis   

    Thanks. It was a surprisingly calm event.  I'm sure that is because I was over miles of farm fields that had just been planted so consequently I had miles of pretty smooth dirt to land on if needed. I guess that's one benefit of living in flat Illinois. I actually glided for what seemed like a while before I had the thought to use the primer. Sure was glad this airplane had the primer rather than just a choke.
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  17. 109jb added a post in a topic Rotax 582 power loss diagnosis   

    Yeah. It is more work to hook up but I think I'm going to go with the parallel setup.  The pressures should not add in parallel and should be the higher of the 2 pumps.
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  18. 109jb added a post in a topic Rotax 582 power loss diagnosis   

    Thanks guys.  I have a pulse pump rebuild kit and a Facet 40105 on order. 
    I found this page http://www.challengers101.com/FuelSys.html that shows the different options for fuel systems. I'm thinking to just put it in-line after the gascolator and before the Mikuni pump. I wonder though if the parallel system would be better because it would be safer for running the electric pump for critical phases like takeoff and landing since it would not add to the pressure which could overcome the float needle and flood the engine. Not sure what the float needle on the 582 can take. How have you guys plumbed them up and do you use them for takeoff and landing?
     
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  19. 109jb added a post in a topic Rotax 582 power loss diagnosis   

    Thanks guys.  Yep.  Both tanks were on. I bought valves to install in the tank lines, but haven't installed them yet. so I only have a shutoff after the header tank  right now.
    Didn't draw the primer setup, but it uses a regular aircraft type primer like a Cessna or Piper would have . The primer draws fuel from the outlet of the only shutoff valve via a Tee installed there. The outlet of the primer goes to the primer fitting on the carbs.
    Sounds like its all adding up to a bum fuel pump. I'll get one ordered.  
    For backup electric pumps, what are you guys running and how have you plumbed them.  I'm definitely going to do something and I'm thinking one of the interrupter type pumps is the way to go because you can get them where they don't restrict flow when not turned on.  Any help on what you guys are running is appreciated.
    Thanks again.
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  20. 109jb added a post in a topic Wanted ,Rotary valve oil reservoir   

    Ah.  Ok. good to know.
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  21. 109jb added a post in a topic Wanted ,Rotary valve oil reservoir   

    I don't think that would be an issue. There are 2 seals back to back. One to keep oil  in the rotary valve area and the other to keep coolant out. If the coolant seal leaks I'm thinking the coolant will wind up in the crankcase and won't go through the oil seal for the rotary valve.  Thinking about it though. If the rotary valve seal is leaking, all of the oil from the bottle could wind up in the crankcase.
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  22. 109jb added a post in a topic Rotax 582 power loss diagnosis   

    Here is a crude drawing of the fuel system.

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  23. 109jb added a post in a topic Rotax 582 power loss diagnosis   

    Yeah it is puzzling.  
    There are 2 wing tanks vented at the caps with forward facing vents like normal. The rear inboard outlets from these tanks run to the side inlets on the round aluminum header tank located at the at the back of the baggage sack. The top vent of the header tank runs to a forward high fitting on the right wing tank.  All of these lines are routed downhill. I didn't look to see if the hoses had move possibly creating a dip in any line but when I installed I made sure there were none. So unless something moved there should not be any dips in those tubes.  
    From the header tank the fuel line runs forward along the floor on the right side of the fuselage and then up to the shutoff valve. Valve to gascolator. Gascolator to fuel pump. Fuel pump to carbs. No other fuel filter besides the screen in the gascolator. Last fall when I bough the airplane I made sure the gascolator screen was the finer one. I think about 70 microns or so.  Figured that if something got through that it would go through the carbs.  
    When I flew back i didn't have time to poke around the airplane much. Pretty much had to put it in the hangar and head home. Hope to get back there tomorrow to check everything out.
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  24. 109jb added a post in a topic Wanted ,Rotary valve oil reservoir   

    I've wondered why the rotary valve doesn't just feed and return to the oil injection bottle like Ski-Doo does on the snowmobiles with rotary valves.  I've thought about adding a couple tees in the oil injection hose to feed the rotary valve because mine leaks a little bit of oil there. Feeding from the injection bottle would mean the rotary valve is getting oil as long as the engine is.
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  25. 109jb added a topic in Two Strokes   

    Rotax 582 power loss diagnosis
    So went out flying the other day. Flew about an hour and then stopped at a friends private strip. Sat around and talked for about 30-45 minutes and then took off again. On the departure I again warmed up for several minutes at 2800 rpm to get the water temperature to 140 deg F. Took of and turned toward my home airport and climbed to about 1500 agl. After leveling off and about 2-1/2 to 3 miles from my buddies place the engine stopped. It was not immediately after leveling off. Acted like no fuel, not a seize or anything like that. Set up glide an turn back toward my friends place and while simultaneously hit the starter and the engine cranked but did not start. while in the glide I tried again and no luck. I then gave it 2 shots of prime (regular aircraft primer like in a Cessna or Piper) and the engine started and ran for a few seconds but quit again. 3 shots next time and it ran a bit longer.  Did this again and the engine ran and ran fine. Continued back to my friends strip and landed uneventfully.  On the ground we pulled the exhaust to check the pistons and they look perfect. No scoring whatsoever.  I had about 1/4 tanks of fuel (26 gallon wing tanks) but went ahead and added more. After buttoning up I started it, did another of my standard 2800 rpm to 140 deg F warm ups and took  off. I stayed directly over his airport for about 15 minutes and didn't have a problem so continued back home and again had no issue. Temperature on the ground was about 75 deg F.  I did not notice the gauge readings at the exact time of the power loss but I had looked at the gauges about 15 to 30 seconds before the engine quit and everything was good.I have a fuel pressure gauge and it was also showing good  at about 5-5.5 psi at that time. On the flight home I was watching the gauges like a hawk and they always stayed in normal parameters. The fuel hoses are all fire-sleeved in the engine compartment and the hoses were replaced when I bought the airplane last fall.  Kind of at a loss for why this burp happened. I am pretty convinced it is fuel related because of the having to prime to get it going again, but I had fuel and had not been in a descent that could have un-ported the main tanks.  I do have a round aluminum header tank behind the seats.  
    Any ideas?
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