5/23/16
Checked the tire pressure: L: 35, R:35, Filled F to 38
Inspected and took pictures of the inboard aileron brackets from inside the wing. Removed outer access panels, inserted a flashlight, and used the iPhone to take pictures. Inspected in accordance with the service bulletin. No cracks found.
Measured Oil Cold = 6.0 Quarts
Found missing left wingtip lens screw (bottom side). Replaced screw with new.
5/20/16
Post Flight Times: Engine: 14.7, Total: 17.1
Flight Time: 2.7
Oil Measured 6.75 (HOT) after the flight, but measured 6.0 (COLD) before flight #12.
This flight consisted almost entirely of climb performance testing.
First series of tests were done 2400 RPM and 2nd series of tests were done 2500 RPM.
Climbs were from approximately 2000 to 6500. Stable data was 2500 to 6500.
For each climb test used the trim to set the airspeed. All data was recorded and later entered into a spreadsheet.
Rough numbers:
| RPM | IAS | Alt Start | Alt Stop | Time Start | Time Stop | DeltaAlt | DeltaTime | FPM |
|
2400 |
122 |
2503 |
6082 |
0:18:38 |
0:25:03 |
3579 |
06:25 |
558 |
|
2400 |
105 |
2371 |
6529 |
0:30:30 |
0:35:45 |
4158 |
05:15 |
792 |
|
2400 |
88 |
2262 |
6463 |
0:40:51 |
0:44:35 |
4201 |
03:44 |
1125 |
|
2400 |
76 |
2147 |
6577 |
0:50:27 |
0:54:18 |
4430 |
03:51 |
1151 |
|
2500 |
75 |
2159 |
6535 |
1:01:11 |
1:04:50 |
4376 |
03:39 |
1199 |
|
2500 |
78 |
2164 |
6575 |
1:10:56 |
1:14:26 |
4411 |
03:30 |
1260 |
|
2500 |
81 |
2420 |
6618 |
1:19:33 |
1:23:03 |
4198 |
03:30 |
1199 |
|
2500 |
98 |
2012 |
6535 |
1:27:22 |
1:31:09 |
4523 |
03:47 |
1196 |
|
2500 |
104 |
2077 |
6511 |
1:36:50 |
1:40:52 |
4434 |
04:02 |
1099 |
|
2500 |
117 |
2154 |
6526 |
1:47:17 |
1:52:09 |
4372 |
04:52 |
898 |
|
2500 |
123 |
2167 |
6547 |
1:59:05 |
2:05:13 |
4380 |
06:08 |
714 |
|
2500 |
130 |
2453 |
6481 |
2:13:36 |
2:21:46 |
4028 |
08:10 |
493 |
It was evident that there was better performance in the climb at lower altitudes in the beginning of the climb. IAS was taken as an eyeball average of the data mid climb around 4000 feet.
Need to find and record OAT here.
3 takeoffs and 3 landings. No problem with the oil pressure gauge.
I changed the oil, and oil filter for the first time on the engine. This seemed ok to do, even though I was still investigating the cause of the oil pressure off-scale high event from the previous day. I also checked the oil suction screen.
On March 12, 2016, I went to the airport with the intention of doing 3 takeoffs and landings to warm the oil for the engine’s first oil change. Taxi out and runup went fine. Oil pressure in the 50’s during idle and in the 70’s during fast taxi. The first takeoff and landing went fine with oil pressure in the 70’s and 80’s. But during taxi back for the 2nd takeoff, the oil pressure sensor went off scale high very rapidly. I considered shutting down in the runup block, but all other parameters seemed normal so I thought it would be safe to taxi back to the hangar for diagnosis.
During the taxi back to the hangar, the gauge continued to read off scale high. At the hangar, I shut down the engine, and didn’t think to check the gauge before powering off the avionics. I then reapplied power to the avionics with the engine off and noted the gauge had returned to zero.
The Kavlico oil pressure gauge, is a 3-wire device with red, black, and green wires. The red wire is +5V supply from the avionics, the black wire is ground, and the green wire is sensor output. I learned from reading that 0.5 volts out is likely 0 PSI, and 4.5 volts out is likely 150 PSI. Downloading the data showed that when it went off scale high it was reading 154 PSI. This might be an indication the output wire was getting shorted to the +5V.
I disconnected the wiring to the sensor on the firewall forward side and checked all connections for security and/or damage.
0.5 Engine Time, 1.0 Total Time (11.6/13.5 Cumulative)
Now 3/4 done with the wings and learning how to wrap better. I bought a rubber roller from the crafts store and that helps to push down and get the adhesive to stick with less chance of scraping the surface.
I tried using a spray polymer wax after finishing the right wing and that seemed to add a nice finish.
So I decided to try 3M 1080 vinyl wrap from metrorestyling.com
I decided to wrap from trailing edge to trailing edge so this leaves no seam at the leading edge but means that there will be seam at mid span at the end of the fuel tank since the vinyl rolls are 5 feet wide. Trailing edge to trailing edge is about 94 inches I started with an 8 by 5 foot piece.
The first picture shows the fuel vent connection that was weeping just above the fuselage side skin seam.
The remaining three pictures show the other three interior vents that were loose but not leaking.
Some folks asked to see the panel so I took this shot. Next step is to clean up the temporary labeling and perhaps cover the panel in vinyl.
jamessclarkiv.com 