I mentioned on another thread that I am essentially doing a ?Top Overhaul? on the Valkyrie right now due to significantly increased oil consumption and dropping compression. Of course, having everything opened up and removed is a great time for an in-depth inspection, so here are a few things that I have found:
1) The baffles are quite remarkable ? no cracks at all! These were built from the ?old? non-pre-punched kit (which came with a mimeographed set of hieroglyphics for instructions) and required a lot of fabrication. My previous experience with baffles on used spam cans had me expecting cracks and wear early in their life, so I am extremely impressed with their performance. I think the key, like with all assemblies, is to keep the pre-load on parts low or zero ? if the fasteners are used to pull parts together, then the assemblies will constantly try to pull themselves apart.
2) Those long aluminum tube spacers that you use to keep the flanges on the oil cooler apart? The ones with the long steel bolts going through them? Yeah?.aluminum and steel ? they tend to corrode together. I think I?d look for some 4130 in the same size and make them that way next time.
3) Speaking of oil coolers ? mine is dead. Or I should say, the flanges are dead ? cracked at the mounting bolts. They weren?t cracked (that I could tell) at the last annual. I talked to Pacific Coolers, and they said that the cost of repair would be the same as buying a new one (about $260) ? but they did have some used, zero-timed Niagara?s for sale for $200 outright! I have a new one on the way.
4) The little carb heat box that attaches to the exhaust had really worn itself to death. I have a spare, but seriously ? it really doesn?t add much heat to the carb. I think if I really was depending on carb heat, I?d use a real heat muff next time.
5) Hoses, exhaust, air box ? all in great shape after 6.5 years of flight.
6) I took the opportunity to remove the primer system completely. I had disconnected it last year when I saw a crack in the connecting line from the solenoid (even with a triple coil, it had cracked). In the five years it was active, I used it exactly once ? to test it during phase one. With an accelerator pump in the carb, I find it?s just an added complication, and this was an easy time to take it out and re-do Adel clamps to be more efficient.
New cylinders should be here in a couple of days, but I have some traveling to do, so it might be a couple weeks before it?s finished up. I?m just glad that this came to a head AFTER the Rv-3 was flying?.
Paul