I wonder if perhaps in hindsight that the issues with your engine could have been caught prior to first fight (or 3rd or 4th flight). If so, how?
Search the forums. I started threads about chasing the suspicion of a static RPM two months ago. But here's the thing: They didn't start out as chasing engine performance problems. They started as a thread about the FAA's requirement for an hour of ground run time.
Read these for more extensive information on the search:
The paperwork challenge
Diagnosing engine performance
Installing mags
It started with what appeared to be a low static RPM, but there was some disagreement over what a proper static RPM should be given a prop combination, not to mention the inadvisability of excessive ground runs beyond 2000.
Eventually, we figured out that the problem was a mistimed mag, which might have been another forum thread actually, but it was extensively documented, including on
that fine little RV building blog.
I would say the issue(s) of the engine has been going on -- and been documented -- in one fashion or another for about two months. Are they all related? We don't know now, we certainly had no way of knowing then. Was the blocked fuel injector the problem two months ago? I have no way of knowing that. Neither does anyone else
So the lesson is: You search for your problems one at a time and solve them to your satisfaction one at a time. Maybe another one crops up, maybe it doesn't. Maybe the problem of one hides within the problem of another.
The lesson is: You don't know. And you better be ready.
When all is said and done, you test and fix, test and fix. I've been doing that for months on this particular issue which may have several different causes disguised as one.
But, really, that starts the minute you put the engine on the engine mount. You're always looking for things that might go wrong...which is why I spent months on fuel flow testing, clamping of wires, securing of SCAT, chafing issues, oil leaks, pulling out
fuel and oil lines and having them made better.
And then there's
this little baby. I found this while looking for problems that hadn't presented themselves yet. Imagine if I'd actually gone flying with this garbage.
I think people have to go into Phase I with eyes wide open on this point and understand that you're going to find things that go wrong, and then you diagnose and fix them as they occur, then test to see the effect of the fix. Make sure your flying is up to snuff. Make sure you didn't just take enough transition training to satisfy your insurance company. Make sure you're a **** of a test pilot.
Also, if you're lucky like me, you've met the best and brightest on Planet RV in the course of building, and when you think you might have a problem, they drop what they're doing and come to your hangar, giving up time with their families to help you out, or they call you from halfway across the country to lend a supportive ear and some advice, and never once -- not once -- make you feel stupid.
So the big lesson: Get yourself friends like that.