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First year - maintenance & service

Bob Redman

Active Member
Sponsor
We have just completed the first year of flying the RV-7 - only 45 hours due to other priorities and weather.

The issues that we have encountered are listed below.

Continuous Duty Solenoid (Vans PN ES24118). Symptoms: slow deterioration in battery performance. Recharge would recover the volts, but eventually not enough current to turn the prop. Rapid volt drop after battery switch on - volt/amp readings normal after alternator on. Determined a leak of about 0.25v per day through solenoid, batt switch off. Replaced solenoid - problem fixed.

Re-Torque of Nuts. The following nuts needed re-torquing - they were not loose, but would have been if left much longer: both lower outboard engine mount, removed/replaced split pins; Both gear legs (nyloc); the two nyloc nuts on the two horizontal bolts which secure the tail wheel to the tail-spring.

The aircraft was built to plans: tip-up, Hartzell BA, Aerosport IO-360M1, E/Pmag combo, NGK Iridium BR8EIX, Dynon D100 EFIS, D120 EMS, AP74, Lowrance 2000c, Xcom 760 radio/intercom, Microair 2000 TX, B&C 40 amp Alt, basic weight 492kg, 1085lb, complete & painted. CofG empty is 78.24". Oil cooler is Vans supplied, baffle mounted.

The CHT spread is well within the 'rule-of-thumb' spread of 36degC, 65degF, and are cool in cruise with a max of about 204-208C, 405F, in a climb.

The EGT spread is within 44C, 80F.

Oil temp is OK in the cruise but can hit the max limit in a long climb at max power.

We are averaging about 30 litres (USG 8) per hour overall, mainly in local flights including 130 take-offs/landings, mostly touch & go. Added 5 quarts of oil in the first 30 hours, two in the last 20 hours.

On a recent cross country trip at close to max AUW we set (LOP) 30 litres per hour fuel flow at 8500ft PA/9K DA and cruised at about 138KIAS/158KTAS, 66%, 22.5 MAP (full throttle), 2360RPM, oil press 78psi, temp 86C (187F). All data observed, not calibrated, nor normalised, but matched ground speed, and fuel dip. CHT: 150/162/170/164C (302/324/338/327F). EGT: 751/708/724/716C (1384/1306/1335/1321F). GPS box indicates 4 kt faster than observed on the Dynon.

A very pleasing aircraft. Thanks to Doug for the site, and all the contributors who have paved the way.

Regards,

Bob & Shaun
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Re-Torque of Nuts : The following nuts needed re-torquing - they were not loose, but would have been if left much longer: the two nyloc nuts on the two horizontal bolts which secure the tail wheel to the tail-spring.
A very good friend of mine ground looped his plane when these two bolts sheared as a possible result of becoming loose over time. The tail wheel rotated 90 degrees. He was fortunate not to have more damage than what occurred. Pay attention to these...
 
Congratulations on the build Bob, Make sure you say g'day if your ever in Darwin.

Scott Hartwich
RV-4 flying
RV-7 canopy nearly done
 
G'DAY

G'day Eddie & Scott,

Eddie - good progress. The weather sure has been better this winter compared to the last two years. I hope to increase the flying rate to take advantage of my allocation of good days remaining - hopefully another 15 to 20 years ! I would hate to waste them not flying, or on ordinary ales. Phone to swap lies when convenient.

Scott - we plan to fly through Darwin eventually, but during the dry, not the big wet. We are bound to meet eventually. Are you still in the RAAF ?

Shaun & I plan to arrive Narromine Wed 12 & depart Tue 18 Sep. We and a few other local volunteers will help with the fly-in. We hope you can join us.

Regards,

Bob
 
Photos at last

At last, after 12 months, the digitally competent younger son found time to coach his digitally challenged father to post photos on VAF.

Before first flight Aug 11:

35cr4mc.jpg


From 'Sonic's' RV-8A:

157dqug.jpg


The office:

r9irg2.jpg


Well, that was easy. Now I just have to remember the process.

Bob
 
Hi Bob, Great looking 7 you have !
I have just done my first Annual, and also found a few nuts that needed just a little bit of adjustment.
I have a std vans oil cooler mounted to the baffle and my temp sits at 184F in the cruise, and doesnt move much in the climb( maybe 5F +/- ).
I do have a plenum, so that my be helping here ?
Just a quick question, your manual trim, did you find a new black cover cap to fit over the ugly hole thats left when you remove the link inside of it. ( so that you cant go full trim up/down by accident )
 
G'day

Bob, yes still here. The plan is to get back down to Willy in 2 years. You might talk to me on APR when you come up. If not I am sure we will catch up some time. Dry season is good, the weather is the same everyday, just dusty. The wet is much more spectacular, but I would want not stray too far from home.

Cheers
Scott
 
Jamie

G'day Jamie, & thanks.

If I remember correctly, I re-used the black knob that came with the cable, following the advice in the builder's manual. Otherwise, I must have discovered a replacement in the local hardware store.

No plenum on our aircraft. Probably i need to review & revise the baffling near the oil cooler.

Regards,

Bob
 
Great to see your post..

...photos and all, Bob. Wonderful that you and Shaun have enjoyed the aircraft that you built this past year!

Jan, Erin and I have fond memories of getting acquainted with you folks during our stop in Sydney. Thanks so much for taking the train down and spending time with us. It is hard to believe that 10 months have already passed.

Best wishes for many, many years of rewarding time in the air!

Come visit us so we can return the favor.

Larry Tompkins

N544WB RV-6A
W52 Battle Ground, WA
 
G'day LarryT

G'day Larry, Jan & Erin,

Thanks for the greeting, & apologies for missing your post - all the family arrived for two weeks including the grandchildren. We are now almost back to normal - it is much quieter around here.

After the last two years of cool wet summers, we are expecting a return to the normal hot dry weather, and lots of flying.

Next year we plan to visit old RNZAF friends in NZ, so a return to the US is at least one year away. We will start saving $ now.

Fond regards,

Bob & Shaun
 
SECOND SOLENOID FAILURE

G'day all,

In the first post in this thread I told of a subtle failure of the continuous duty solenoid (Vans supplied) - it leaked about 0.25 volts per day into the ether. This ruined the battery over several months. The battery volts would recover quickly through recharge, but eventually would not regain sufficient grunt to turn the prop.

After replacing the solenoid with one borrowed from a friendly builder, all worked well until last week. I had flown four flights within five days, when, on the sixth day: battery switch ON - no elec power at all beyond the battery terminal on the solenoid.

I ordered two from Vans & they were delivered within four days - thank you Jessica V. I fitted one of the new solenoids and all is well.

After reading Paul Dye's report on a malingering starter solenoid, I too pulled apart the faulty battery solenoids. No indication, obvious to a novice, of the cause of the first failure (leaking volts).

In the second failure, the internal wire, between the main battery terminal and the battery switch (earth) terminal, had separated thus the solenoid could not connect the battery to the rest of the aircraft. Possibly this was due to poor solder, but more probably because I had not refitted the (Vans supplied) yellow diode. I had left the diode off because of advice from more experienced people. This time I have re-fitted the diode.

Good luck with your solenoids.
 
BEST OF BRITISH

These photos date from January 1999 and may be of interest to a few. Recently I re-discovered them when asked for photos of our MGs to include in a local MG club magazine to celebrate 50 years since the first MGB was made in the UK.

At the time I was involved in the Hawk project at the local Air Force Base. The Brits on the project suggested a 'Best of British Day', and my wife, brother & I contributed.

The first photo shows our 1962 MGB Roadster which I purchased from the original owner in 1968, and our father's 1972ish Norton 850 Commando now owned by my brother. The other Bike is a BSA. The aircraft is one of the first Hawk 127s to arrive in Australia. The Hawks are used to prepare pilots for the FA-18s, and to help support Army & Navy training:


30cm0rb.jpg


The second photo includes an MG RV8, and our 1972 MGB GT which we bought in 1988 in Virginia, converted to RHD before shipping it home:

r87d6r.jpg


The last photo includes the owners, and the addition of a red Triumph. My wife Shaun is behind the GT, I am behind the Roadster, and my brother is on the Norton in front of me.


2r6mul4.jpg


Both MGs are daily drivers and are high mileage. They have been/are fun, relatively cheap motoring - plenty of spares easily obtained. Although one mate in particular taunts us about relics of '19th Century steam driven British ironmongery'. But I like British ales too.

I hope that you find the photos interesting.
 
HOT OIL TEMPS

Xmas morning here & in NZ, Xmas eve for most of you. I wish you all the best for the holiday and the New Year.

As reported in earlier posts I have had hot oil temperatures. Recently during 40C/104F days I have had difficulty keeping the oil temps below the max (118C/245F) - I have an Aerosport IO-360M1B (ECI parts), Hartzell CS BA prop, Niagara oil cooler (Van's supplied), 'standard' Vans' baffle kit.

Eddie Seve has the Lycoming IO-360M1 in his RV-7, fitted with a plenum, standard Niagara oil cooler, FP Sensenich prop (all sourced from Vans). Eddie has much of his cooler blanked to raise the oil temp.

So I have modified the baffle over the oil cooler to match the newer baffle kit - ie, I eliminated the invert, and thus now I have a straight line of baffle & material across the rear of the engine. Also, I added more RTV to minimise leaks & improve flow though the cooler as per Paul Dye's suggestion. I made no other changes (yet).

As usual, all data are as observed on the Dynon D100 EFIS & D120 EMS - no calibration or normalisation. I lean to peak to provide some measure of repeatability, rather than lean or rich of peak.

The OAT on taxy yesterday was +39C/102F, so a good test. Also, I climbed at 100KIAS, full throttle, 2650RPM.

The CHTs stayed in the green - below 204C/400F. Before #3 would max about 204, just at the bottom of the orange caution band.

Oil temps maxed at 111C/232F on climb to 7K, +17C/63F, DA 9K.

In cruise at 7K, +17C/63F, 9K DA, 23.6"(Full)/2400RPM, 36 L/Hr (9.5 US gph), peak, 77%, 146KIAS/168KTAS, + 4Kt position error, so should be about 150KIAS/177KTAS ?:

CHT: 178/192/197/195C, 352/378/387/383F.
EGT: 762/740/731/756C, 1404/1364/1348/1393F.
Oil temp stabilised about 110C/230F.

Five tight circuits at end of flight, OAT still about 39C/102F, oil temp sat about 104 to 111C, 219 to 232F.

I compared that to July (mid winter), cruising at 4K, +4C/39F, 24"/2400, 37.7 L/hr (10 US gph), peak, (84% ?), 157KIAS/170KTAS (161KIAS/174KTAS ?):

CHT: 157/171/173/174C, 315/339/344/346F.
EGT: 723/697/692/714C, 1333/1286/1278/1318F.
Oil temp 86C/187F.

So, disregarding the heat soak & climb from sea level (difference of +27C/28F surface OAT); at cruise, a difference of +13C/23F OAT led to about 20C/36F increase in CHT, and 24C/43F in oil temp after the mod. Before the mod, in summer, I was hitting the 118C/245F oil temp limit in climb, even at 130KIAS, and could not maintain 75% power without danger of exceeding the oil temp limit.

The modification has helped. Now I will modify the baffling material around the flywheel between the inlets, particularly the inboard side of the inlet ramps, & report results.
 
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