Using leaf blowers for engine testing on the ground

rv8ch · #1 10-21-2018, 12:58 AM

I think everyone knows that we should not run our engines on the ground too long due to cooling issues, particularly new engines. Has anyone ever tried hooking up a couple of leaf blowers to the intake or created a temporary plenum to sit on the engine during ground runs?

My guess is that this has been tried and rejected, but I wanted to check.

Ground runs have a ton of other risks that are potentially higher than engine overheating, so I'm also not saying that this is necessarily a good idea without a lot of thought and planning.

rv7charlie · #2 10-21-2018, 06:53 AM

I saw a magazine article recently about a guy doing that with a small Continental, but no idea about a Lyc. I guess it should work, if you can get the mass flow high enough.

rocketbob · #3 10-21-2018, 07:35 AM

Run it until cylinder temps hit 300 and shut it down. That simple.

Weasel · #4 10-21-2018, 07:45 AM

you gonna need a Paul Bunyan leaf blower.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...0&postcount=63

Jpm757 · #5 10-21-2018, 08:07 AM

If it is a factory new Lyc. then it has been run on the test cell for a period of time. Lycoming rep told me that at Van`s request, they try and give the "Y" engines a little more test cell time. I agree keep CHT's below 300, get a few sets of eyes to look everything over, cowl it and go fly. If you try and rig up some kind of cooling system, for sure something is going to get loose and hit something else.

Robert Anglin · #6 10-21-2018, 08:33 AM

As to a leaf blower, we have not seen any used as of yet. But it is old and used practice to have a ground run baffling that mounts on top of the engine and that funnels prop blast air down into the engine. Most of the manuals from the O.E.M. engine companies will tell you to use one if you are going to ground test an engine that is installed on an airframe. If you have an engine that has warranty you will want to fallow the instructions that protect that warranty. If your not a gear-head it would be best as has been said to let the people that built your engine " run it in " on a test stand before you start flying it. And even then don't let you C.H.T. get to hi if you can while on the ground or in flight.
Hope this helps, Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888