Engine Startup

painless · #1 01-14-2006, 07:53 PM

I just wanted to share with everyone a milestone for me today. After working on my RV6A for close to 8 1/2 years, I had first engine startup today. Have to work out a bug in my RMI engine monitor in that I am not registering RPM, but otherwise a great day!

Taken just as I was about to close the hangar door.

Man....do I love this hobby, or what!

Getting closer..........

Regards,

cjensen · #2 01-14-2006, 08:31 PM

congrats jeff! what engine?? is that a catto prop?

vlittle · #3 01-14-2006, 08:57 PM

Congratulations again, Jeff.

I started my engine for the first time yesterday, Friday the 13th. It took several tries because it was plugged with preservative oil.

Today, started on the second blade twice. Did the brake conditioning and swung the compass. Now ready for final inspection.

Vern Little
RV-9A

painless · #4 01-14-2006, 10:15 PM

Hi Chad:

It's an 0320-E2D and yes, it is a Catto prop. Ran smooth, at least at the lower RPM's I was running it at.

Vern:

Good to hear you are getting close. This is actually my second try at startup. Mine is an engine off a Cardinal, and the carb had sat for 2 years. Was full of gunk, so I wasn't getting gas on the first try. Three blades and it is off to the races now. (Gotta say three blades, what with the three blade Catto

)

Regards,

vlittle · #5 01-14-2006, 11:00 PM

When I stripped the cowls to inspect for leaks, here's what I found

Oil around the oil pressure sensor and oil pressure switch
Oil drips below the lower spark plugs
Splatter (small specs of burned oil) blown out through joints in the exhaust pipes.
Oil seepage from #3 cylinder oil return line.
Green slime below the FAB.

The Oil around the pressure sensor was from my pre-oiling activity. Below the plugs was residue from the preservative oil that dripped out of the cylinders onto the head when I put the plugs in. When the engine go hot, the sticky oil thinned out and dripped down.

The only oil problem was the oil return line.
The green slime was Avgas (blue) mixed with preservative oil (yellow) that was in the intake system. On day one, I primed a lot of fuel into the intake that mixed with this oil and dripped down, out of the FAB.

I cleaned everything up and will run another test. BTW, you should try to run your engine with the cowling on to improve cooling (this may not be obvious, but it's true). It's also a better way to find leaks because they show up on the bottom cowling surface.

Did you have any leaks?

Vern

painless · #6 01-15-2006, 08:48 AM

Hi Vern:

The only leaks we noted were coming from loose rooker covers. And here I thought I checked everything!

Regarding cooling.....OAT yesterday was 26F. After a good 10min run, you could still set your had on the cylinders. Oil temp never got close to operating temp. I need to get it there on subsequent runs to make sure the oil cooler/lines aren't leaking.

See.......there ARE some benefits to living in the Great White Nort.....Eh??!!!

BTW Vern....Your paint job looks awsome. As you can see from my picture, I am waiting until flight test is over to have mine painted...

Regards,

vlittle · #7 01-15-2006, 10:25 AM

Thanks for the info Jeff.
26F is cold, my OAT was 43F, even though I'm farther north than you (in the true 'great white north'), near Vancouver BC.

Of course, we just had something like 30 straight days of rain, and my airport is at sea level, protected by dikes. An old guy with a long white beard has been building this really big boat...

I spent some time in my early career designing forced air cooling systems for electronic equipment, and using (expensive) thermal imaging equipment to measure surface temperatures while adjusting air flow and baffles.

The worst case was always with the covers off. On an aircraft, this would not matter too much at low RPM, but as soon as you start pushing up the RPM (ECI recommends up to 2000 RPM for ground running), it's important to have the cowling in place.

I have to worry more because I have a new engine, and I don't want to glaze the cylinders. It's an Aerosport O-320-A1AC2.

I'll give a free flight to anyone who knows what an A1AC2 is, without asking Aerosport. There's something unusual about this engine.

Vern

aadamson · #8 01-15-2006, 10:34 AM

How about this... AeroSport O-320 A1AC2 (Superior roller-lifter crankcase, Lycoming crankshaft, ECI cylinders)

Alan, just search google for o-320 a1ac2

Aint the web nice

sprucemoose · #9 01-15-2006, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by painless

Oil temp never got close to operating temp. I need to get it there on subsequent runs to make sure the oil cooler/lines aren't leaking.

Jeff,

You'll never get the oil up to operating temp with ground running, and you'll glaze the cylinders in the process. It takes a good 30 minutes or so of flight to get the oil temp stabilized, even with the balmy weather we've been having lately in WI. You sure don't want to run a new engine on the ground for 30 minutes (or any engine for that matter.)

vlittle · #10 01-15-2006, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aadamson

How about this... AeroSport O-320 A1AC2 (Superior roller-lifter crankcase, Lycoming crankshaft, ECI cylinders)

Alan, just search google for o-320 a1ac2

Aint the web nice

Yeah, but all three Google hits are for my engine... so it's (currently) one of a kind, and I think it will be the first Aerosport built roller cam O-320 flying. I'm sure that they will be interested in my first flight.

Sue and Bart at Aerosport have been very helpful. I was happy to give them business, and they are actually only a couple of hundred miles from me, qualifying them as a local company.

You win a free ride anyway...

Jeff... when's first flight?