[Geoff]

I'm almost ready to crank it up for the first time, but I have two questions:

1) I want to check the plugs to make sure they're firing at the proper time. The top plugs are easy to just ground by laying them on the cylinders. What's the common procedure to ground the bottom plugs since I can't lay them on anything? Undo all my wire ties and clamps on the ignition cables so the bottom plugs can lay on the top of the engine as well?

2) My engine came from Mattituck with an unmarked dipstick. What's the common procedure for marking the dipstick as I fill the engine up with oil?

Thanks.

-Geoff
RV-8
TMX-IO360 with 2 P-mags

 

[frankh]

First start

First and foremost...Tie the airplane down...either to your truck, car, tie down rings etc....A lot of unecessary accidents could be avoided by not assuming the brakes or little woodedn blocks are OK...They are not!

It really isn't necessary to check the timing in the method you suggest ans would be a bit tricky...I think I would use a timing light but you certainly don't want to be in front of the prop!

My engine has an alternative set of marks on the flywheel that line up with the crankcase split line that is visible from the engine side, so you could use a timing light on that.

I would be really wary of getting anywhere near a rotating prop however.

Frank

 

[frankh]

Dipstick

Park the airplane on the level, throw 2 quarts in the engine, mark the stick (file a notch), repeat up to 8 quarts.

Frank

 

[Geoff]

First and foremost...Tie the airplane down...either to your truck, car, tie down rings etc....A lot of unecessary accidents could be avoided by not assuming the brakes or little woodedn blocks are OK...They are not!

It really isn't necessary to check the timing in the method you suggest ans would be a bit tricky...I think I would use a timing light but you certainly don't want to be in front of the prop!

My engine has an alternative set of marks on the flywheel that line up with the crankcase split line that is visible from the engine side, so you could use a timing light on that.

I would be really wary of getting anywhere near a rotating prop however.

Frank

Roger all that..

The P-mag manual suggested laying the plugs on the case (grounding them) and pulling the prop through by hand -- just to see if they fire when they're supposed to. No plugs would be installed in the engine for this procedure, so there is no way it would run.

-Geoff

 

[frankh]

You could

go get a length of spark plug lead from an automotive shop (I'm assuming you are using auto plugs?) and simply pop off one of your leads from the Pmag and hook a plug to the end that is resting on the top of the engine.

Even if your not using a an auto plug you can buy one for a buck and it will fit the end of your temporary test lead.

Then pull it through by hand...repeat for the other Pmag.

Frank

 

[N941WR]

Here is what I did. YMMV.


After making sure the P-mags fired, I pulled the bottom plugs (they were easier to get out w/ the baffles) and turned the prop over by hand about 20 times.

then...

I cranked it over with the starter until I saw 2 PSI. (Caution, don't burn up your starter.)

then...

I put the plugs back in and ...

the thing started on what I think was the third blade.

I ran it for one minute, shut it down and inspected it.

Do a search on this forum. Mahlon has posted his recommended break-in procedure. (If you can't find it, email me and I'll forward on the list when I get home.)

By all means tie it down. Your brakes are not effective until you break them in. BTW, on Sunday I lifed the tail on my -9 when doing a full power fuel flow check. I let go of the stick to write something down and up came the tail. This thing really wants to fly!!