drone_pilot
Well Known Member
Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A
Propellor: Catto fixed pitch 3 blade cruise prop
History: Engine was purchased used 65 hours SMOH with a light prop strike. Had an AI tear down engine, perform all AD's regarding the prop strike. Sent in crank, where it was ground and replaced main bearings. Injection system on engine is original RSA system.
Performed first engine start last week. Started right up but was blowing black smoke on right side but generally ran okay. After 5-10 minutes, started getting roughness and sluggishness at lower RPMs. Found a fowled plug and cleaned up. Ran again and fouled another plug on another Both plugs were lower plugs. Mechanic friend adjusted full lean on the fuel servo mixture adjustment but it still runs rich and very rough/unstable at low RPM. Pulled plugs and all had black soot (or however you spell it) on them. Mechanic noticed that two injector nozzles were a different part number so I purchased new nozzles for all cylinders from Aircraft Specialties in OK. The engine ran a little smoother at 1000 RPM or so but very rich and smoking at low RPMs (800RPM and less). Running on each Mag yields the same RPM and a little rough (due to the enrichened mixture). I think the mechanic may be to the end of his knowledge of how to deal with this. Also, I want to learn this thing.
What would be some good next steps to figure out why this thing is running so rich? My field sits at 3600' MSL and when you factor in density altitude lately, 4600' is the average.
I would never takeoff with the way it is running now because I feel that I'd lose the engine when throttling back. Also, I feel that it should be running smoother. It's not extreme rough but noticeable and could/should be better.
Propellor: Catto fixed pitch 3 blade cruise prop
History: Engine was purchased used 65 hours SMOH with a light prop strike. Had an AI tear down engine, perform all AD's regarding the prop strike. Sent in crank, where it was ground and replaced main bearings. Injection system on engine is original RSA system.
Performed first engine start last week. Started right up but was blowing black smoke on right side but generally ran okay. After 5-10 minutes, started getting roughness and sluggishness at lower RPMs. Found a fowled plug and cleaned up. Ran again and fouled another plug on another Both plugs were lower plugs. Mechanic friend adjusted full lean on the fuel servo mixture adjustment but it still runs rich and very rough/unstable at low RPM. Pulled plugs and all had black soot (or however you spell it) on them. Mechanic noticed that two injector nozzles were a different part number so I purchased new nozzles for all cylinders from Aircraft Specialties in OK. The engine ran a little smoother at 1000 RPM or so but very rich and smoking at low RPMs (800RPM and less). Running on each Mag yields the same RPM and a little rough (due to the enrichened mixture). I think the mechanic may be to the end of his knowledge of how to deal with this. Also, I want to learn this thing.
What would be some good next steps to figure out why this thing is running so rich? My field sits at 3600' MSL and when you factor in density altitude lately, 4600' is the average.
I would never takeoff with the way it is running now because I feel that I'd lose the engine when throttling back. Also, I feel that it should be running smoother. It's not extreme rough but noticeable and could/should be better.
