About a month ago, the oil & fuel pressure sensors in my IO-360 powered RV-9A were changed from VDO to Kavlico sensors. A short period of time after the change (it wasn't right away, I'd say approx 8 hours later) the oil pressure began to fluctuate at cruise power, as shown in the video.
Today, Bruce and I swapped the wires on the sensors, such that the fuel pressure sensor is now using the former oil pressure sensor, and the oil pressure sensor is now using the former fuel pressure sensor. We made the necessary changes in the AFS avionics so the gauges read correctly.
Upon flying the airplane this afternoon, the same problem still exists. At takeoff power, the oil pressure is solid around 88 PSI. At idle power, as shown in the video, the oil pressure is solid around 55 PSI. It is only when I am at cruise power that the fluctuations shown in the video occur.
Initially I thought it was perhaps a bad sensor, but today's experiment has removed that possibility. Bruce feels good about the connecting wires not being the problem.
So, it leaves me wondering.. if it isn't the wires, what is it? I was wondering if the vibration at cruise power is creating some sort of intermittent connection? Another clue is the oil pressure at cruise, even at the peak fluctuation PSI, is about 7 psi lower than I am used to seeing.
Suggestions? Anyone seen this sort of issue before?
https://youtu.be/jg_kKmKm4tQ
Today, Bruce and I swapped the wires on the sensors, such that the fuel pressure sensor is now using the former oil pressure sensor, and the oil pressure sensor is now using the former fuel pressure sensor. We made the necessary changes in the AFS avionics so the gauges read correctly.
Upon flying the airplane this afternoon, the same problem still exists. At takeoff power, the oil pressure is solid around 88 PSI. At idle power, as shown in the video, the oil pressure is solid around 55 PSI. It is only when I am at cruise power that the fluctuations shown in the video occur.
Initially I thought it was perhaps a bad sensor, but today's experiment has removed that possibility. Bruce feels good about the connecting wires not being the problem.
So, it leaves me wondering.. if it isn't the wires, what is it? I was wondering if the vibration at cruise power is creating some sort of intermittent connection? Another clue is the oil pressure at cruise, even at the peak fluctuation PSI, is about 7 psi lower than I am used to seeing.
Suggestions? Anyone seen this sort of issue before?
https://youtu.be/jg_kKmKm4tQ