WDYDWYRTW?
What did you do with your RV this weekend?
Mothership Friday…
I am reposting this valuable information from a thread I started a while back. We spent alot of time and effort troubleshooting a generator A failure. The faulure would occur under the following conditions:
At ~4000 RPM:
Generator A fault
Both lane lights flashing
Engine ECU displayed as “white”
The fault would NOT occur if:
Only one fuel pump was operating
One lane was selected OFF
AAPTS sensor was disconnected
Throttle position sensor (TPS) was disconnected
We swapped the following components with another aircraft to rule them out:
ECU
HIC module
Fuse box
With no change, attention turned to the engine wiring harness. Initial continuity checks were normal.
We then removed the rear seal from the Generator A Deutsch connector and found that one of the three phase wires was not fully seated from the factory. Although it showed continuity on a multimeter, the terminal would intermittently open under load and vibration.
After properly seating the terminal, all faults were eliminated.
Lesson learned:
Continuity checks alone are not sufficient for generator circuits. Always remove the rear seal and physically verify pin seating and retention on the generator connectors.
OFF TOPIC:
Please consider donating annually to help keep this American 1-person pirate ship afloat:
Get your VansAirForce.net Charity Cap!
Past ‘VAF News’ issues:
THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)
What did you do with your RV this weekend?
WDYDWYRTW? Jan 10-11, 2025
What did you do with your RV this weekend? WINDY in N.TX! WX out east. Hope the WX is nice where you are. Chime in with your RV stuff going on this weekend! v/r,dr 1000 CST snapshot
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Mothership Friday…
New Ground Speed Record
2 (TWO) KTS GS! This is a new record for me. 😁 The winds were howling yesterday and I think I was actually going backwards at one point. Here I'm at 3200 feet and still over the airport! There was no traffic in the area so I was just out having fun testing the low-speed vertical performance...
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Garmin G3X Touch
Hi, I always turn my G3X on before I start the engine. After start-up, I don't like that the LRUs go off line then reboot. Do people start their engines without the avionics on? I was told you really want the G3X on first so you can see you oil pressure immediately upon start-up. Thoughts?
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Ageing Process of New TB from a borescopic POW
Yep, the whole thing is a bit academic... but our country's aviation authority, part of their great wisdom (but above all, power), requires an additional maintenance program on our props and engines in order to keep running past manufacturer's overhaul recommendations, TBOs. Part of that program...
vansairforce.net
Identifying Fuel Filters
Hi, I'm learning more and more about my new-to-me RV-8A. I pulled the fairings off, and found that I have fuel filters in each wing root. Unfortunately, there are no markings on them, and I have no idea what level of filtration they provide, or if they are serviceable or if they must be...
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New Builder Hints
Deburring the inside of flanges with the speed deburring tool So, I was struggling to figure out how to use the speed deburring tool from Aircraft Spruce on the inside flanges of ribs and spar channels. It is difficult to keep a perpendicular angle in tight spaces. Without the perpendicular...
vansairforce.net
Bolt Bench
Got to eat lunch and catch up with the always entertaining Jay Pratt of RV Central (helped me finish my -6 back in the day). Many workbenches….today one was dedicated to bolts. Or bolt sorting. Or maybe bolt admiring. My buddy Scotty T’s -7 in the background getting some love (new panel in...
vansairforce.net
Grey dust on the right side of fuselage just aft of the cowling
Within the last 25 hours of operation I have started to collect gray dust on the right side of the fuselage just aft of the cowling. I had not noticed this in the previous 150 hours of operation. I appears to be coming the hinge that attaches the cowling. Switching the bracket that prevents...
vansairforce.net
solid rivet shop head should be barrel shaped, not corked shaped
For those who may not know… a solid rivet shop head should be barrel shaped, not cork shaped. BTW I did not find this in Section 5. Too many blows with insufficient force will result in a cork shaped shop head that has been work hardened, further forming will likely crack the shop head. I...
vansairforce.net
Suggestions on ideas for re-routing smoke oil line.
First condition inspection on my new to me -4. I don’t like how this smoke line has been run along the elevator push rod. I would like to hear your suggestions/opinions on resolving this. Thank you, Ricky.
vansairforce.net
New Rotax 912is electrical issue resolved
I am reposting this valuable information from a thread I started a while back. We spent alot of time and effort troubleshooting a generator A failure. The faulure would occur under the following conditions: At ~4000 RPM: Generator A fault Both lane lights flashing Engine ECU displayed as...
vansairforce.net
At ~4000 RPM:
Generator A fault
Both lane lights flashing
Engine ECU displayed as “white”
The fault would NOT occur if:
Only one fuel pump was operating
One lane was selected OFF
AAPTS sensor was disconnected
Throttle position sensor (TPS) was disconnected
We swapped the following components with another aircraft to rule them out:
ECU
HIC module
Fuse box
With no change, attention turned to the engine wiring harness. Initial continuity checks were normal.
We then removed the rear seal from the Generator A Deutsch connector and found that one of the three phase wires was not fully seated from the factory. Although it showed continuity on a multimeter, the terminal would intermittently open under load and vibration.
After properly seating the terminal, all faults were eliminated.
Lesson learned:
Continuity checks alone are not sufficient for generator circuits. Always remove the rear seal and physically verify pin seating and retention on the generator connectors.
OFF TOPIC:
Please consider donating annually to help keep this American 1-person pirate ship afloat:
Get your VansAirForce.net Charity Cap!
VAF Charity Cap: Help your charity and promote this site.
Get the cap all the cool kids are wearing! I don’t get a penny. It’s around $15. $5 more if you want your N-number on the back (I put 'STAFF' on the back of mine because it makes me laugh. Put STAFF on yours too if it makes you smile). And down the road $10 to the charity of your choice...
vansairforce.net
Past ‘VAF News’ issues:
Doug's Area ...The VAF News, About VAF, My Resume
Pushed out every now and then.
www.vansairforce.net
THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)
THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)
The VAF List ...a list of RV-related lists. RV-related things you might want to browse over (a closed post that is sticky and maintained by dr). Link to this in 'Links' in the menu. v/r,dr Small businesses that help bring you this list of RV-related lists: 360 Avionics www.360Avionics.com Ace...
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