Episodes
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Lean of peak is causing odd vibrations in a Commander, and the hosts discuss proper troubleshooting. Plus carb heat on the ground, dehydrators, and parts no longer manufactured. Email [email protected] for a chance to get on the show.
Full notes below.
Chip said his mechanic is concerned about lean of peak because we don’t know the actual temperature at the valve, as the temperature is taken downstream. Colleen makes the point that EGT temperatures are fine because it’s well below the valve limit temperature. Mike said valves burn only when they don’t seat properly. They shed their heat through physical contact with the seat at the cylinder head. They also shed it through the valve stem. Detonation once flying lean of peak isn’t a concern. It’s getting to that point that’s the biggest risk. Paul suggests that once you know the fuel flow at your desired power setting you can lean straight to that fuel flow and not worry about EGT or CHT until it’s set and stable. Chip is also concerned about a vibration in the floor of his Rockwell Commander. Mike suggests he do some testing to help isolate the issue. If it goes away at certain rpms, then it suggests that it’s an engine-based issue. At a constant rpm but with changing pitch, it suggests a potential airflow or airframe source.
Frank is questioning the logic of the Luscombe handbook. It says to put the carb heat on for takeoff. It’s also placarded that way on the panel. The hosts can’t figure out why this would be required. The hosts suggest he ignore the handbook and operate as he would in other airplanes, in part because the engine would be breathing unfiltered air while on the ground.
Bill has a Cessna 180 on floats with an O-470-50 engine. For the last few months he hasn’t been flying as much and he wants to preserve the longevity of the engine. He is looking for details on engine dehydrators and whether they actually work. Colleen looked through some research and found that those who had done some side-by-side testing had found good results. Mike said Tanis found that people who ran their heaters all the time were causing corrosion, but that if they use engine dehydrators they are fine to run the heater all the time. In other words, they seem to work.
Mark is pushing back on airport naysayers that tell him autofuel is dangerous. He flies airplanes with older, small Continentals, and with all the info that has come out on the transition away from 100LL, he’s wondering if he should be worried. Mike said running on autofuel is the best thing he can do for his engine. People tell Mark he has to run at least half low lead. Mike said they’ve never seen issues with low compression engines running on autofuel. Mark flies from an airport a mile high, and locals are also telling him that vapor lock is also an issue. -
Rough idle, electronic ignition basics, airplanes to avoid (or not), and the difference between detonation and pre-ignition are on tap for this episode. Email us at [email protected] for a chance to get on the show.
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Full notes below:
Stephen wants to get the engine on his Cessna 206 purring. At idle the engine stumbles down to 600 rpm. It never quits, but doesn’t run smoothly either. Mike asks if they’ve done an rpm rise test at 600 rpm. Paul explains it’s part of the installation process of a new engine. You set the engine at a set rpm, then pull the mixture back slowly to get a 25 rpm rise. More than 25 rpm means it’s running rich. Less than 25 rpm means it’s running lean. Engines don’t come out of a crate ready to go. They need to be set up properly. Mike also said that landing with full mixture rich is an issue as well. He said there are only two times you should have full mixture. One is when starting cold, and the other is when applying 100 percent power (at lower density altitudes).
Mark is interested in electronic ignition for his 210, particularly the Surefly. Paul loves the Surefly on his airplane. He doesn’t love the advanced variable timing. He thinks a bit aggressive. But it is selectable, so you can turn it off if you like. Mike said he would try it with the variable timing on, and only turn it off if the CHTs are too high. Colleen said her husband has done the dual Surefly on his Legacy. He has higher CHTs, but not unacceptably high. The fuel burn is also lower, but the biggest benefit is easier starting.
Erick is looking for any angle to justify buying his first love, a Cessna 337. He would prefer a turbocharged Skymaster. He’s wondering if there’s any hope for the future of these engines being affordable. You must go and buy a turbocharged Skymaster, Mike said. The engines that Mike has previously been worried about are on the pressurized Skymaster. The turbocharged engines are rated at 210 horsepower, and the pressurized ones are rated at 225 horsepower, which he thinks impacts longevity. He thinks engine longevity is related to horsepower per cubic inch. An O-470 is about .5 horsepower pre cubic inch. The TSIO-360 is around .625 horsepower per cubic inch.
Warren is wondering if detonation caused a power failure in an accident he’s studied. The NTSB data shows that the cylinder reached about 700 degrees, and it went up by about 1.3 F degrees per second. Mike said CHT increases greater than 1 degree per second can only be caused by a pre-ignition event. It means that something in the cylinder was either acting like a glow plug, or if there’s a magneto failure. A cracked spark plug insulator can act like a glow plug, for example. -
Missing episodes?
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How do you know when to replace certain parts? They begin to talk to you. Find out what, why, how, and when when Mike, Paul, and Colleen tackle this and other questions. Email [email protected] for a chance to be on the show.
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Full notes below:
John is part of a club that owns a Cessna 172. Another member told him he shouldn’t move the rudder by hand when he preflights. Mike said to make sure he pushes it at a rivet line to ensure he doesn’t bend the sheet metal, but otherwise it’s ok. Paul describes how the system is built. He said in a Skyhawk the rudder pedal tension is created by springs that pull them toward the firewall. There’s not a cable tension spec. The steering bungees are between the rudder pedals and the nose gear. If you get in and push the pedals when stationary, you are putting stress on the bungees.
Jarek wants to know if the FAA has lost its mind. He is wondering about the FAA’s AC 20-105, which says that engines that run past TBO have a higher rate of failure, and that engine overhauls at TBO are usually cheaper than those that are run beyond. Mike said Lycoming had previously issued a white paper that said that the typical lifespan of a crankshaft was 14,000 hours. Camshafts have corrosion issues, and don’t cause failures, and sometimes gears need to be replaced. But rarely does time impact safety. There are people inside the FAA who disagree with the policy, Mike says. On one hand they require manufacturers to set a TBO. On the other hand, they tell Part 91 operators that they can ignore it. Typically engines that fail that have run beyond TBO tend to be not related to age, but because of maintenance resulting from the fact that the engine is older. In fact, it’s usually the opposite, Mike says. Lower time engines typically fail because of infant mortality.
Aaron and a partner recently purchased a Seneca with turbo Continental TSIO-360-KBs. They installed new intercoolers and the manual revision suggests new power settings. He’s ignored the chart and is flying around 30 inches lean of peak. Mike said the chart is interesting if you are operating rich of peak, but irrelevant lean of peak. The power output of the engine is determined by whichever component is in shortest supply. Rich of peak, you have more fuel than you need, so power is controlled by air through the throttle and the prop. Lean of peak, fuel is in shortest supply, so power is controlled through the mixture. He would run a slightly reduced throttle, just to avoid overworking the turbos.
Rory has a Cardinal that he bought 12 years ago, and he hadn’t ever changed the ignition wires. So he started to wonder about when and why to change them. The hosts agree that if a wire fails it feels like a stumble or mis-fire because it just takes one spark plug offline. They say to run them on condition, and only change them when they start talking to you through mis-firing. -
Metal in the filter, starting problems, and mechanics who don't understand the definition of installed are on tap this episode. Email [email protected] for a chance to be on the show.
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Full episode notes below:
Roger has a Mooney M20J that has developed an odd starting problem. Over the past few years he’s had to increase the time the boost pump runs before the engine will start, and even then it sometimes doesn’t fully catch. Paul suggested that the bellows inside the flow divider could be bad, which would cause it to perform poorly. Mike also suggested that the idle mixture could be set incorrectly as well. An rpm rise test can verify if it’s correct.
Craig has a 182 that he uses to go back and forth to his fishing cabin. He took the back seat out and he wants to add in some plywood in the back to protect the structure. He isn’t planning to affix it in any way other than Velcro. His A&P told him to avoid doing this because the wood isn't burn certified. But without installing the plywood with a structural fastener, it’s not technically installed and he can carry it however he likes.
Malcolm has an 182 with the Texas Skyways conversion, and it hangs up during the starting sequence. They’ve replaced the starter, bought a battery tender to check the battery, and more. It’s so obvious what the problem is, Mike says. This is a classic and common problem among Continentals. The starter drive adapter is bad, the hosts say. He can have the part repaired and it should no longer be a problem.
Aaron found a significant amount of metal in the oil filter on his Piper Cherokee 140. There was aluminum in every pleat of his filter after only about 15 hours. They were thin, but large flakes. The pieces were too big to even show up in an analysis. No other metals were elevated in the analysis. Colleen suggests that it could be from the oil pump impeller, but since he only found oil in the filter, and not in the sump itself, he thinks it’s coming from the pistons. Mike said piston pins migrate back the other direction, which often means it’s self-resolving. As it turns out Aaron knew the answer. He removed all four cydlinders, and two of the piston pins were severely worn. They also found ring chatter. Mike said Superior has had issues with ring chatter and they’ve tracked down the manufacturing problem and replacing the cylinders under warranty. -
An airplane that hasn't flown in 8 years quits when going to full power. A turbocharged Mooney meters out less fuel as it climbs. Mike, Paul, and Colleen tackle these questions and many more in this episode. Email [email protected] for a chance to get on the show.
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Full notes below
Eric is having trouble with his Aero Commander. The engine has only 150 hours but sat for 8 years. After an extensive annual, they test flew it. One of the engines dies at full power, but runs fine at partial power. The flow dividers were checked, the fuel lines were blown out, and the fuel servos were bench tested. Colleen suggests that it could be a blockage of the exhaust, especially given the long sitting time. Paul thinks it’s possible that a lack of air supply could be a problem. They suggest opening the alternate air to see if that fixes it. Paul said he would go through the entire induction system to verify it’s clear and open.
Will is struggling to get the fuel system set up in his turbo Mooney. As he climbs he says the fuel pump is decreasing fuel pressure. The manifold pressure starts to decrease when fuel pressure gets low in the upper teens. Mike said there’s nothing wrong with the manifold pressure or upper deck pressure. The line from the upper deck pressure to the fuel pump aneroid is bad. The aneroid thinks it’s seeing lower pressure as he climbs, even though it shouldn’t. He thinks there’s a leak in that line, the aneroid, or the upper deck pressure. He suggests pulling the b-nuts and replacing the seals first.
Jim is wondering about how to lean when flying low in a formation fly-over. With 10 airplanes and lots of throttle changes back and forth, it’s hard to know how to lean. Colleen suggests doing some tests at the same altitudes not in formation to see what sort of power settings he’s at and apply it based on those tests. Mike said he would lean to around best power.
Jason is a partner in a 182 and a potential new partner went for a test flight and found a potential issue. The rpm dropped 150 to 170 during the mag check, and he refused to fly the airplane. So he’s wondering if the pilot was overreacting or if he was right not to fly it. Paul said EGT rise is a better indicator than rpm drop. Very little drop or no drop could mean the P leads weren’t connected. Mike said bigger drops, like 300 rpm, should prompt a timing check. Switching to one plug has the effect of artificially retarding the mag timing. If it’s already retarded, that can make a large drop -
Live from Airventure 2024, we present the first of two sessions. Listen as the audience tries to stump Mike, Paul, and Colleen with its toughest maintenance questions.
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An owner wants his engine perfect for flying around the world, how to start an airplane with electronic ignition, when to fire your mechanic, and defining approved data are on tap for this episode.
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Full show notes below:
Ethan is flying a 182 around the world, and he is worried about a CHT imbalance. He’s added an electronic ignition, changed some baffling, changed cylinders, and even got a new engine. It also gets worse as he levels off. Paul said Ethan still has a baffling issue, and the first step is to cut slits in the material to make sure it’s laying flat. The temperature imbalance changing when leveling off makes sense to Paul because the airflow over the engine changes as the pitch of the airplane changes. Mike said it can be inter-cylinder baffling as well. Even CHTs are impossible, he says. A 50-degree spread is good. Colleen suggests pushing the baffling off the back cylinder by wedging in a spacer between the cylinder and the baffling to create a small gap.
Frank just installed an electronic ignition for his 182 and is wondering how to properly start the airplane with a split switch. He has been starting it on battery only, as per the airplane handbook. Paul made the point that older Cessnas didn’t have a split switch. Theoretically with the alternator on during the start, you avoid an electrical jolt, although he said he can’t say the battery only start is always better. He recommends starting on both mags. Mike said the only time you wouldn’t want to turn the alternator on during a start is if you have an almost dead battery. It’s more important to avoid the jolt on a gear-driven alternator.
Benny is headed for a bread-up with his mechanic. He likes the work the mechanic has done, but in talking to the mechanic about his approach to maintenance, he is concerned they don’t agree on tactics. The mechanic doesn’t believe in lapping valves, for example, and may have a hard adherence to TBO. Benny wants to know whether to switch now or try to work through the disagreements. Mike thinks it’s worth a conversation given how difficult it can be to switch mechanics. Colleen said it’s not going to work, and that the mechanic is most likely set in his ways. Paul agrees that getting a mechanic to change his mind is incredibly difficult.
Dwayne is restoring an antique airplane is wondering what constitutes approved data. Xerox copies are acceptable, despite what others have told him. He also wants to know if reverse engineering a part is considered approved data. Dwayne and the hosts discuss the difference between acceptable and approved data. -
An owner wants to know if he should tear down his engine after harvesting some corn with his prop. Plus, the benefits of flying oversquare, why you should use the boost pump at higher altitudes, and pre-flight procedures.
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Full notes below:
John wants to know if he can manipulate the rudder on his club’s 172 during a preflight. Another club member told him he would stress the nosewheel steering by doing that, but the hosts agree that John that was right. Paul explains that the tension on the rudder pedals is created by springs that pull the pedals to the firewall. The steering bungees are between the rudder pedals and the nosegear, not the rudder. The rudder may move the pedals a little. Bigger stress is when you move the pedals from the cockpit without the nosewheel moving, but even so, Paul said the system is made to do that and is unhurt by those checks.
Jeff had a botched landing in his Super Cruiser and hit some corn at full power, and he is wondering whether or not he had a prop strike. The engine didn’t seem to have an rpm drop, and the prop was undamaged. Mike said there’s two possible outcomes. The first is that he didn’t have a prop strike because there wasn’t a reduction in rpm. If Jeff thinks he had an rpm reduction, the AD requires the accessory case to be removed, but not torn down. In all the prop strike events Paul has been involved with, he’s never seen rotational damage due to a prop strike. Magnetos are usually the first thing to be damaged. He said he thinks it’s also unlikely there wasn’t an rpm reduction as it slashed through the corn, and he thinks Jeff is subject to the AD.
Tyler is looking at buying a turbo Piper Arrow and he has questions about turbocharging. He wonders about the diminishing returns of oversquare or overboost as it relates to reduced longevity. He’s also worried about boot strapping, which Paul said is self-limiting. Mike said the highest amount of oversquare allowable within the operating envelope is the most efficient place to operate. It’s important to remember that the chart is rich of peak, and lean of peak provides more of a detonation margin. Mike said the abuse to worry about is horsepower per cubic inch.
Fred’s engine on his Cirrus had a hiccup and he’s wondering why. He was at 10,000 feet climbing in the clouds. One cylinder was getting hotter, and one had passed 400, so he leveled off, things cooled off, and he started climbing again. Just as he leveled off he tried to do the big mixture pull, it stumbled, so he pushed it forward and it still stumbled. The hosts quickly figure out he had vapor lock. Paul said a lot of Cirrus pilots run the boost pump on low all the time. Mike does that on his 310. With a hot engine and high altitude, the fuel is vaporized, so the boost pump helps move things along a bit. -
Lots of leaks this episode, as Mike, Paul, and Colleen diagnose a leaky strut, a defroster that's not working, a leaking brake system, and more. Send your questions to [email protected] for a chance to get on the show.
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Greg has a Cherokee with a leaky strut. His mechanic suggested pressurizing it with shop air instead of nitrogen. He asks about Granville Strut Seal. Mike said he has a big success rate with Granville, and that he should definitely use it on all the struts. He disagrees with Greg’s mechanic that shop air is ok to use to fill a strut. The reason to use nitrogen is to avoid corrosion inside the strut because shop air has moisture in it. The air valve in the top of the strut is probably where his air is leaking from.
Jim has a Mooney M20C and the defroster ducting is falling apart. He’s wondering how to replace it. They recommend taking out the glareshieild, grabbing out the tubing, and buying a new one from Lasar or the factory. The existing one might be repairable with epoxy or new fiberglass pieces. Paul cautions that it’s possible something won’t work after he gets it all back together. Mike thinks it’s almost not worth fixing because of the complications in that tight of a space.
Andy is trying to understand the carb ice potential of the Cessna with an O-300 that he’s flying. He’s heard it’s very prone to icing, and the carb temperature gauge shows it’s almost always in the yellow. To stay out of the yellow he would need to fly with the carb heat on almost all the time. Mike said the extreme dryness in a Minnesota winter would make carb ice unlikely.
Nick has a few questions about his 182. He’s first wondering when to replace the battery. Mike said that the way to check is an annual capacity check, and there’s an official and unofficial way to do it. The official way is to buy a capacity checking instrument, but that’s expensive. First fully charge the battery, then time how long it takes to go down to a certain level. If it gets below a certain ampere-hour rating, it’s time to replace it. Unofficially you can draw current in the airplane and see how long it takes to draw down. But the act of the capacity check seems hard on the battery, according to Mike. Paul said Concorde has told him it’s not an issue, and that checking them doesn’t damage anything. Nick's second question deals with the brakes. When he bought the airplane he saw in the logbooks that they were being rebuilt once a year. He changed out the master cylinder, the flexible line, the o-rings, and he blew out the line. It’s better, but he still has to occasionally fill the reservoir. Paul suggests checking the line near the calipers. If it’s a solid tube, he said it’s possible that fluid can work it’s way back up the system. He suggests leaving a rag wrapped around the top of the reservoir and fly to check if that’s where the fluid is coming from. -
This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen cover the basics. An owner wants to know if he should pull the throttle or propeller first in a climb, another wonders what the ideal power setting is for the run-up. Plus, mis-fueling and tired turbos. Email [email protected] for a chance to be on the show.
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Full show notes below:
John has a 210 and wants the definitive answer on whether to pull back the power or prop first. Paul said he has a 5-minute restriction on full power. He suggests after 1,000 feet, reduce the rpm only to 2600 rpm. Then reduce the mixture in the climb to maintain the exhaust gas temperature that was roughly at takeoff. Then when he gets to cruise he can set the rpm where he wants. But leave the throttle wide open all the time. Paul sets the rpm where the engine runs smoothest. After the mixture and prop are set, then he can go lean of peak. Mike said lean of peak is usually most effective at lower rpm.
Ingram bought a Diamond DA-40 with the Austro engine and he’s worried about mis-fueling. The POH isn’t helpful because it only says to drain and flush the tanks if mis-fueling is suspected. The hosts aren’t aware of a test kit that ensures he gets jet fuel, so they recommend smelling the fuel sample because avgas and jet fuel smell much different.
Justin wants to know whether to believe his instructor and general guidance, or the manual. He said he was taught to do the run-up at 1,800 rpm, but the engine manual for his airplane said to run it up at 50 to 65 percent power. Mike said it’s better to run the engine up lean, and that 1,800 is perfectly fine. Without proper cooling, he worries about engine wear with regular high-power run-ups.
Royal is wondering if the turbo in his TR182 is losing it’s oomph flying higher. Paul said the fact that it’s turbonormalized means it lasts longer. The waste gate on his system is open until he gets much higher than most. Mike said turbochargers generally don’t lose power. It’s more likely the throttle linkage has changed over the many years that he’s owned the airplane. Paul said cam lobe wear can also be an issue. -
This episode Mike, Paul, and Colleen tell a flight school owner not to throw away a perfectly good engine. Plus, the origins of the annual inspection, safety wire, and poor engine monitor guidance. Email [email protected] for a chance to get on the show.
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Full notes below:
Mike has a Cessna 150 with a bunch of advanced avionics, including a Garmin GI275 as primary engine instrumentation. The oil temperature setting frustrates him because it’s flashing cautionary at 200 degrees and warning at 210 degrees. The POH says the max is 240 degrees. Paul said the engine monitor should match the original gauge, so if there wasn’t a cautionary range on the original there shouldn’t be one on the electronic instrument.
David is challenging the maintenance norms. He’s wondering how the FAA originally came up with the idea and time frame of the annual inspection. Mike thinks it’s arbitrary because some things should go less than a year, and some can go much longer. Firewall forward and wheels and brakes should probably be less than a year, but things like cable tensions could go less. The phased inspections that turbines go through is more logical, he thinks.
The airplane in Albert’s flight school is difficult to start, and his mechanics can’t figure out why. They’ve looked at spark plugs, adjusted the fuel, fuel servo, magnetos, and more. They recommended replacing the engine next. Don’t do that, the hosts say. Mike asks for the starting procedure. In Albert’s write up he mentioned having to wait some time prior to trying to start again. Mike said the only way that would happen is if the engine is continuously flooded during starts. Paul said if there’s leakage in the flow divider, the engine can become overprimed because its as if it is being continually primed. Colleen said it’s not a bad idea to check the ignition harness and other electrical components. And Paul said to also look at the P-leads.
Slavic is learning to fly helicopters and he was surprised to find that none of the oil filters were safety wired, and he wants to know if it’s safe. The hosts are shocked. However, a safety bulletin from Robinson says that it’s not required. -
This episode a perspective owner wonders about the cost of tying down outside. Plus fuel pump problems, major versus minor, and more. Email [email protected] for a chance to be on the show.
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Full notes below:
Steve’s primer in his Saratoga sat for a long time and was pumping air when he came back to fly it. He had to track a fitting to get it to pump fuel again. Paul thought that since the pump is lower than the level of the fuel tank, then it should have probably been ok with the long break from flying. He suggested that air had gotten in the system somewhere other than the pump. Although the problem hasn’t re-occurred, he wants to be sure there aren’t underlying problems. The hosts think since there aren’t any stains from leaking fuel that he probably doesn’t have an issue.
Dennis is looking to buy an airplane and he’s trying to establish the maintenance costs difference between having a hangar and being on a tie-down. They recommended a cabin cover to try and keep the water and UV out of the interior. Dennis is worried about the freeze-thaw cycle during his cold winters, but the hosts aren’t concerned. Paul said not to worry about all the snow that sits on airplanes during the winter either. Dennis asks about glass versus steam, and they suggest that maybe glass would fare better in cold weather.
Mark wants to install an air conditioner as a minor alteration in an Aerostar. He and the hosts talk in detail about the challenging issue of minor versus major alterations and what’s involved in that decision. Mark’s concern is that the air conditioner should have a few operating recommendations about usage, recharge, and so on, and he is worried about pushing into the major category. Adding limitations and a flight manual supplement would do that, but the hosts think he could legally offer operating suggestions that don’t cross into limitations.
Andrew works at a flight school with some airplanes have that airspeed in knots and some in miles per hour, and he is looking for a way to make life easier for his students. They discuss the issues involved with glass displays that are incorrectly labeled, and what that does to the legality of the airplane. Mike thinks so long as the original backup instrument is still legal that is probably ok. -
Is there a limit to how much oil consumption is too much? This episode, Mike, Paul, and Colleen answer this important question. Email [email protected] for a chance to get on the show.
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Full notes below:
Jim has a Cardinal with 3,000 hours on the engine. Everything looks good, except that the oil consumption has increased substantially. They tried the ring flush procedure, and saw the fluid coming out of the carb intake and exhaust manifold. The second cylinder took an immense amount of effort to pull the prop through. They took that cylinder off, and found that the oil control ring had a lot of crud. Mike said he wouldn’t get too invasive in order to solve the problem. It’s not a safety of flight issue. They suggest replacing the cylinders only if the oil consumption bothers Jim and his partner. Jim’s partner suggested also overhauling the bottom end with cylinder changes. They advise against it, instead looking at the cam when the cylinders are off. Mike wonders if the ring flush was done wrong. None of the fluid should come out of the exhaust or carb. He and Paul said they’ve never seen fluid come out of the valves. They recommend trying again.
Nicolas and his partner disagree on how often they should change the oil on their Grumman Tiger. His partner wants to change the oil before the winter, when they usually only fly a few hours, and then again in the spring, when they fly around 30 hours. Mike said the oil change intervals are inexact. As the airplane is flown, the oil gets increasingly corrosive. He suggests not letting the airplane sit with old oil throughout the winter. So that’s when he would change it. He’s wondering if he can avoid changing the oil in the spring after only flying for seven hours over the winter. The hosts agree that it’s probably fine not to change the oil at that point. They recommend also getting a dehydrator to keep the inside of the engine dry.
John has a twin Cessna with one engine that quits when it’s cold. Mike said the fuel pressure at low rpm isn’t high enough. Or the idle mixture isn’t rich enough, or there’s something wrong with the flow divider. The easiest and cheapest thing to do is to adjust the fuel pressure or the idle mixture on the fuel control unit. Paul said his Cirrus does the same thing in winter. He thinks it’s the fuel divider.
Cheryl has a Skycatcher with a window tint and she is concerned about its legality, and whether it should be noted in the airframe logbook. So long as it doesn’t inhibit the view, the hosts think it’s fine. -
Can you fly a turbocharged airplane lean of peak? Absolutely! This episode, Mike, Paul, and Colleen describe how to do it. Email [email protected] for a chance to get on the show.
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Full notes below.
Mike flies a turbo 206 and a 421 and is trying to fly lean of peak but the airplanes are running a bit rough. He wonders if there are tricks on turbocharged engines. The GAMI spread is half a gallon, so that’s not an issue. Paul said to start by getting the magneto timing really close and gap the spark plugs very tight. Mike said he might be trying to keep the cylinders too cool, which would make it run rougher. He recommends targeting 400 or 410 degrees on the Lycoming engines.
Adam read Mike’s column in AOPA PILOT about LSA viability when the manufacturer goes out of business. He’s been interested in buying an LSA, but the story gave him pause. The FAA wants nothing to do with LSAs, Mike said. The hosts then discuss the differences between certification and ASTM acceptance, and what it means to potential owners.
Garhett has had a bunch of maintenance-related failures, and it has prompted him to be more involved in his airplane’s maintenance. He’s now wondering the best way to obtain his A&P certificate. Paul suggests he should start by reading the FAA manuals. It took Mike 10 years to amass the required hours by working on his own airplanes under supervision. Short of going to school or getting a job as an apprentice, this is the best route. They then discuss creative ways to build experience.
Victoria wonders how to keep the family airplane clean when the airport doesn’t allow water to be used. Mike and Paul suggest flying somewhere else and washing it. Colleen said she would use water or cleaner wax from a spray bottle. Paul really likes Crazy Clean, but cautions against using anything other than water during pollen season. For windshields, Paul said Cessna recommends a lot of water, Dawn, and your hand. Definitely don’t use power tools, they say. -
A light oil mist on his windscreen has one caller concerned he needs to split the case. Plus, Mike, Paul, and Colleen tackle cold cabins, tire changes, and horsepower calculations. Email [email protected] for a chance to get on the show.
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Full notes below:
Grant has a Mooney M20F and he’s seeing a light mist of oil on the windscreen after flying. His mechanic thought it was coming from a case bolt, which he re-torqued. That didn’t solve the problem, and the mechanic said the proper way to fix it would be to split the case, which Grant doesn’t want to do. Paul said that’s not the problem anyway. He said misting oil on the windscreen is almost always the crankshaft seal or the prop o-ring, both which should be fixed together. The parts are cheap, and the job is relatively easy. Colleen just did this on her airplane and describes the process.
Joe’s kids are freezing in the back seat of the family Cherokee. They’ve put tape around some gaps, and while it’s helped a little, it’s still very drafty. Paul mentions the spar carry-through gap between the cabin and the wing. There’s supposed to be a piece of foam in the gap, but often when the wings are removed the foam isn’t replaced. The floor is lifted up, and you can look in the gap with a flashlight and mirror to see if the foam is there. The rear spar also has a gap where there should be rubber discs glued onto the box where the flight controls pass through.
Todd is curious how JPI derives the horsepower number. Mike said JPI keeps the math as a closely held secret. But he said there’s a right way to do it, and it's how Savvy does it. Power is regulated by air or fuel, whichever is in shortest supply. Rich of peak, you have more fuel than the engine can combust, so air is in short supply. Mass airflow is therefore the power determinate, which can be calculated with manifold pressure and rpm. MP is how much air goes into the cylinder, and rpm is how often that happens. Multiplying the two gives the mass airflow number. Power when lean of peak is a function of fuel flow. Fuel flow times a set number based on the compression ratio gives horsepower. He thinks the engine monitor doesn’t know whether it is rich or lean of peak, so it probably computes it both ways, and the lower number is the right one.
Seth has some dry rot on his tires and he’s wondering if that means he needs to change thems. Desser says they need to be replaced when the cord is showing, and his mechanic says the dry rot means it should be changed. The hosts agree with the manufacturer that there’s no minimum tread depth, and to keep going. -
A Vans customer wonders what to do next, and a 172 pilot asks if carb heat is really necessary all the way to the ground. Plus, the best spark plugs, and a vexing gear issue are on tap for Mike, Paul, and Collen this time. Email [email protected] to be on the show.
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Greg has a kit from Vans on order and he’s wondering what to do next. He can replace his quick build wing kit with the small cracks installed, but he wants to know if he should order replacements. Paul said when sheet metal work is done on certified aircraft in the field, a lot of cracks naturally come up. Greg said a customer has to agree to accept the modified terms of the new contract, and you have to either accept what they send you, or spend money on a second kit. Paul said to deburr as little as possible. The goal is clean, sharp corners, not a knife edge that can cut the rivet. Just barely touch the hole, he said.
Travis has an unusual gear problem. He was tasked with ferrying a Wheeler Express RG, an unusual experimental. On the ground the gear works perfectly, but when flying it won’t reliably retract. The system is based on a Glasair 3, and Colleen said the Glasair racers have a similar experience with their airplanes at Reno. On a ferry flight the hydraulic fluid built pressure over a few hours, and Travis had to select the gear down lever in order to release the pressure. Paul said not to spend any more time on the system, and replace it with something from Cessna.
Brian wants to get to the bottom of the fine wire and massive plug choice. His shop said he had to replace all 12 fine wire plugs at the last annual, all with around 800 hours on them. The shop recommended Temptest massives, which is what he did. He’s wondering if there’s really a difference in performance. Paul said fine wires tend to idle a little better and smoother. Corrosion was an issue on older Champion fine wires, which is what Brian had. And the ceramic is thicker on Tempest. Fine wires also last longer, usually long enough to cover the additional cost. Mike said they cost about four times as much, but last four times as long. He said some people also report smoother operation at very lean mixtures and small fuel economy improvements. Colleen has fine wire Tempests in her Cardinal but massives in her Skybolt. Her fine wires run a bit cleaner and don’t need to be gapped. Brian has seen a larger EGT differential when flying lean of peak with the massives.
Dennis has a 172 and he wants to know if it’s really necessary to keep carb heat on all the way to the ground. Mike said a newer Lycoming Skyhawk is less susceptible to carb ice, but his Continental O-300 is much more likely to produce ice. He recommends installing a carb heat gauge if he really wants to avoid having the carb heat on longer than necessary. -
This episode Mike, Paul, and Colleen help an owner with an engine that randomly dies after 2100 rpm. Plus, the role of avgas as a lubricant, prop governor issues, and getting back into maintenance. Email your question to [email protected] for a chance to be on the show.
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Dennis has a Cardinal RG with a prop governor issue. When it’s warm, the prop underspeeds just a little. He’s done a bunch of troubleshooting, and he is at a loss. The manufacturer said to send his prop in, but he is reluctant to do that given how often prop shops deem them unfit for continued service. Dennis is an A&P and he asks if he is allowed to open up the governor and work on it. Mike said he doesn’t advise it because he both can’t do it legally and doesn’t have the right tools. Both Paul and Colleen said their props do the same thing, and they recommend he crank up the rpm just a little since a small amount of overspeed is allowed under the type design.
Luis is looking to get back into aviation maintenance after earning an A&P many years ago. The hosts debate the FAR, which says that a mechanic is current if the Administrator deems he or she so, or if the mechanic has served as a technician for the past six months. The hosts think Luis should use the preventative maintenance provisions to do the work without supervision.
Jeff built an airplane with a PZL Franklin 235 and the engine won’t make full power. The static rpm is 2800, and anything beyond 2100 kills the engine. He thinks either his homemade exhaust is causing too much back pressure, or there was a manufacturing issue. He wonders if there’s a way to isolate the problem. The ignition timing is set to 32 degrees, which is the manufacturer spec. Mike and Paul recommend backing off the timing first to see what happens. Paul suggests he could also remove part of the exhaust to see what happens.
Josh wonders if we are too eager to get off avgas, specifically because of its proprieties as a lubricant. He’s always heard that it lubricates valves, but Mike thinks it’s probably not a concern. It’s true that before valve seats were hardened, there was some microwelding, which led to valve seat recession. Lycoming switched to hardened valve seats in the 90s, and Continental switched in the early 2000s. There is a possibility that some of the older Continental cylinders could have problems with valve recession, but it's too early to tell. He details the work that AOPA is doing with the dual-fuel Baron, which is seeking to understand some of these issues. -
Mike, Paul, and Colleen help an owner raise his oil temperatures, explain the rules around ELT battery replacements, debate the merits of a tuned exhaust, and help an owner whose airplane won't quit. Email [email protected] for your chance to get on the show.
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Chris has a Super Decathlon with CHTs as low as 270 degrees and oil temperature around 150. Even with the oil cooler covered during winter, it still doesn’t get hot enough. Mike said they like to see oil temperature up to 200 degrees if possible. Chris can check the vernitherm by putting it in boiling water to see when it actuates. Mike said the oil temperature gauge is typically reading at the coolest part of the process, and the oil may climb 40 degrees higher.
Curtis just wanted to change his ELT battery. His mechanic sent it away to a service center. He received an invoice with three options, none of which included replacing the battery. His standby current apparently tested high. Unfortunately Curtis was in an unusual situation with a foreign-produced part. There are two answers, Mike said. There’s the answer where you feel like you have to follow the manual, and one if you follow the regulations. The manual says the battery must be replaced by a Part 145 shop, but the regs allow the owner to do it under preventative maintenance. Mike contends that since the battery replacement section of the manual is not an airworthiness limitation, Curtis can just brush it off.
Pierre-Louis and his club in Switzerland have a tuned exhaust system on their airplane and while he is seeing some benefits in terms of fuel burn and climb rate, he is most interested in the smoothness of the engine. He said it feels like having a 6-cylinder engine and he’s wondering if tuned exhaust systems offer better engine longevity. Colleen thinks it’s possible the engine is actually working harder (more horsepower), so she guesses that the engine longevity would be reduced. Mike said he disagrees because the engine isn't producing more power, its power is being used more efficiently. Paul suggests that less vibration is ultimately better for the engine.
Frank has a Rockwell Commander 112 and when he shuts it down it sometimes diesels, or won’t entirely quit. Typically it only happens in the summer after a flight when it’s warm. Mike and Paul said the only way that happens is if the mixture doesn’t fully shut off the fuel supply. Mike said the mixture cable to the carb is the first place to check. Colleen suggests that it could be a leaking primer as well. Mike recommends fault isolating it by disconnecting the primer to see if it resolves. -
This episode Mike, Paul, and Colleen debunk myths, describe valves that are eligible for lapping, and cover the basics of the red box and leaning. Email [email protected] for a chance to get on the show.
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Maciej is a new private pilot who is questioning some operational procedures he was taught. He was taught not to put fuel back into the tanks after sumping it, and he thinks if you sample it and it’s clean, why not put it back? The hosts agree that if the sample is clean, put it back. He also wonders about oversquare on the impact on the propeller. A ground school he took says that it is too hard on the propeller to run it at low rpm and high power. Mike questions the validity of this, and Paul said to go ask the source because it doesn't seem right to him either.
George has an airplane with some valve issues. Five of his cylinders have varying levels of green on them. He was told that four could probably be lapped, but the fifth has to be pulled. He’s wondering if green on a valve, which is later lapped clean, weakens or otherwise compromises the valve. Most of the green you see is green deposits, according to Mike. In early days of borescoping cylinders, the colors on the face of the valve were all we had to go on. Now, when we can position the camera between the valve and the seat, and can see if there’s erosion. If there isn’t erosion, it’s a good candidate for lapping. Mike said as long as the valve isn’t a train wreck that it’s worth lapping. Most people don’t do it aggressively enough.
Doug is an instructor who was flying a Cessna 182 with a client and the owner didn’t want him to lean, even though they were flying higher than 8,000 feet. Finally he convinced the owner that it was ok to lean a little to smooth out the engine. Apparently the owner was worried about the red box. Since the goal is to stay below 400 degrees on the cylinder head temperatures, Mike thinks it’s hard to get 182 cylinders that hot at altitude, and below 400 degrees there is no red box. Paul makes the point that because power output at 8,000 feet is below 65 percent, you can’t hurt the engine by leaning. -
With everything going electronic in the cockpit, will owner-produced parts become a thing of the past? Plus, Mike, Paul, and Colleen talk about their least favorite magnetos, deferring maintenance, and more. Email [email protected] for a chance to be on the show.
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Justin owns a Columbia 400 and he’s wondering if he can make owners-produced parts for some of his electronics. The hosts agree that this is a problem with aircraft maintenance. Because it’s difficult to show original design criteria for electronics, it’s hard to prove the part meets the original standards. There are a lot of things you can’t easily duplicate, Paul says.
Ben is a new aircraft owner and a lot of the previous squawks were deferred. He wants to know what he can do to help keep the airplane in top form before the next annual. Most of what Ben mentions is preventative maintenance and relatively minor. Paul said to focus on corrosion issues, including at the forward and aft wing attachments. Those are steel attached to aluminum. If you catch it early you can avoid future maintenance issues. Paul recommends using FAR Part 43 Appendix D as a guide for the what Ben should watch for. Colleen said to focus on things that would be expensive later. There’s a lubrication chart in the service manual, and Paul said to use that and go over the entire airplane.
David had a scary experience in his Lance. He was approaching an airport and lost power. He ran through a checklist and nothing helped. At about 400 or 500 feet, descending toward a beach, he got a stall warning. The stall warning caused him to pitch forward abruptly, and the engine restarted. He was able to come in and land normally. After some extensive testing they found that a spring had broken in a mag. David thinks that maybe the spring was wedged in the wall of the case, and dislodged when he pitched forward. The hosts don't see how that's possible, but without further information, can't make a better diagnosis.
Ray has a P210 and used an in-flight mag check to diagnose a problem. He was flying back to the States from Canada and he noticed the engine was running a bit rough. He checked the mags and found one wasn’t operating properly. He later decided to stay on one magneto. He’s gone through three magnetos in the past few years. He wonders if continuing the flight on one mag was a good idea, and what he should do now. They all agree that he did exactly the right thing by continuing and flying on one mag. Mike said he hates pressurized magnetos, and he would swap them out for electronic mags ASAP. - Show more
