rhtrudder

Not the original builder

Just found out the pilot was a local boy from Tongala,I took him up a couple of years ago for his first flight, he was very keen and soon had his instructors ticket and was possibly on his way to a commercial, looks like his brother and cousin were lost as well, I think he had relatives in the area I guess that’s why all the orbits, he had only just taken over the plane , sad times.

I thought the bristell was aluminum, but it looks like fiberglass the way the fire took hold

What’s the safest detergent to use on a aluminum plane, I figure ph neutral, but should keep away from phosphate , most of the auto cleaners have sodium in some form, a lot to choose from

In the past if I have left one off I could barely notice the difference but not now , both sides the same, feels like it will cut out, I’ve never come across this information before, can drop up to 500, at 4000 , just found out the 914 runs one side a bit more advanced , I guess to help with detonation, read somewhere the earths off the cdi and coils can corrode, just cleaned them up , fly tomorrow and hope my imagination was the trouble all along

Still trying to figure out my engine, switch between the mags below 4000 not much drop, up in cruise, above 5000, the is a big drop on both sides, I know the ignition systems are separate from each other but is there something common to effect both

Planning a trip from northern Victoria heading up north along the darling , still in the planning stages, anyone welcome to tag along, Greg

Don’t think my 914 has bounced back, maybe something to do with the reduction gearing

I guess that’s why the the hot up mobs offer to weld up the crankshaft to take the strain of the extra power, I think I will leave it standard

True, the 914 is a 80hp with a turbo, low compression on start up , HP comes up when over 30 on the map gauge

How many hrs on your engine

Worst cylinder was no 2, left front, could definitely hear bubbling in the oil tank, so I reckon the valves are good, 70/80 , the bore scope sounds a good idea but I’m not sure I’d know what I would be looking at, wonder if just a set of rings would make a difference, read that the bores hardly wear, hard as a cats head, found on eBay a full set of pistons and cylinders only 95hrs, $1200 plus freight from the US could be a scam but might be worth the gamble.

Would it be possible to replace the pistons and rings and maybe valve guides give the old cylinders a hone and go again, I reckon the bottom end looks solid, could be a cheap way out although I have out jewed myself in the past with mixed results

Only private flying, having trouble trying to justify over $50K on a replacement so I guess I keep up the service and hope for the best, worked okay so far , Wally tells me plenty have well over 3000 up

Over 1900 hrs on my engine, no 2 always felt a bit soft in compression when flipping over the prop, leak down showed 70/80 , rest about 75/80 , going past the rings , should this be a concern or just keep flying, engine doesn’t use any more oil than usual