X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from [65.54.250.87] (HELO hotmail.com) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.0.4) with ESMTP id 881185 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Tue, 13 Dec 2005 20:52:31 -0500 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=65.54.250.87; envelope-from=lors01@msn.com Received: from mail pickup service by hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Tue, 13 Dec 2005 17:51:47 -0800 Message-ID: Received: from 4.174.5.241 by BAY115-DAV15.phx.gbl with DAV; Wed, 14 Dec 2005 01:51:47 +0000 X-Originating-IP: [4.174.5.241] X-Originating-Email: [lors01@msn.com] X-Sender: lors01@msn.com From: "Tracy Crook" To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" References: Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Troubleshooting database / coil woes / IR plugs Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2005 20:51:44 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0177_01C60027.070C02B0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: MSN 9 X-MimeOLE: Produced By MSN MimeOLE V9.10.0011.1703 Seal-Send-Time: Tue, 13 Dec 2005 20:51:44 -0500 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 14 Dec 2005 01:51:47.0957 (UTC) FILETIME=[F1BAC250:01C60050] This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0177_01C60027.070C02B0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable SUPER idea Buly. I wish I had collected all the incidents of this sort = for a troubleshooting hint list but the time to do it has escaped me. = Haven't even had the time to check Bob's Wiki site (another GREAT idea) = to see what might be there already. If anyone has or builds such a list = like you suggest, I would be happy to include it in the EC2 installation = guide and publish on my website. Coil Woes Not that the cause is a great mystery (I think it is my high under cowl = temps) but I just replaced the second coil to fail on my engine. Thanks = to the dual ignition nature of the rotary, the only thing it caused was = an imbalance in the EGTs. But this time it was an intermittent failure = which made it very difficult to nail down.=20 To make it easier to find (and as an installation trouble shooting = tool) , I added two diagnostic modes to the EC2. All future EC2s (and = updated ones) will have this feature. One of them fires the coils as if = the engine were running at 3000 rpm. The other does the same thing with = the injectors. To find the bad coil I plugged the coils into 4 old = plugs sitting on top of the engine and started the coil diagnostic mode = and waited until I saw the spark on one plug stop momentarily. Gottcha! IR plugs Speaking of sparkplugs, I installed the stock RX-8 NGK iridium plugs in = my engine about 50 flight hours ago. During the course of = troubleshooting the ignition problem, I looked at the plugs for the = first time and was very impressed. After 50 hours the NGK RX-7 plugs = (BUR-7/9 EQ) I previously used would be working fine (on auto fuel) but = would be noticeably eroded, especially on the center electrode. After = 250 hours they would be so far gone that I wonder how they worked at = all. At 50 hours the iridium plugs showed absolutely no wear whatsoever = on their very thin center and ground electrodes. I examined them under = a microscope to be sure my aging eyeballs were not fooling me. This = will be my plug of choice in the future. As far as heat range, it = looked like they were on the cold side which was surprising. Tracy ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Buly=20 To: Rotary motors in aircraft=20 Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 10:50 AM Subject: [FlyRotary] Troubleshooting database I was going to suggest this to Tracy, to ease his load on the phone =20 calls. But I know how busy he is, so maybe we can create the =20 database. Everybody here once in a while comes against problem that =20 takes (sometimes) weeks to solve. If all that is reported with =20 simptoms and solutions found, maybe next time we can look it up there = before calling Tracy? Latest example: After getting my updated EC from Tracy I had hell of a time for =20 couple of months. Engine was hard to start, very rich, fouling plugs. = I returned it to Tracy and he found nothing wrong. One day after =20 starting it by using starting fluid, I noticed my MP reading stuck on = 29.8. Ahaaa! Started looking and found a MP hose fitting =20 disconnected. The EC was reading full throttle and was dumping fuel =20 accordingly, plus the fuel press. regulator was increasing the FP. If we had a Q&A type list maybe I would have found it much sooner? What do you think? Buly -- Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ Archive and UnSub: = http://mail.lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/ ------=_NextPart_000_0177_01C60027.070C02B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
SUPER idea Buly.  I wish I had collected all the incidents of = this=20 sort for a troubleshooting hint list but the time to do it has escaped = me. =20 Haven't even had the time to check Bob's Wiki site (another GREAT idea) = to see=20 what might be there already.  If anyone has or builds such a list = like you=20 suggest, I would be happy to include it in the EC2 installation guide = and=20 publish on my website.
 
Coil Woes
 
Not that the cause is a great mystery (I think it is my high under = cowl=20 temps) but I just replaced the second coil to fail on my engine.  = Thanks to=20 the dual ignition nature of the rotary, the only thing it caused was an=20 imbalance in the EGTs.  But this time it was an intermittent = failure which=20 made it very difficult to nail down. 
 
 To make it easier to find (and as an = installation trouble=20 shooting tool) , I added two diagnostic modes to the = EC2.  All=20 future EC2s (and updated ones) will have this feature.  One of=20 them fires the coils as if the engine were running at 3000 = rpm.  The=20 other does the same thing with the injectors.   To find the = bad coil I=20 plugged the coils into 4 old plugs sitting on top of the engine and = started the=20 coil diagnostic mode and waited until I saw the spark = on one plug stop=20 momentarily.  Gottcha!
 
IR plugs
 
Speaking of sparkplugs, I installed the stock RX-8 NGK iridium = plugs in my=20 engine about 50 flight hours ago.  During the course of = troubleshooting=20 the ignition problem, I looked at the plugs for the first = time=20 and was very impressed.  After 50 hours the NGK RX-7 plugs (BUR-7/9 = EQ) I=20 previously used would be working fine (on auto fuel) but would be = noticeably=20 eroded, especially on the center electrode.  After 250 hours they = would be=20 so far gone that I wonder how they worked at all. At 50 hours the = iridium plugs=20 showed absolutely no wear whatsoever on their very thin center and = ground=20 electrodes.  I examined them under a microscope to be sure=20 my aging eyeballs were not fooling me.  This will be my = plug of=20 choice in the future.   As far as heat range, it looked like = they were=20 on the cold side which was surprising.
 
Tracy
----- Original Message -----
From: Buly
To: Rotary motors in = aircraft
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, = 2005 10:50=20 AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] = Troubleshooting=20 database


I was going to suggest this to Tracy, to ease his = load on=20 the phone 
calls. But I know how busy he is, so maybe we can = create=20 the 
database. Everybody here once in a while comes against = problem=20 that 
takes (sometimes) weeks to solve. If all that is = reported=20 with 
simptoms and solutions found, maybe next time we can = look it up=20 there 
before calling Tracy?
Latest example:
After = getting my=20 updated EC from Tracy I had hell of a time for 
couple of = months.=20 Engine was hard to start, very rich, fouling plugs. 
I = returned it to=20 Tracy and he found nothing wrong. One day after 
starting it = by using=20 starting fluid, I noticed my MP reading stuck on 
29.8. = Ahaaa!=20 Started looking and found a MP hose fitting 
disconnected. = The EC was=20 reading full throttle and was dumping fuel 
accordingly, plus = the=20 fuel press. regulator was increasing the FP.
If we had a Q&A = type list=20 maybe I would have found it much sooner?
What do you=20 think?
Buly




--
Homepage:  http://www.flyrotary.com/
Archi= ve and=20 UnSub:   http://mail.lanca= ironline.net/lists/flyrotary/
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