Jeff, you might check with Tracy Crook. Way
back when, he attempted to use some clear plastic/nylon cored reinforced hose
for his coolant system for the same reason (I think) – so you could see what
was going on. As best I recall, it was not up to the task due to heat and
pressure – but these were the main line hoses and not just to the header tank.
I can not recall the type – but think he
got them at the local hardware store.
Ed
From: Rotary motors in aircraft
[mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On
Behalf Of Jeff Whaley
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008
2:03 PM
To: Rotary
motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: First
Flight, short and hot
Thanks Kelly, I
copied (Bill Eslick's) installation (seen at Round-up) and the see-through
aspect of that hose was a major selling point; it's easy to see whether there's
air or fluid in the line, which is very helpful … ideally there should be fluid
in the line and about 1 cup in the expansion tank; I suppose removing the cap
would provide same information … but the tank has to be de-pressurized, cap
removed and re-pressurized before flight.
Bill any comments on
durability of that hose?
Jeff
From: Rotary motors in aircraft
[mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On Behalf
Of Kelly Troyer
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008
12:24 PM
To: Rotary
motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] First Flight,
short and hot
You might keep an eye on the plastic hose goinng to
the bottom of your
expansion tank..........This particular hose is not durable and under
the high
heat under the cowl (perhaps not during your Canadian winter) might
have
a short service life..........Project looks great and am looking
forward to all
further flight test info..........
--
Kelly Troyer
"Dyke Delta"_13B ROTARY Engine
"RWS"_RD1C/EC2/EM2
"Mistral"_Backplate/Oil Manifold
-------------- Original
message from Jeff Whaley <jwhaley@datacast.com>: --------------
Thanks to you all
for the congratulatory comments … attached is a picture of expansion tank and
preflight roll-out … the orange line is fuel return; the brass is pressure
gauge pickup and snifter valve installation.
After reading Eds'
email I now know why the water temperature was so high. I installed a
thermostat with the onset of cold weather, but I couldn't use the original
Mazda thermostat because my temperature bulb protrudes across the bypass hole.
Originally the bypass hole was plugged and there was no thermostat;
however, I removed the bypass plug and used a non-Mazda thermostat !! … so
that's why the underside of the Mazda thermostat is so long! Thanks Ed for
setting me straight and based on your comment about 20% loss of efficiency, I
could possibly see 230F x 0.8 or as low as 184F on next flight … that would be
great! For now the thermostat is gone and bypass is re-plugged.
Closer examination
of the belt and rubber deposits on underside of top cowling suggests the belt
got jammed in the pulley and cut by friction.
I tried again last
night to remove the alternator pulley nut … what's the secret? Left-hand
thread? Loctite or what? It's so tight I'm afraid of damaging something trying
to get it off.
Jeff