thank you for the reply.  I will start looking into my fuel supply.  I do have a flow meter but haven't been watching it too much since I was so concerned with the very high CHT's that I've been hitting.  the mesh filter in the carb is good, brand new in fact.  I have two auto mesh fuel filters ahead of the facet pump.  they look clean thru the glass, but I will remove them and look more closely.  I have been reluctant to remove the wing tanks in order to check the pick-up tubes since it is so much work, plus my tanks are quite full.  I suppose I could try to back flush them first with an air hose if I am VERY careful.  now that I think about it I don't think I have tried switching tanks yet.  that would certainly be an easy task.
    I believe that my fuel flow meter was showing 8.5+ gals/hr at full throttle.  now that I think about it that may be low, and 10.5 more typical.
    thanks for your help.  we are having absolutely beautiful weather here and I was so anxious to do some flying, but....at least I can hang out at the airport some more.  it's nice to find someone who doesn't immediately say "I'd get rid of that electronic ignition to begin with"!
    to answer Tracy, yes I have EGT's, shows low 1100's since I am running full rich,  I have manifold pressure but never looked at it(I'd make a hell of an experimental test pilot-wait, I am one, oops).  in my defense, I have been nervous running my CHT's up past 400 degrees in order to replicate this problem, since I just had three cylinders welded because of who knows what?  I've been thinking about attaching my leaf blower to my plenum to help cool things on the ground runups.  it produces 220mph wind, or so the box says.
Kevin Lane  Portland, OR
e-mail-> n3773@comcast.net <mailto:n3773@comcast.net>

    ----- Original Message -----
    *From:* Leon Promet <mailto:leonp@pacific.net.au>
    *To:* Rotary motors in aircraft <mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
    *Sent:* Saturday, July 23, 2005 2:48 PM
    *Subject:* [FlyRotary] FUEL FLOW was Re: [FlyRotary] Lycoming
    debugging test - -HELP!

    Hey Kevin,
         Check your fuel FLOW RATE,  especially at your normal climb angle     (on the ground).  It sounds like it's losing fuel flow on take-off
    - the carb is using whatever fuel is in the bowl,  and then
    running lean. You might have to jack the fuselage to the required
    angle in case there is something in the tank that is occuding the
    pick-up(s).  However,  if you can reproduce it on the ground doing
    a run-up,  it definitely sounds like lack of fuel FLOW (not
    pressure) to me.  If the engine will maintain 1700 RPM,  then it
    is getting almost but not quite enough fuel FLOW at WOT.
         Various things come to mind.  FIrstly,  (and most easily),  a
    partially blocked fuel filter (just because it's new doesn't mean
    it'll work!!).  So change that first.  Use a different brand to
    eliminate faulty batch manufacture.          I once had a mysterious problem with an RX4.  Chased it for
    weeks.  Turned out to be a bee in the fuel line. (I'm serious -
    the guy who owned the car used to work for me and is still around
    and will verify this!!).  Anyway,  Jack's pride & joy would work
    just fine around town.  But out on the open road,  it would run
    out of fuel in 3rd gear (usually when overtaking).  Turned out
    that a bee (very dead at this stage) had got into the fuel
    tank. (The problem occurred soon after Jack filled up at some
    outback petrol station when he was on holidays).  The bee
    immediately got stuck in the fuel supply line.  At normal cruising
    flow rates,  there was sufficient fuel to run the car. On hard
    acceleration,  the bee's wings & body would PARTIALLY block the
    supply line in the tank.  We only found it when we removed the
    tank,  replaced it with another one,  and cut the old one open.     You just wouldn't read about it in Ripley's or the War Cry!
         I've also had pieces of fuel gum (and one instance a piece of
    cardboard) block the fuel pick-up.  When fuel sits a long time at
    a bowser storage tank,  especially if there is water at the bottom
    of the tank,  it will form a sheet of gum at the fuel/water
    interface,  almost like condom latex,  (but nowhere near as
    strong).  This film of gum gets broken up the next time a tanker
    does a dump,  and bits of this will very effectively block a fuel
    pick-up,  or cripple a fuel filter.          I've seen it happen on several occasions over the years.  It was
    particularly prevalent in the early '70s during the phase out of
    "standard" petrol before the introduction of unleaded into this
    country (all rotaries used to run on standard not super - which
    was heavily leaded back then).  I found out the hard way soon
    after I had purchsed my RX2 Coupe in 1971. Filled up at an "out of
    the way" petrol station (where the fuel sales volume on standard
    was virtually nil),  and immediately had problems.  After
    eventually getting back to Sydney,  we quickly diagnosed it as a
    tank problem.  Even steam cleaning the tank didn't fix it.  The
    tank was replaced,  and we cut open the old one,  and there was
    all these bits of gum,  just like a thin membrane tyhat had been
    cut up.
         So the place I'd be looking is in your fuel SUPPLY system,  as it
    seems you have done everything else except check fuel FLOW rate.     Can't guarantee that this IS the problem,  but the quick and easy
    way would be to check your open flow rate at the carb,  and then
    compare it with somebody else's.  Alternatively,  you can work
    backwards as you know that the engine requires at least 0.55 Lbs
    per hour per BHP at WOT. (First convert that to litres or pints or
    quarts per minute and you can direct measure it,  or run the fuel
    into a can for 1 minute and then go and weigh it).  Fuel flow rate
    should be at least 25% more than the max required at WOT so that
    your carb doesn't run dry.
         One other area of the problem could be the incorrect needle/seat
    arrangement on the carb,  or a partially blocked filter at the
    banjo - I'm not privvy to what carb you are running so this is
    conjectural as I plead total ignorance of Lycoming carbs.     However,  all stock Mazda carbs have fine brass gauze mesh
    filters,  both at the banjo,  and on top of the needle& seats.
         Additionally, in the racing 13Bs,  an IDA Weber would run out of
    fuel as the float bowl was just way too small for anything over
    250 BHP.  We used to replace the 2.5 needle/seat assys with 3.0
    units.  But  we would STILL run out of fuel on long straights.     Extended float bowls were then added,  which did fix the problem,     but welding the Weber material was tricky,  especially if it had
    been saturated with oil laced fuel for a long time (sometimes the
    castings were slightly porous)..
         My final solution was to add an EXTRA float bowl (from an SU
    carb),  with it's own needle & seat,  and a fuel return.   We
    could then go back to a 2.5 Weber needle & seat,  as the 3.0 one
    was prone to flooding at idle and on the over-run. (Nothing good
    has ever come of fuel dilition of engine oil in a race
    engine). This fixed all fuel flow issues.  Some time
    later, affordable aftermarket EFI came along,  and all this passed
    into history.  But fuel SUPPLY issues are even MORE critical with EFI.
         So these are just a few areas where you can look.  Be systematic,     and start at the connection between the carb and the supply line.     You will then quickly eliminate either the supply to the carb,  or
    the carb needle & seat itself.  If the open pipe fuel flow is more
    than adequate,  then I'd be looking inside the carb for
    restrictions.  As I have said,  this is only a guide.  Feel free
    to contact me off line if you feel the need.
         Cheers,
         Leon
              ----- Original Message -----

        *From:* kevin lane <mailto:n3773@comcast.net>
        *To:* Rotary motors in aircraft
        <mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
        *Sent:* Sunday, July 24, 2005 6:33 AM
        *Subject:* [FlyRotary] Lycoming debugging test - -HELP!

        I realize that this isn't exactly the right forum, but you
        guys seem to have excellent debugging skills.  my local RV
        group is totally worthless ("I find the carnauba wax doesn't
        show fingerprints as much as the....")(except Mike!)  the
        on-field mechanics are sick of me coming by.
            my O-320 RV-6A is having RAG (rpm attention getter)
        problems.  it runs fine until about 300' on take-off, then the
        rpm's drop to like 1700 (from 2200).  switching mags to
        electronic ignition(Rose) makes no difference.  mixture no
        diff.  pulling the throttle it will seem to run fine at
        1700rpm.  I have 4 new cyls that I am attempting to break in.         ground run ups can only go like 2 minutes before CHT's exceed
        400 degrees.  I discovered I can get the rpm drop on the
        ground if I run it a minute or so full power.  cht's will
        typically approach 415 degrees when the drop takes place.  I
        don't know if the temp is significant or not, it does seem
        that way.  I have a brand new slick left mag.  rose checked
        the electronic ignition and could find nothing wrong, even put
        it in an oven to test.  I installed a new carb since the old
        one showed signs of leakage (and I'm at whits end).  no
        change.  my fuel pressure has been showing 8psi this last
        year, up from 6 psi when originally installed.(no idea why)  I
        installed a pressure regulator in-line which works like a
        charm.  I can dial whatever pressure I like.  2 psi makes no
        difference.  I bypassed the mechanical fuel pump and ran it
        just on the facet electric.  2 psi, no difference. I
        discovered that you can run the carb for maybe 30 secs with no
        fuel pressure while it burns off the bowl gas. premier engines
        suggested induction leak making the engine run lean.  no leaks
        detected cold or hot engine. (pressurized intake with vacuum,
        sprayed soapy water)
            if the engine didn't run right to start with then many
        explanations would hold.  but it runs fine for several
        minutes.  it runs the same under mag or electronic ignition
        both before and after the problem kicks in.  everyone really
        wants to blame the rose ignition, but I'm not seeing any
        connection.  with such a quick run-up my oil temp barely
        registers, so I doubt parts are seizing.  I have new mineral
        oil in it for breakin right now.  there is a bit of MMO in the
        fuel too I believe, left over from a mechanics "what the hell"
        attempt from way back.  my cyls are all new, rebuilts, so no
        valve problems.  I checked the push rod lengths when I
        reinstalled them.  the engine isn't missing when the problems
        occurs, it simply won't run faster and it seems to prefer the
        throttle pulled back to match the rpm it is putting out.  I
        can't figure out any more lean mixture scenarios to try.  the
        new carb runs just like the old one did.  I recently replaced
        the mag harness with a much newer, used one.  I tested it and
        it was fine.  the plugs are all new, but again, no diff
        between mag and elec ignition.  if I flip the ignition to R
        and shut off the elect ig then the engine quits as would be
        expected, no wiring problems.
            fuel, spark, air, timing, that's all there is.  this damn
        lycoming lawn mower has me stumped.  my engine has been
        running fine up until this (hey, we all have "cracked"
        cylinders, get out your microscope and look!).  you guys have
        any ideas?
        Kevin Lane  Portland, OR
        e-mail-> n3773@comcast.net <mailto:n3773@comcast.net>

            ----- Original