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From: "Christopher Barber" <CBarber@TexasAttorney.net>
To: "flyrotary" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Disaster Averted
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2008 10:15:57 -0600
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It is amazing what a little change can make. After I let my engine cool for
about two hours last night I was able to get it to start again.  I had run
it earlier at fast idle to see how long it took to get the temps up.  It
took about 16 minutes for the coolant temp to hit 200 degrees on an 80
degree day.  Most of the run the oil temp was almost exactly the same as the
coolant, but was about 12-14 degrees higher when I shut it down.  Not too
bad I hope even though it did seem to run rich from yesterday with the
mixture knob at 12oclock and needed leaning.

While I was waiting for it to cool I decided to flatten out the IVO
in-flight adjustable pitch prop. It was almost there already, but I hooked a
battery to the contact and made it fully flat.  After screwing with the hot
start for a while, it finally fired up (Geeesh, what a pain).  Everything
seemed normal except it was rough near idle but smoothed out as I gave it
some throttle.  On a wild hair I figured I would increase it to WOT to see
if would stay smooth......BOY, did it stay smooth.  The rpm shot to above
6000 before I knew it (without the EM RPM numbers jumping around this time
as has been a continuing problem) and the plane, which was chocked with
chocks and old full size batteries and a few assorted junk engine parts
started moving forward.......WITH FULL BRAKES APPLIED....skidding towards my
hangar mates restoration project VariEZ. HOLLY CRAP!!!!!, where the hell did
that come from?????  I could barely hit 5000 yesterday.

Needles to say, I quickly throttled back with the mixed emotion of terror of
my own stupidity and the rush of excitement to all the seeming new power.
Until I remembered that I changed the pitch on the prop I could not
understand where all the power came from as I did not change anything else.
Mind you I had INTENDED to look into my crystal ball for the answer to my
warm start problems during the cooling time, but, alas, an airport friend
stopped by and it was mutual Liberaltarian social hour <g>.

FWIW, just a combination war story/progress report with memories of John
Slade reporting on a similar experience a few years back <g>.

All the best,

Chris

Christopher Barber
Attorney and Counselor at Law
5116 Bissonnet, No 418
Bellaire, Texas 77401

Serving the Needs of Senior Texans through
Planning with Purpose

281-464-LAWS (5297)
281-754-4168 Fax
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