<insert favorite string of expletives here>



Ok, to start this rant/post out, as annoyed as I am, I need to be grateful.
I flew the other day, Friday,  and everything was great.  I was just flying
over the airport after some modifications to test systems (replaced the
front cover o-ring AGAIN...this time with a small cylinder pressed into the
hole with the O-ring around it to prevent it from slipping out...along with
the silicone ring around the O-ring).  I was up about ten minutes and all my
gages were well in the green and the engine seemed to be running solidly. I
turned on down wind at about 1500 feet, looked down at my gages again and
noticed my water and oil temps were both red with coolant temps at 260
degrees.  Damn.  Called for clearance to land as I reduced power.  Pegged my
best landing and taxied back to the hangar without incident resulting in
injury.



I only had time to remove the cowl and note that the cowl was wet but had to
leave for the day.  I returned the next day and started it up with only a
little difficulty and noted the radiator was not getting warm...thus
concluded no flow.  I ordered a new water pump from Mazdatrix with expedited
shipping and installed it. I figured the water pump was likely twenty years
old and a new one would hurt. Just as I was buttoning it up and reinstalling
the pulley on the new water pump I was moving the stainless water hose out
of the way for the wrench and FINALLY saw the REAL problem.  The stainless
steel water hose had shifted and rubbed up on the e-shaft pulley and gouged
two small holes allowing my coolant to blow into the atmosphere of greater
Houston.



Sigh.  Ok, repaired the hose today.  Filled the system with new coolant
(still has some in the radiator with is under the engine).  Ok, for those of
you in the know, you know it was hard to start (yes, I have been here
before).  Finally, with much difficulty and a jump box the engine
started...and ran well...but, after taking a few minutes to warm up, it
jumped to about 200 degrees.  I shut down and as expected by now, steam came
out of the tail pipe and I could hear the water boiling in the chambers.
Sigh again.  I pushed the plane into the hangar and pulled a plug, pulled
the prop through and steam shot out of the plug hole.



Ok, this sucks, but at least my engine did not seize and it kept running for
a normal landing AND, I do know how to rebuild these things (even if
apparently do not know how to properly tie back a water hose as not to rub
on a fast moving e-shaft pulley).  So, the tear down is inevitable.



Hopefully the damage is limited to the O-rings.....gee I hope I didn't warp
the plates, I just cant afford that right now (so they most certainly are
warped....).



Just wanted to share.



Chris Barber

Houston

2.2 hours in Phase One testing