---------------------------------------------------------- Commander-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Mon 05/02/05:3 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 06:08 AM - Re: Need cheap plastic Commander part (Moe) 2. 06:11 AM - Re: Need cheap plastic Commander part (Moe) 3. 09:46 PM - Fuel pressure fluctuations anyone? (Alan Kucheck) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 06:08:53 AM PST US From: "Moe" Subject: Re: Commander-List: Need cheap plastic Commander part --> Commander-List message posted by: "Moe" Hi Stan, Thanks for offering to look for plastic molding, however, it appears that Scotch brand double stick foam tape will get the job done. I used some while building my bus in 1989 and it is still holding well. Probably about June 25th through July 8th would be a good time to go over and inspect your bird. I've painted four planes several years ago myself, and the preparation is 95% of the job. Fairly early in July I have to go in for an annual. This is a little early, however, we take off for England in the plane late in July, and obviously we want everything just right. Regards, Moe ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stan" Subject: RE: Commander-List: Need cheap plastic Commander part > --> Commander-List message posted by: "Stan" > > Hi Moe, > > I'll be awaiting Version 1.1 of the list! > > I plan to deliver my plane to the paint shop in Tucson on May 27th, and > they told me to expect it to take about 4 to 5 weeks to complete. > > Can you e-mail a photo of the moldings you're looking for? I can keep my > eyes open for something that might work for you. > > Regards, > Stan > > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-commander-list-server@matronics.com > [mailto:owner-commander-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Moe > To: commander-list@matronics.com > Subject: Commander-List: Need cheap plastic Commander part > > --> Commander-List message posted by: "Moe" > > Gents, > > I am in need of an odd-ball part (about 100 feet of it) for my 1963 > 680F(p). The part is not listed in any of the Commander parts books > that I have. We have tried trimmer supply houses, hardware store, > regular upholstery supply houses here in the Los Angeles area. > > Along the both sides of the cabin at about elbow level there is a strip > of plastic about 3.5" wide (the one that the ashtrays are in) which were > made to look like leather. This plastic is called a "utility panel" in > the parts book and is inset in an aluminum extrusion. It is held to the > aluminum extrusion by two runners or plastic "U" shaped moldings that > are glued to the utility panel and snap over two protrusions in the > extrusion. The needed "U" shaped moldings are .450 major width, .230 > high, and inside width .290. > > Any advice on a source of supply would be greatly appreciated. > > Regards, > > Moe Mills > N680RR > > ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 06:11:16 AM PST US From: "Moe" Subject: Re: Commander-List: Need cheap plastic Commander part --> Commander-List message posted by: "Moe" Harry, Thanks, I have decided to try Scotch double foam stick tape, as I used some of it while building my bus in 1989 and it is still holding very well. Regards, Moe ----- Original Message ----- From: "Avtec2" Subject: Re: Commander-List: Need cheap plastic Commander part > --> Commander-List message posted by: "Avtec2" > > What part do you need, i Have a bunch of plastic parts. > Harry > 321 267-3141 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jim Addington" > To: > Subject: RE: Commander-List: Need cheap plastic Commander part > > > > --> Commander-List message posted by: "Jim Addington" > > > > > > Moe, > > I just had to re-glue mine. You might check with a salvage place that has > > a > > wrecked Commander. > > > > Jim A > > N444BD > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: owner-commander-list-server@matronics.com > > [mailto:owner-commander-list-server@matronics.com]On Behalf Of Moe > > To: commander-list@matronics.com > > Subject: Commander-List: Need cheap plastic Commander part > > > > > > --> Commander-List message posted by: "Moe" > > > > Gents, > > > > I am in need of an odd-ball part (about 100 feet of it) for my 1963 > > 680F(p). > > The part is not listed in any of the Commander parts books that I have. We > > have tried trimmer supply houses, hardware store, regular upholstery > > supply > > houses here in the Los Angeles area. > > > > Along the both sides of the cabin at about elbow level there is a strip of > > plastic about 3.5" wide (the one that the ashtrays are in) which were made > > to look like leather. This plastic is called a "utility panel" in the > > parts > > book and is inset in an aluminum extrusion. It is held to the aluminum > > extrusion by two runners or plastic "U" shaped moldings that are glued to > > the utility panel and snap over two protrusions in the extrusion. The > > needed "U" shaped moldings are .450 major width, .230 high, and inside > > width > > .290. > > > > Any advice on a source of supply would be greatly appreciated. > > > > Regards, > > > > Moe Mills > > N680RR > > > > > > > > ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 09:46:50 PM PST US From: "Alan Kucheck" Subject: Commander-List: Fuel pressure fluctuations anyone? --> Commander-List message posted by: "Alan Kucheck" This is a long one, but I hope it will be useful to any others that have similar issues out there. I know at least one other 500A owner out there has... Since acquiring N811D, a 500A Colemill, in July of 2003 I have had some fuel pressure fluctuations, primarily on the right engine, but once or twice on the left as well. By that I mean that the fuel "flow" needle wags up and down kind of like a reverse pendulum - ever larger displacments above and below normal pressure until the engine coughs and sputters. Application of boost pump immediately rectifies the problem. When I took possession of the 11D the engines were just past TBO. About 6 months later we replaced the engines with zero-time overhauls. I have not had a problem with the left engine since. However, the right engine behavior continued unchanged. Well, replacing an engine is an expensive, but effective way of eliminating some variables - now the problem was isolated to the airframe. The problem only happened at altitude, 8000' or above. Sometimes was clearly associated with turbulence - get a jolt, lose the engine. Sometimes a turn was enough - briskly crank in 30 degrees, cough, cough, boost pump. But neither was necessary - while calmly cruising along, needle starts to wag, amplitude increases and there she goes. This might happen several times in the course of a 2 hour flight. After one flight my right shoulder was sore the next day; I realized my right hand had been hovering next to boost pump switch most of the flight the day before. Bad. So we have been progressively looking for some way for air to get into the system, or for some blockage. We removed the fuel filter bodies [corroded and resined] and cleaned the screens. Same thing. We switched the screens left/right. The problem remained on the right side. We overhauled the fuel shutoff valve and replaced the hoses [it was time] from there forward, thinking that perhaps the shutoff had a bad seal was sucking air into the line somewhere. Same problem. In great frustration, I took a step back and saw something I had not noticed earlier: the fitting just forward of the firewall that attaches to the fuel filter bodies was different. On the left engine, the fitting was straight-through. The right engine had a right angle fitting. I noticed in some photos from Dayton that other birds have all manner of fitting here - straight, 30/60/90 degrees. We replaced it with a straight-through fitting. No cough. The needle still wagged, but it appeared that just changing that fitting was enough to keep the engine running, a convenient feature. This was confirmed in multiple flights, wag but no cough. Finally, a clear, repeatable, positive change in behavior. However, the problem that was causing the needle wag was still there. The last item was the sump. That is now replaced [same corrosion]; see my post on 4/17/2005. When my mechanic put everything back together we had one leak around the right boost pump. He replaced the O-ring and we were done. The good news: I am declaring the problem gone. I just flew 2 two-hour legs and the needle was [like the left one] like a rock. It used to bounce quite a bit almost all the time. Now, rock steady. So...I don't know whether it was the leaky O-ring around the right boost pump, or the dams that are in the new sump but were not in the old one. But replacing the sump fixed my problem. Long, expensive, frustrating journey. But I am very pleased with what I now have. ak --