---------------------------------------------------------- Europa-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sun 10/09/11: 4 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 12:58 PM - Re: Heavy In-flight Vibration Riddle /The Solution /The Winner(s) (Raimo Toivio) 2. 02:21 PM - Re: Heavy In-flight Vibration Riddle /The Solution /The Winner(s) (Ivan Midwing) 3. 07:22 PM - Tailspring and Tailwheel forks plating (Tony Renshaw) 4. 09:05 PM - Re: Tailspring and Tailwheel forks plating (Fred Klein) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 12:58:56 PM PST US From: "Raimo Toivio" Subject: Re: Europa-List: Heavy In-flight Vibration Riddle /The Solution /The Winner(s) All who like to know what was it *** One week ago on Sunday I looked, found and solved the source for vibration as follows: First I checked the overall appearance of the plane =93 good Then I took the prop for a closer check and drove the blades to their finest positions =93 all very exactly 17 degrees (measured from the tip end). Then I drove them to the coarsest position =93 all were again same and 29,5 degrees, Opened the cowlings =93 just normal inside. Took off all the sparking plugs =93 one until another were just great =93 colour like mild milk coffee... - until I took of the last (!) one: that was #3 (stbd side, rearmost) and lower one: it was sky blue (a colour like RAL 5015 or Pantone 2925C). It /they have been on service 57 hrs only. Attached a pic of it (it was not so easy to photo it to get a correct colour!). I replaced all the plugs for new. That was it. As I wrote earlier =93 My Europa was after service just great. *** My mistake: I did not try during the flight one week ago the magnetos A and B alone. I could not imagine that would be a solution for a smoother ride. You remember =93 one power selection and one rpm-selection only together was acceptable to continue the flight with a reasonable vibra only. *** How could loosing only one plug to make such a hard situation? My only guess is that it was detonation; below and over certain rpm=C2=B4s and map=C2=B4s the engine was very unhappy. Why so =93 I am sure someone of you can explain it. Certainly the plug has been very hot. *** I consulted a Finnish Rotax agent: during a last decade he remembered only another case loosing a spark plug from Rotax. That case the spark was only dead and no noticeable problems during the flight. His ten years are equal of well over 200.000 hrs of Rotax flight time (200 planes x 100 hrs /year x 10 year). *** Dear competitors: I got several answers. Some of them are a bit funny but all are valuable. Thanks for great inputs. All of you, also those privat answers. Only one of you guessed the right answer. That was Bob Yearly by writing as follows, that was a great list for all of us, thank you. Many things to check. Carbs: Check for a vacuum leak or a carb intake or carb to manifold leak. Especially since it seems to have just started and abates at low power setting. Check carb balance. Engine Electrics: First check ignition A and B separate. Second check plugs, check coil. (one bad coil really shakes also) Pull plugs and look for differences. Fuel : Check carb float bowls for dirt. Check fuel pressure regulator for 914 Finally your fuel pump delivery pressure. Exhaust: Check no exhaust failure. Look at the entire exhaust for soot, looseness or failures. Regards, Bud *** Problems: The Rules: one single guess per person, please. So, Bud is not a winner but that is not a problem for him I am sure. What is the jury=C2=B4s decision? All of you (who gave a guess or more) will get a little surprising shipment from Finland: just let me know your exact address info details direct to info@rwm.fi Also the daughters. Thanks, Terveisin, Raimo Toivio RWM-SYSTEMS "=C3=A4lyk=C3=A4st=C3=A4 informaatiotekniikkaa vuodesta 1980" 37500 Lemp=C3=A4=C3=A4l=C3=A4 FINLAND p. 03 - 3753 777 f. 03 - 3753 100 www.rwm.fi info@rwm.fi From: Bud Yerly Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 9:15 PM Subject: Re: Europa-List: Heavy In-flight Vibration Riddle Many things to check. Carbs: Check for a vacuum leak or a carb intake or carb to manifold leak. Especially since it seems to have just started and abates at low power setting. Check carb balance. Engine Electrics: First check ignition A and B separate. Second check plugs, check coil. (one bad coil really shakes also) Pull plugs and look for differences. Fuel : Check carb float bowls for dirt. Check fuel pressure regulator for 914 Finally your fuel pump delivery pressure. Exhaust: Check no exhaust failure. Look at the entire exhaust for soot, looseness or failures. Regards, Bud ----- Original Message ----- From: Raimo Toivio To: europa-list@matronics.com Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 3:44 PM Subject: Europa-List: Heavy In-flight Vibration Riddle All I have hope-so a nice riddle for you. Maybe all the answers are useful =93 let=C2=B4s collect them all: *** Yesterday I took off from a very remote /small /windy (90 degrees 12 knots and gusting MUCH) grass strip. Soon until well over the ground at altitude +500 feet with full power and 2nd fuel pump still on and gears up I felt suddenly let us say medium or more shake and vibration. My immediate reaction was to go around and land immediately but abandoned because wind was so furious and I felt I cannot do that (a succesful landing). I decided to try to fly to the next possible sensible airfield EFHV which was 10 minutes apart. Those minutes were long: I put my prob (Airmaster CS) to manual and drived it from fine to coarse, tried all the power settings and also a 2nd fuel filter. Finally I noticed that when prop was in a climb mode (in my case 5400 rpm /Rotax 912S) and MAP around 20 inches I got quite a comfortable flying mode and I headed straight home. My airspeed was w that selection about 110 knots but because of a strong headwind GS was only about 70 knots (wanted to be clearly over the ground at 3000 ft because it was well over sunset and totally dark, yesterday we got sunset around 1600 Zulutime and time was well over 1630 when flying). So, I pushed home one looooong hour. All the aerodynamics were well. I was a bit worried my engine will separate or so. When trying to push more pwr it was more vibra and when trying to pull less pwr same. I Followed a main highway and decided to land there if feeling so. Cars there with lights are almost like a lighted runway... Finally landing to the EFTP flawlesly. *** Today we had a FHGP (Family Hangar Grill Party). I tried to check my plane as well as I can. I found something. Very small evidence but something anyway. I tried to fix it and had a test run. I elected to go to fly =93 hey I am a test pilot who else =93 and She was better than ever! I managed to do 2 touches and goes when C172 did one with same runway. 140 knots during downwind makes me always happy. *** So =93 dear Ladies and Gentlemen =93 what was wrong? It would be nice and very life-useful to hear your opinions or guesses what was wrong. *** The Rules: one single guess per person, please. The Prize: The Best Guess will get a Very Special Xmas Present from Finland! *** I will let you know a solution after a week =93 be patient. Have a nice weekend and Cheers, Raimo Toivio Europa XS Mono OH-XRT #417 Updated flight hours /landings: 258,3 37500 Lempaala FINLAND p +358-3-3753 777 f +358-3-3753 100 toivio@fly.to www.rwm.fi ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 02:21:00 PM PST US Subject: Re: Europa-List: Heavy In-flight Vibration Riddle /The Solution /The Winner(s) From: Ivan Midwing Dear Raimo, As I remember I wrote sparkplugs, maybe to generic? Maybe then only half right? Most important is What do we learn and how to avoid....(from your experience that is) Thanks for sharing your experience! Blue Skies Your friendly neighbor to the west, (Varberg Sweden) Ivan Ps; Will forward your discoveries to my friend Jan a local Europa owner. Ds. P: +46 703 621310 M: midwing@telia.com 9 okt 2011 kl. 21:55 skrev "Raimo Toivio" : > All who like to know what was it > > *** > > One week ago on Sunday I looked, found and solved the source for vibration as follows: > > First I checked the overall appearance of the plane =93 good > Then I took the prop for a closer check and drove the blades to their fine st positions =93 all very exactly 17 degrees (measured from the tip en d). > Then I drove them to the coarsest position =93 all were again same a nd 29,5 degrees, > Opened the cowlings =93 just normal inside. > Took off all the sparking plugs =93 one until another were just grea t =93 colour like mild milk coffee... > > - until I took of the last (!) one: that was #3 (stbd side, rearmost) and l ower one: it was sky blue (a colour like RAL 5015 or Pantone 2925C). > > It /they have been on service 57 hrs only. > > Attached a pic of it (it was not so easy to photo it to get a correct colo ur!). > > I replaced all the plugs for new. That was it. As I wrote earlier =93 My Europa was after service just great. > > *** > My mistake: I did not try during the flight one week ago the magnetos A an d B alone. I could not imagine that would be a solution for a smoother ride. You remember =93 one power selection and one rpm-selection only toget her was acceptable to continue the flight with a reasonable vibra only. > > *** > How could loosing only one plug to make such a hard situation? My only gue ss is that it was detonation; below and over certain rpm=C2=B4s and map=C2=B4 s the engine was very unhappy. Why so =93 I am sure someone of you can explain it. Certainly the plug has been very hot. > > *** > I consulted a Finnish Rotax agent: during a last decade he remembered only another case loosing a spark plug from Rotax. That case the spark was only d ead and no noticeable problems during the flight. His ten years are equal o f well over 200.000 hrs of Rotax flight time (200 planes x 100 hrs /year x 1 0 year). > > *** > Dear competitors: I got several answers. Some of them are a bit funny but a ll are valuable. Thanks for great inputs. All of you, also those privat answ ers. > > Only one of you guessed the right answer. That was Bob Yearly by writing a s follows, that was a great list for all of > us, thank you. > > > Many things to check. > Carbs: > Check for a vacuum leak or a carb intake or carb to manifold leak. Especia lly since it seems to have just started and abates at low power setting. > Check carb balance. > Engine Electrics: > First check ignition A and B separate. > Second check plugs, check coil. (one bad coil really shakes also) > Pull plugs and look for differences. > Fuel : > Check carb float bowls for dirt. > Check fuel pressure regulator for 914 > Finally your fuel pump delivery pressure. > Exhaust: > Check no exhaust failure. Look at the entire exhaust for soot, looseness o r failures. > Regards, > Bud > > *** > > Problems: The Rules: one single guess per person, please. > > So, Bud is not a winner but that is not a problem for him I am sure. > > What is the jury=C2=B4s decision? All of you (who gave a guess or more) wi ll get a little surprising shipment from Finland: just let me know your exa ct address info details direct to > > info@rwm.fi > > Also the daughters. > > Thanks, > > > > Terveisin, > > Raimo Toivio > > RWM-SYSTEMS > "=C3=A4lyk=C3=A4st=C3=A4 informaatiotekniikkaa vuodesta 1980" > > > > 37500 Lemp=C3=A4=C3=A4l=C3=A4 > FINLAND > > p. 03 - 3753 777 > f. 03 - 3753 100 > > www.rwm.fi > info@rwm.fi > > > > > > > > > > > From: Bud Yerly > Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 9:15 PM > To: europa-list@matronics.com > Subject: Re: Europa-List: Heavy In-flight Vibration Riddle > > Many things to check. > Carbs: > Check for a vacuum leak or a carb intake or carb to manifold leak. Especi ally since it seems to have just started and abates at low power setting. > Check carb balance. > > Engine Electrics: > First check ignition A and B separate. > Second check plugs, check coil. (one bad coil really shakes also) > Pull plugs and look for differences. > > Fuel : > Check carb float bowls for dirt. > Check fuel pressure regulator for 914 > Finally your fuel pump delivery pressure. > > Exhaust: > Check no exhaust failure. Look at the entire exhaust for soot, looseness o r failures. > > Regards, > Bud > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Raimo Toivio > To: europa-list@matronics.com > Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 3:44 PM > Subject: Europa-List: Heavy In-flight Vibration Riddle > > All > > I have hope-so a nice riddle for you. > > Maybe all the answers are useful =93 let=C2=B4s collect them all: > > *** > > Yesterday I took off from a very remote /small /windy (90 degrees 12 kn ots and gusting MUCH) grass strip. Soon until well over the ground at altitu de +500 feet with full power and 2nd fuel pump still on and gears up I felt s uddenly let us say medium or more shake and vibration. My immediate reaction was to go around and land immediately but abandoned because wind was so fur ious and I felt I cannot do that (a succesful landing). > > I decided to try to fly to the next possible sensible airfield EFHV which w as 10 minutes apart. > > Those minutes were long: I put my prob (Airmaster CS) to manual and drived it from fine to coarse, tried all the power settings and also a 2nd fuel fi lter. Finally I noticed that when prop was in a climb mode (in my case 5400 r pm /Rotax 912S) and MAP around 20 inches I got quite a comfortable flying mo de and I headed straight home. My airspeed was w that selection about 110 kn ots but because of a strong headwind GS was only about 70 knots (wanted to b e clearly over the ground at 3000 ft because it was well over sunset and tot ally dark, yesterday we got sunset around 1600 Zulutime and time was well ov er 1630 when flying). > > So, I pushed home one looooong hour. All the aerodynamics were well. I was a bit worried my engine will separate or so. When trying to push more pwr i t was more vibra and when trying to pull less pwr same. I Followed a main hi ghway and decided to land there if feeling so. Cars there with lights are al most like a lighted runway... > > Finally landing to the EFTP flawlesly. > > *** > > Today we had a FHGP (Family Hangar Grill Party). I tried to check my plane as well as I can. I found something. Very small evidence but something anyw ay. I tried to fix it and had a test run. I elected to go to fly =93 h ey I am a test pilot who else =93 and She was better than ever! > > I managed to do 2 touches and goes when C172 did one with same runway. > > 140 knots during downwind makes me always happy. > > *** > > So =93 dear Ladies and Gentlemen =93 what was wrong? > > It would be nice and very life-useful to hear your opinions or guesses wha t was wrong. > > *** > > The Rules: one single guess per person, please. > > The Prize: The Best Guess will get a Very Special Xmas Present from Finlan d! > > *** > > I will let you know a solution after a week =93 be patient. > > Have a nice weekend and > > > > Cheers, Raimo Toivio > > > Europa XS Mono OH-XRT #417 > > Updated flight hours /landings: 258,3 > > 37500 Lempaala > FINLAND > > p +358-3-3753 777 > f +358-3-3753 100 > > toivio@fly.to > www.rwm.fi > > > ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 07:22:36 PM PST US From: Tony Renshaw Subject: Europa-List: Tailspring and Tailwheel forks plating Gidday, I have started to research the option of protecting my tailspring and the tailwheel forks as my build progresses. A recent pow wow with 3 builders concluded something was required such that the process did not expose the job to temperatures above the tempering temperature of the tail spring. Now I'm ignorant of all this stuff, so didn't really participate, only listened. A conclusion was made that powder coating might be an answer but my recent enquiries lends me to have concerns that the flex of the leg could encourage departure of the surface. i.e. cracking. An old Europa builder I knew used Electroless Nickel. No clue if this is the best, but I do know that he would have researched very thoroughly. So, I'm interested in what opinions the forum might have of this method, or other suggestions. My parts definitely need sandblasting to remove surface corrosion at any case. Reg Tony Renshaw Sydney Aussie ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 09:05:12 PM PST US From: Fred Klein Subject: Re: Europa-List: Tailspring and Tailwheel forks plating Tony Renshaw wrote: > A conclusion was made that powder coating might be an answer but my > recent enquiries lends me to have concerns that the flex of the leg > could encourage departure of the surface. i.e. cracking. Tony...I have no expertise to lend to this discussion...without a great deal of thought, I powder coated my tailspring along w/ all the other ferrous components and fittings. Ms. E is not yet airworthy, so I have no experience as to whether or not the tailspring's flexing will cause cracking of the powder coating. 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