---------------------------------------------------------- Pulsar-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Fri 10/31/14: 1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 08:01 AM - Engine troubleshooting (Sonja Englert) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 08:01:35 AM PST US Subject: Pulsar-List: Engine troubleshooting From: Sonja Englert Hi Everyone, If you ever had a problem with your engine and have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what is wrong (as I have a number of times), you will understand this. I have written a new book called Piston Engine Troubleshooting for Pilots. It has 80 pages and many illustrations, my retail price is $15.00. I am now taking it with me when I go fly. The book has a comprehensive list of symptoms along with possible causes and descriptions of the systems. This should make it much easier to find and fix whatever is the issue. Most four-stroke engines are very similar, so most of the descriptions apply to all engines. Where differences exist, this book lists engine-specific issues for Lycoming, Continental, Rotax, Jabiru and Volkswagen engines. Look up my web site www.caro-engineering.com for the details. Sonja Here is the index: Section 1 Symptoms.................................................................................................................1 1. Engine Quits .........................................................................................................................1 1.1 Without Warning, High Power .....................................................................................1 1.2 Without Warning, Low Power or Idle ..........................................................................1 1.3 With Preceding Warning ...............................................................................................2 1.3.1 Engine Cuts Out and Restarts ................................................................................2 1.3.2. Rising CHT before Power Loss, Engine Smooth................................................2 1.3.3. Low Oil Pressure Before Power Loss ..................................................................2 1.3.4 Engine Roughness before Power Loss..................................................................3 1.3.5 Engine Roughness when advancing Throttle........................................................3 2. Engine Runs Rough..............................................................................................................3 2.1 At High Power Settings (Throttle Far Forward) ..........................................................3 2.1.1 Intermittent, Brief ...................................................................................................4 2.1.2 Continuous Roughness...........................................................................................4 2.1.3 Intermittent Severe Roughness..............................................................................5 2.1.4 Roughness Right after Startup ...............................................................................6 2.1.5 Sudden Severe Vibration........................................................................................7 2.1.6 Roughness at High Altitude ...................................................................................7 2.2 Rough at Low Power or Idle .........................................................................................7 3. Vibrations .............................................................................................................................8 3.1 At Certain RPM..............................................................................................................8 3.2 At High Power Settings .................................................................................................8 3.3 At All Power Settings ....................................................................................................9 3.4 Intermittent Vibrations.................................................................................................10 3.5 Vibration Worst at Low Power ...................................................................................10 4. Partial Power Loss..............................................................................................................10 4.1 Low EGT......................................................................................................................10 4.2 Drop in Manifold Pressure ..........................................................................................10 4.3 Engine Does Not Produce Full Power ........................................................................11 4.4 Turbocharged Engine, Loss of Manifold Pressure ....................................................12 4.5 Low Fuel Pressure, Level Flight .................................................................................13 4.6 Fuel Pressure Dropping in Climb ...............................................................................13 4.7 Gradual loss of Power/RPM........................................................................................13 4.8 Low Static RPM on the Ground..................................................................................14 4.9 Engine Surges...............................................................................................................14 5. Poor Engine Acceleration ..................................................................................................15 6. High Oil Consumption.......................................................................................................16 7. High or Uneven Engine Temperatures .............................................................................18 7.1 High CHT.....................................................................................................................18 7.2 High Oil Temperature..................................................................................................20 8. Abnormal Instrument Readings.........................................................................................20 8.1 Fluctuating Oil Pressure ..............................................................................................20 8.2 Low Oil Pressure..........................................................................................................21 8.3 High Oil Pressure .........................................................................................................22 8.4 Fluctuating or Unusual EGT.......................................................................................22 8.5 High Fuel Flow Reading .............................................................................................23 8.6 Low Fuel Flow at Full Power......................................................................................23 9. Engine is Hard to Start.......................................................................................................24 9.1 Engine Not or Barely Cranking...................................................................................24 9.2 Starter not Engaging Every Time................................................................................24 9.3 Engine Cranking But Does Not Fire...........................................................................24 9.4 Engine Does Not Fire When Hot................................................................................26 9.5 Engine Quits after Firing .............................................................................................27 9.6 Rough Idle ....................................................................................................................28 10. Other.................................................................................................................................29 10.1 No RPM Drop During an Ignition Check ................................................................29 10.2 Metal Found in Oil Filter...........................................................................................29 10.3 Overboost on Turbocharged Engine .........................................................................29 10.4 Engine Misfires at Idle in Flight ...............................................................................30 10.5 Engine Will Not Shut Off With Mixture Cut Off ....................................................30 10.6 Engine Will Not Shut Down with Ignition Off........................................................30 10.7 Leaded Fuel Problems ...............................................................................................30 10.8 Oil on the Windshield................................................................................................31 10.9 Alternator Belt Comes Off ........................................................................................31 10.10 Fuel Leaking from Carburetor ................................................................................31 10.11 High Manifold Pressure on Turbocharged Engine ................................................31 10.12 White Smoke in Exhaust on Turbocharged Engine...............................................32 10.13 Alternator Failure.....................................................................................................32 10.14 Engine Overspeed....................................................................................................32 10.15 Engine Fire ...............................................................................................................32 Section 2 Systems...................................................................................................................33 Ignition Systems.................................................................................................................33 Lycoming Ignition System............................................................................................33 Continental Ignition System..........................................................................................34 Jabiru Ignition System...................................................................................................34 Rotax 912/914 Ignition ..................................................................................................35 Spark Plugs .....................................................................................................................37 Starter System.....................................................................................................................38 Fuel Systems.......................................................................................................................40 Typical Constant Depression Carburetor .....................................................................40 Small Engine Mechanical Fuel Pumps.........................................................................42 Rotax Fuel Systems........................................................................................................43 Fuel Injection Schematic Lycoming.............................................................................44 RSA Fuel Servo (Fuel/Air Control Unit) .....................................................................46 Fuel System Continental................................................................................................48 Airframe Fuel Systems ..................................................................................................50 Liquid Cooled Engines ......................................................................................................51 Rotax Liquid Coolant System.......................................................................................51 Oil Systems........................................................................................................................52 Rotax 912 Oil System....................................................................................................52 Lycoming Oil System....................................................................................................52 Continental Oil Systems ................................................................................................53 Volkswagen Engine Oil System....................................................................................55 Engine Oil Pump............................................................................................................55 Inverted Oil System.......................................................................................................56 Oil Analysis and Oil Filters...........................................................................................57 FADEC Engines .................................................................................................................58 Mechanical Systems...........................................................................................................59 Four-Stroke Engine Operation ......................................................................................59 Overview Continental Engine .......................................................................................60 Overview Lycoming Engine .........................................................................................61 Induction Systems..........................................................................................................62 Engine Cooling...............................................................................................................63 Valve Actuation and Issues ...........................................................................................64 Engine Bearings .............................................................................................................67 Torsional Vibration Dampers........................................................................................67 Turbocharger Systems .......................................................................................................68 Continental Turbocharger System Overview...............................................................68 Turbocharger Lubrication..............................................................................................70 Engine Vibration ................................................................................................................71 References..............................................................................................................................73 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message pulsar-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Pulsar-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/pulsar-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/pulsar-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.