---------------------------------------------------------- RVSouthEast-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Thu 05/11/06: 3 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 12:25 PM - FAB and carb wear, '98 FP O-320 RV-6A (sportav8r@aol.com) 2. 12:45 PM - Re: FAB and carb wear, '98 FP O-320 RV-6A (BOB martin) 3. 02:03 PM - Re: FAB and carb wear, '98 FP O-320 RV-6A (Larry Bowen) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 12:25:24 PM PST US From: sportav8r@aol.com Subject: RVSouthEast-List: FAB and carb wear, '98 FP O-320 RV-6A --> RVSouthEast-List message posted by: sportav8r@aol.com Checking some incidental things after the fuel tank SB was done (unusable fuel quantity and flow rates from each tank) I discovered how much havoc the engine vibes have been wreaking on FWF stuff since my last good look in there. The carb heat flapper in the FAB has broken a hinge eyelet, the hinge has cracked away from one side of the FAB fiberglass sidewall, the flap itself, which used to lie flush inside a slightly smaller hot air intake hole, has fretted its way all the way through the aluminum FAB top so that in the full-open position it actually leaks induction air out the top of the FAB. Most distressing to me was the realization that the vibration-motion of the FAB against the lower cowl intake scoop had caused the carb halves to fret and loosen considerably on their gasket, even though the 4 screws holding the upper and lower carb halves remain firmly safetied in their original positions. The FAB and lower carb body to which it is bolted can be rocked easily left- to-right with trivial pressure on the air inlet portion of the FAB. I had noted the abrupt appearance of gel-coat cracks in the cowling around all the front openings since my prop was balanced 2 years ago, and now this... The prop and engine are much smoother-running than ever, but fatigue/wear seems to be escalating. Probably a coincidental observation on an airframe that is starting to show its 580 hours, but curious just the same. Maybe I can blame this on the P-mags ;-) ...not. I'm curious whether anyone else has experienced this thing with their carb and FAB gradually coming apart in pieces. -Stormy ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 12:45:18 PM PST US From: "BOB martin" Subject: RE: RVSouthEast-List: FAB and carb wear, '98 FP O-320 RV-6A --> RVSouthEast-List message posted by: "BOB martin" Stormy, Good timing on this subject. Last years condition inspection on Larry's RV-6 (450tt)we did some reinforcing fiberglass layups on the bottom of the FAB, where the K&N filter rubber ridges were wearing thru the bottom. Right now, I'm doing the condition inspection on My RV-6 (500tt) and found the same thing. No problems with the Carb.......but will be looking closer Saturday now :-) Thanks for the update. Bob Martin--o-360 C/s larry's is 0-360 with f/p neither one balanced yet! but soon. Louisa VA >From: sportav8r@aol.com >To: rv-list@matronics.com, rvsoutheast-list@matronics.com >Subject: RVSouthEast-List: FAB and carb wear, '98 FP O-320 RV-6A >Date: Thu, 11 May 2006 15:24:08 -0400 > >--> RVSouthEast-List message posted by: sportav8r@aol.com > >Checking some incidental things after the fuel tank SB was done (unusable >fuel quantity and flow rates from each tank) I discovered how much havoc >the engine vibes have been wreaking on FWF stuff since my last good look in >there. The carb heat flapper in the FAB has broken a hinge eyelet, the >hinge has cracked away from one side of the FAB fiberglass sidewall, the >flap itself, which used to lie flush inside a slightly smaller hot air >intake hole, has fretted its way all the way through the aluminum FAB top >so that in the full-open position it actually leaks induction air out the >top of the FAB. Most distressing to me was the realization that the >vibration-motion of the FAB against the lower cowl intake scoop had caused >the carb halves to fret and loosen considerably on their gasket, even >though the 4 screws holding the upper and lower carb halves remain firmly >safetied in their original positions. The FAB and lower carb body to which >it is bolted can be rocked easily left- > to-right with trivial pressure on the air inlet portion of the FAB. > >I had noted the abrupt appearance of gel-coat cracks in the cowling around >all the front openings since my prop was balanced 2 years ago, and now >this... The prop and engine are much smoother-running than ever, but >fatigue/wear seems to be escalating. Probably a coincidental observation >on an airframe that is starting to show its 580 hours, but curious just the >same. Maybe I can blame this on the P-mags ;-) ...not. > >I'm curious whether anyone else has experienced this thing with their carb >and FAB gradually coming apart in pieces. > >-Stormy > > ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 02:03:26 PM PST US From: "Larry Bowen" Subject: RE: RVSouthEast-List: FAB and carb wear, '98 FP O-320 RV-6A --> RVSouthEast-List message posted by: "Larry Bowen" I looked a that area on mine just last night. Seemed to be in good shape, but I'm only at a measly 180 Hrs. - Larry Bowen Larry@BowenAero.com http://BowenAero.com > -----Original Message----- > From: sportav8r@aol.com [mailto:sportav8r@aol.com] > Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 3:24 PM > To: rv-list@matronics.com; rvsoutheast-list@matronics.com > Subject: RVSouthEast-List: FAB and carb wear, '98 FP O-320 RV-6A > > --> RVSouthEast-List message posted by: sportav8r@aol.com > .... > > I'm curious whether anyone else has experienced this thing > with their carb and FAB gradually coming apart in pieces. > > -Stormy >