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bryanmmartin
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1018
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 Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:00 pm Post subject: Another forced landing |
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I was flying up to Midland from Ray airport yesterday (57D to 3BS)
but just short of Frankenmouth, the engine suddenly started running
rough and lost 500 RPM. My first thought was "Oh no, not again." I
was in contact with Saginaw approach at the time for VFR flight
following so I told them I had engine trouble and was going to land
at Zehnder field (66G), which by this time was almost directly below
me. I made a safe landing on the turf strip and parked the plane.
I didn't have any tools with me so I called my dad in Midland and
told him to bring some tools and come get me. After he arrived we
spent about an hour troubleshooting the engine. The first thing I
noticed is that the plug in the #1 cylinder came out wet with fuel,
like it hadn't been firing. Then we checked for spark on that wire
and determined that it was good. Then we checked for compression by
turning over the prop while holding my fingers over the plug holes. I
noticed that the compression on #1 seemed low. Then I did what I
should have done in the first place and removed the valve rocker
cover. That's when I found one of the push rods for #1 laying loose
in the head. Then I saw that the snap ring that held the rockers in
place had broken and allowed the rocker to move sideways until the
push rod dropped out of its socket in the rocker. I found pieces of
the broken snap ring in the valve cover along with one of the shim
washers and pieces of two spring washers that had also disintegrated.
The shim washer was damaged on one side where it had ground against
the broken snap ring.
We spent the next few hours driving around Bay City looking for
parts. Try finding internal parts for a 1986 Subaru engine at an auto
parts store. The Subaru dealer said they could get the parts but it
would take a week. We finally gave up for the day and I borrowed a
car to drive home. I called Ron at Ram Performance the next day and
he said he could mail out the parts right away but on a Friday that
meant the parts probably wouldn't get to me until at least Monday. I
didn't want to leave the plane tied down 60 miles from home over the
weekend, so I started driving around looking for enough of the parts
to at least jury rig the engine for the trip back to my home field. I
finally found someone who had the snap rings.
I drove back up to Frankenmouth to work on the plane. I put the
damaged shim washer back on with undamaged side facing the snap ring
and wrapped some safety wire around the rocker shaft where the spring
washers had been just to take up some of the slop. I put it all back
together and fired it up. It ran as smooth as it normally did. I took
it up for a trip around the pattern and it seemed to run just fine.
Then I returned the car to Midland and we drove back down so I could
fly the plane home. The flight back to Ray was uneventful. Now I just
have to wait for the parts from RAM so I can make a permanent repair.
At least I don't need a new engine like the last time.
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL,
RAM Subaru, Stratus redrive.
do not archive.
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_________________
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL, Stratus Subaru.
do not archive. |
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NYTerminat(at)aol.com
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject: Another forced landing |
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Brian,
Thankfully everything worked out. How many hours do you have on the engine? Did this come directly from Ram?
Bob Spudis
In a message dated 3/31/2007 12:01:15 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, bryanmmartin(at)comcast.net writes:
| Quote: | --> Zenith-List message posted by: Bryan Martin <bryanmmartin(at)comcast.net>
I was flying up to Midland from Ray airport yesterday (57D to 3BS)
but just short of Frankenmouth, the engine suddenly started running
rough and lost 500 RPM. My first thought was "Oh no, not again." I
was in contact with Saginaw approach at the time for VFR flight
following so I told them I had engine trouble and was going to land
at Zehnder field (66G), which by this time was almost directly below
me. I made a safe landing on the turf strip and parked the plane.
|
See what's free at AOL.com.
[quote][b]
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bryanmmartin
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1018
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:34 pm Post subject: Another forced landing |
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I have about 45 hours on this engine. It came directly from RAM.
On Mar 31, 2007, at 12:50 AM, NYTerminat(at)aol.com wrote:
| Quote: | Brian,
Thankfully everything worked out. How many hours do you have on the
engine? Did this come directly from Ram?
Bob Spudis
|
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL,
RAM Subaru, Stratus redrive.
do not archive.
| | - The Matronics Zenith-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Zenith-List |
|
_________________
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL, Stratus Subaru.
do not archive. |
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larry(at)macsmachine.com
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:09 am Post subject: Another forced landing |
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Bryan,
Would you think these small parts would be worth having a couple of in a
travel kit?
I've been trying to compile a list of tools that would take care of
tubes, bearings, cotters etc and a spark plug or two.
Larry McFarland
do not archive
Bryan Martin wrote:
| Quote: |
<bryanmmartin(at)comcast.net>
I was flying up to Midland from Ray airport yesterday (57D to 3BS) but
just short of Frankenmouth, the engine suddenly started running rough
and lost 500 RPM. My first thought was "Oh no, not again." I was in
contact with Saginaw approach at the time for VFR flight following so
I told them I had engine trouble and was going to land at Zehnder
field (66G), which by this time was almost directly below me. I made a
safe landing on the turf strip and parked the plane.
I didn't have any tools with me so I called my dad in Midland and told
him to bring some tools and come get me. After he arrived we spent
about an hour troubleshooting the engine. The first thing I noticed is
that the plug in the #1 cylinder came out wet with fuel, like it
hadn't been firing. Then we checked for spark on that wire and
determined that it was good. Then we checked for compression by
turning over the prop while holding my fingers over the plug holes. I
noticed that the compression on #1 seemed low. Then I did what I
should have done in the first place and removed the valve rocker
cover. That's when I found one of the push rods for #1 laying loose in
the head. Then I saw that the snap ring that held the rockers in place
had broken and allowed the rocker to move sideways until the push rod
dropped out of its socket in the rocker. I found pieces of the broken
snap ring in the valve cover along with one of the shim washers and
pieces of two spring washers that had also disintegrated. The shim
washer was damaged on one side where it had ground against the broken
snap ring.
We spent the next few hours driving around Bay City looking for parts.
Try finding internal parts for a 1986 Subaru engine at an auto parts
store. The Subaru dealer said they could get the parts but it would
take a week. We finally gave up for the day and I borrowed a car to
drive home. I called Ron at Ram Performance the next day and he said
he could mail out the parts right away but on a Friday that meant the
parts probably wouldn't get to me until at least Monday. I didn't want
to leave the plane tied down 60 miles from home over the weekend, so I
started driving around looking for enough of the parts to at least
jury rig the engine for the trip back to my home field. I finally
found someone who had the snap rings.
I drove back up to Frankenmouth to work on the plane. I put the
damaged shim washer back on with undamaged side facing the snap ring
and wrapped some safety wire around the rocker shaft where the spring
washers had been just to take up some of the slop. I put it all back
together and fired it up. It ran as smooth as it normally did. I took
it up for a trip around the pattern and it seemed to run just fine.
Then I returned the car to Midland and we drove back down so I could
fly the plane home. The flight back to Ray was uneventful. Now I just
have to wait for the parts from RAM so I can make a permanent repair.
At least I don't need a new engine like the last time.
--Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL,
RAM Subaru, Stratus redrive.
do not archive.
|
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tommylutz(at)gmail.com
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:29 am Post subject: Another forced landing |
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Speaking of forced landings...I think I'll go do one today.
http://www.aeroclubalbatross.org/images/sweetred_lg.jpg
For those of you that haven't experienced flying in a glider, I highly recommend it. I have ASEL and glider ratings. I haven't been flying power too much lately, but I have learned much about flying around without an engine, how the wind affects your pattern, L/D with headwinds, etc, that I am sure I will perform much better next time I practice power-off landings. I still consider myself a novice at best, but there are definitely things I learned from gliding that I would never have learned (or not as quickly) from a purely ASEL point-of-view. Only problem now is I have to practice my go-arounds....not used to doing those anymore.
Tom
On 3/31/07, LarryMcFarland <larry(at)macsmachine.com (larry(at)macsmachine.com)> wrote:[quote] --> Zenith-List message posted by: LarryMcFarland <larry(at)macsmachine.com (larry(at)macsmachine.com)>
Bryan,
Would you think these small parts would be worth having a couple of in a
travel kit?
I've been trying to compile a list of tools that would take care of
tubes, bearings, cotters etc and a spark plug or two.
Larry McFarland
do not archive
Bryan Martin wrote:
| Quote: | --> Zenith-List message posted by: Bryan Martin
<bryanmmartin(at)comcast.net (bryanmmartin(at)comcast.net)>
I was flying up to Midland from Ray airport yesterday (57D to 3BS) but
just short of Frankenmouth, the engine suddenly started running rough
and lost 500 RPM. My first thought was "Oh no, not again." I was in
contact with Saginaw approach at the time for VFR flight following so
I told them I had engine trouble and was going to land at Zehnder
field (66G), which by this time was almost directly below me. I made a
safe landing on the turf strip and parked the plane.
I didn't have any tools with me so I called my dad in Midland and told
him to bring some tools and come get me. After he arrived we spent
about an hour troubleshooting the engine. The first thing I noticed is
that the plug in the #1 cylinder came out wet with fuel, like it
hadn't been firing. Then we checked for spark on that wire and
determined that it was good. Then we checked for compression by
turning over the prop while holding my fingers over the plug holes. I
noticed that the compression on #1 seemed low. Then I did what I
should have done in the first place and removed the valve rocker
cover. That's when I found one of the push rods for #1 laying loose in
the head. Then I saw that the snap ring that held the rockers in place
had broken and allowed the rocker to move sideways until the push rod
dropped out of its socket in the rocker. I found pieces of the broken
snap ring in the valve cover along with one of the shim washers and
pieces of two spring washers that had also disintegrated. The shim
washer was damaged on one side where it had ground against the broken
snap ring.
We spent the next few hours driving around Bay City looking for parts.
Try finding internal parts for a 1986 Subaru engine at an auto parts
store. The Subaru dealer said they could get the parts but it would
take a week. We finally gave up for the day and I borrowed a car to
drive home. I called Ron at Ram Performance the next day and he said
he could mail out the parts right away but on a Friday that meant the
parts probably wouldn't get to me until at least Monday. I didn't want
to leave the plane tied down 60 miles from home over the weekend, so I
started driving around looking for enough of the parts to at least
jury rig the engine for the trip back to my home field. I finally
found someone who had the snap rings.
I drove back up to Frankenmouth to work on the plane. I put the
damaged shim washer back on with undamaged side facing the snap ring
and wrapped some safety wire around the rocker shaft where the spring
washers had been just to take up some of the slop. I put it all back
together and fired it up. It ran as smooth as it normally did. I took
it up for a trip around the pattern and it seemed to run just fine.
Then I returned the car to Midland and we drove back down so I could
fly the plane home. The flight back to Ray was uneventful. Now I just
have to wait for the parts from RAM so I can make a permanent repair.
At least I don't need a new engine like the last time.
--Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL,
|
[b]
| | - The Matronics Zenith-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Zenith-List |
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bryanmmartin
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1018
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:24 am Post subject: Another forced landing |
|
|
I think it would be a good idea to have some of the small hard to
find parts in the plane on long cross country trips. Of course you
can't carry spares for everything and this sort of rare failure might
never happen again. One of the downsides to having such an engine in
your plane is that some of the internal parts are not readily
available at your local airport maintenance facility. I'm going to
get a couple spares for these items and throw them in with my spare
fuses and dzus fasteners and such. I'd like to get an illustrated
parts list for this engine, that would make it a little easier to
find some of these parts.
| Quote: |
<larry(at)macsmachine.com>
Bryan,
Would you think these small parts would be worth having a couple of
in a travel kit?
I've been trying to compile a list of tools that would take care of
tubes, bearings, cotters etc and a spark plug or two.
Larry McFarland
|
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL,
RAM Subaru, Stratus redrive.
do not archive.
| | - The Matronics Zenith-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Zenith-List |
|
_________________
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL, Stratus Subaru.
do not archive. |
|
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Ron Lendon
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 685
Location: Clinton Twp., MI
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