wild.blue(at)verizon.net Guest
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 10:38 am Post subject: cold weather starts |
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Gents--
Here in the wet PNW it seldom gets below freezing, but I have found that
preheat does indeed help starting, even if its 40F or even 50F outside. Len
Cunningham (Cunningham Aircraft Covers) has made several insulated cowling
covers for me for both CJ's and 52's. I highly recommend them--and he has
patterns for making more. They are made of heavy nylon type material,
heavily insulated (and look like they could double as sleeping bags),
completely enclose the cowling and have exhaust outlet openings so you can
hang your favorite collection device outside the cover and keep things clean
The covers are pulled tight with draw strings so you can insert a duct from
your heat source anywhere you want to keep things toasty. Nothin' like a
nice warm engine and oil for starting in cold weather.
Electric sump heaters are also useful and can be attached to the oil tank,
though I prefer to heat the entire engine along with the oil.
Jelled kerosene/gasoline and Primus stoves have burned down lots of
airplanes--be careful out there!
It's also important to build some head pressure on the fuel line to the
carburetor--wobble, wobble wobble--before you start cranking. No pressure
and the fire will go out before it builds enough to sustain operation. Yes,
pumping the throttle or the primer (after it's running) will help keep it
running, but you gotta have that pressure first.
Finally, "blubbering" is often the result of not locking the primer after
start. Fuel will go past the primer and richen the mixture, just enough to
cause a little perplexing roughness.
Jerry Painter
Wild Blue Aviation
425-876-0865
wild.blue(at)verizon.net
http://mysite.verizon.net/res0cs5r/index.html
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