Mixture

[TimHicks]

So my new C85 came with a carburetor that has a mixture control lever on it.
My old A65 did not have any mixture control. So there is no control in the cabin.

What should I do? Should I add a mixture control cable? If so where does it go?

[Robert Lees]

Re: Mixture

It depends at what altitude you intend flying. Given Louisiana's generally low-lying, I'd suggest wire-locking the mixture full-rich.

Unless you intend crossing the Rockies at some point or going for the Taylorcraft altitude record.

Both can be achieved in the same flight if you wish.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Mixture

Both my Taylorcrafts had the mixture control. Doesn't do much at low altitude like Robert said. I do have a problem with that "knows everything" IA at my airport who says they NEVER MADE a Stromberg with a mixture control. That it is shown on the original equipment list makes no difference, he KNOWS they never made them.
I hate it when he comes in my hangar. Lucky for me, my IA ignores him too. He is the same guy who asked me if I knew which way to put the bolts in. I said threads down, aft or outboard, trying to ignore him. He told me I was WRONG. It's heads up. forward and inboard. He claimed I was using the "wrong" Mnemonic. I was amazed he knew the word.
IDIOT!
Hank

[M Towsley]

Re: Mixture

Tim,

Most folks wire it full rich. It doesn't start to work until about 5000 feet.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Mixture

I have a mixture control, an EGT and CHT. I like to lean enough to get 1300F on the EGT. I do this altitudes above 3000 feet and it works fine.

[TimHicks]

Re: Mixture

The idea of crossing the Rockies in this TCraft appeals to me. But I've got no interest in any altitude records.
But, in the interest of limiting my priorities in order to get my bird flying again, I think that I'll plan to "wire it rich" for now.
Then, down the road, once I've been flying for a while, I feel that I can probably add the mixture control, if I feel the need.

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Mixture

I have heard that Marvel made a carb that was sized for the A-65, and it has a working mixture system that would also idle cut-off, is this true? As tough as it is getting to find certain parts for the NAS-3's, (Says my A&P), if it could be done without giving the FAA a stroke, I wouldn't mind starting to see if I can scare one of these up.

[M Towsley]

Re: Mixture

Brie, really what parts do you need for your Stromberg? Gaskets and needles and seats are readily available for overhaul and other parts are available as well. I have never needed a working mixture as I do not fly over 5000 feet on average, where the Stromberg mixture usually starts working. I shut down with the mag switch so I really don't need an idle cut-off. For me it is 'don't fix something that isn't broken'. Marvel had a carb for the A-65, there is one on our local community college's A-65 they have for instruction. Other than that one, I have never seen an A-65 with a Marvel, (that is just purely my personal observation). I think you may have a more difficult time finding parts for the Marvel, but I am sure someone will comment on that. I have found some A&P's just don't want to work on the Stromberg because it takes more time to set the float level than they are willing to invest. Just my humble opinion. Good luck!!!

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Mixture

That's the problem, Marty, my A&P let it be known to me, that he DOESN'T want to do this again. He knows the modern carbs, NOT the old stuff. He had to pick the brain of an eighty something year old guy in El Paso to get an idea how to do this. What this is going to cost me in labor to have this done, is going to totally DECIMATE my finances, but they are tearing up the runways at T-27 on January 31, so I have to fly the plane out to our house as long as it will run, float level right or wrong. if it is my time to die in the plane ferrying it, than I'm OK with that, I have outlived a LOT of my friends that didn't make it out of Nam. If I can get it home, I want to put something on it that people still living know how to work on.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Mixture

Don't you go taking unnecessary risks! It isn't THAT hard to pull the wings and trailer her. One thing in your favor is if you do an out landing where you live you are more likely to die from heat, thirst, snakes or drug runners than from the crash. No shortage of places to land. ;-)

Take along a second hand held, a SPOT and someone to follow you on the ground, but DON'T TAKE CHANCES! We waited a long time for you to come back to the Tribe and I can't handle loosing another friend.

Hank

[M Towsley]

Re: Mixture

For a few hundred dollars the carb can be fixed. If that is too much than I am not sure what you are going to do. I don't have a clue how much a Marvel is but those 'old' Strombergs go on Ebay for several hundred dollars and are not overhauled. If modern, (how modern?), is the way than a lot more folks would be running them. Especially if they are cheaper, more available and easier to fix.

There were lots of recommendations for carb overhaul folks that was just recently offered to someone also having carb problems. A quick search will turn those up. I went with KPS Airmotive and was very happy and it was relatively cheap. Engine runs wonderful with the overhauled carb.

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Mixture

The thing is, that this guy has never taken down one of these carbs before. He knows how to rebuild a Marvel, but not this stuff. When I hear that the engine has to be run in order to set the floats, I'm wondering if we are going to wear out the threads on the studs taking the carb on and off. (Just making a funny about the threads). Time is money here, and while normally that's not a problem for this sort of thing, I am hard up against this Time thing. The desire to put a legal Marvel on the engine concerns any FUTURE carb work, NOT the problem that I have now. The old guy that used to do the Strombergs, has been doing them for five DECADES, and his health isn't what it was in the sixties, so he is retiring. I have heard that this guy, "Moon", is SO good, that he sets them up without them being on the plane, and they are always right. (I hear this from the people with Antique aircraft that he sets up the carbs for).

[M Towsley]

Re: Mixture

Well, that is how they are supposed to be set-up, off the plane. That is per Stromberg instructions. Whoever is telling you it has to be run to set the floats is trying to cut corners but in the end is wasting a lot of time, (your time and money). Sounds like your mind is made up.

Good luck!!!

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Mixture

Hank,
I said that to state that I wasn't afraid to fly her, not that I was planning on dying. If you saw some of the places that I have outlanded Ultralights that I was flying, without even scratching the fabric, it would shock the Hell out of you. I could put that plane down and not hurt a thing, as long as I wasn't right in front of the Hueco Mountains, nothing more than a 3,500 foot tall "wall" of hills with Windmills on their south end.
Brie

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Mixture

My mind is not "Made Up" unless this time thing, makes it up for me. The way that I was told about how the carb had to be set up, I thought I was going to have a 500 dollar labor bill on the Carb.
There are a BUNCH of Aircraft Sharks that are now trying to get any airplane that they can for next to nothing, so that they can turn it quickly for big bucks. Even before this, I bought the plane from a Railroad Engineer who was a "Functional Drunk", as far as showing up for work sober, but being drunk on his ass any time that he was off. When they finally caught him, and fired him, he owned seven airplanes, and except for the taylorcraft, and my sweetie pie's '46 C-140, one by one, these people got each one of them for not much more than his next month's booze bill.
Two month's ago, one of these guys met my honey and I in the Laundromat, and asked me, " You want to sell your plane? If you ever need some money, remember I always pay cash, and sooner or later, everybody needs a little money".
I told him EXACTLY where he could put his idea. (He "bought" a FLYING L-5 in Army colors for 5,000 dollars from the drunk). There are several pilot friends of the Shark that are BETTING on when I am going to have to sell the plane for almost nothing. I have already told them that I am NOT Jim, and I don't even drink.