N44122 first flight after restoration

[303whitaker]

N44122 first flight after restoration this morning. Thanks everyone for the valuable information!!!

To recap since purchase of the project in July 2020 I had to:

• repair and re-cover the elevators,
• re-make the cowl bump for the LH plugs and the bump for the air intake,
• get the field approval through a DER for the rivets the previous owner used to attach the wing fabric.
• correct dragging aileron cove,
• make aileron cables and install a battery powered radio,
• repair the pully tabs for the rh seat brake pedals.

I don't think I could have done it without all the valuable information provided by this Forum. Thank you all again!

[Hank Jarrett]

OUTSTANDING! Congratulations. Now did you remember t take photos?

Hank ;-)

[N96337]

Congrats!!!!
John

[astjp2]

N44122 first flight after restoration this morning. Thanks everyone for the valuable information!!!

To recap since purchase of the project in July 2020 I had to:

• repair and re-cover the elevators,
• re-make the cowl bump for the LH plugs and the bump for the air intake,
• get the field approval through a DER for the rivets the previous owner used to attach the wing fabric.
• correct dragging aileron cove,
• make aileron cables and install a battery powered radio,
• repair the pully tabs for the rh seat brake pedals.

I don't think I could have done it without all the valuable information provided by this Forum. Thank you all again!

Ok, great, now for the "without pictures, didnt happen" show us the bling!

[303whitaker]

You are right Tim, by the way thanks for pointing me to David Shober who approved my fabric rivets. sorry for not posting pics I will try to upload some soon. I've been real busy flying and working to deal with excessive oil consumption and lower plug fouling. The engine was a fresh bottom end overhaul with the crank and block serviced by aircraft specialties. The cylinders were honed and re-ringed. while oil pressure and temperature look great and power and static RPM look great. The #3 cylinder keeps fouling the lower plug. The plug is shorted with chunks of black carbon. When I looked inside with a borescope there is oil puddling in the cylinder. I was careful to minimize ground runs and follow the 2150 rpm for first hour then vary rpm from 1900-2200 during second hour. I have not quite given up on breakin yet at about 7 hr. The last 2 flights with a plug with a larger gap rotated into the #3 lower position have not yielded bad mag checks. If there is oil in the cylinder next time I plan to pull the cylinder and check for broken ring or out of tolerance bore.

please comment on my plan.

additionally the same cylinder has a leak at the push rod tube to head swage. what is the correction for this? does anyone here have the tool for this?

[303whitaker]

[Scott]

You can buy a beed roller, look for EZ BEADER, but frankly it's a bit of a crap shoot on how well it will seal. Best to remove the tube entirely so you can clean up both surfaces.

I used a light film of Proseal on mine. But use the beader once the cylinder is in place and the tube is in the rubber seal at the cylinder base.
S

[Scott]

Oh and that sounds like a lot of oil getting past the rings. Highly unlikely it will resolve itself. Something's amiss.
S

[sully]

push rod flaring tool

[303whitaker]

Radio panel, boot cowl reinforcements for antennae, yoke push button brackets. Thanks for the bead roller tip.

[Jim Herpst]

great Job on the repairs!

[303whitaker]

Well that didn't last long enough. The cylinders got scored up either rust from sitting or running too hard with out sufficient warm up. I think the oil temp was up to 100 or so on the initial start up. never broke in and kept oil fouling #3 plug. It also blew a hole in the exhaust pipe at #1 between flange and bend. I ordered one from wag Aero (aero fabricators). I just found out they wont be making them anymore due to inability to certify in OxyAcetylene welding hope they scan the drawing and I can select the bends and flanges to repair it and can purchase the pieces to make a repair at minimal cost. There is another shop: Plane Exhaust in Florida who have a system in stainless for $1400.

Does anyone reading have any experience with Plane Exhaust https://planexhaust.com/ ?

I have bought a 500 hr set of millenium cylinders already honed with serviceable pistons. Upon installation the lifter bled valve lash exceeded the .110 spec in the continental manual.

Does anyone reading have any p030 pushrods?

[3Dreaming]

Fresno Airparts has P030 pushrods.