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Annual Findings, Day 1:
80psi compression checks were 79, 80, 80 , 79 (only 200hrs on TSMOH...A65). Improper hardware on Carb Heat and Cabin Heat cable ends (where they attach to the carb and cabin heat boxes). Hard fuel lines are zip-tied (rather than Adel clamped) to the engine mount. Magneto fastening nuts were only snug and not tight. Magneto timing was only 19* BTDC. Gascolator cork gaskets were badly worn...just for fun we tried to put gascolator back together with original gaskets and, of course, it leaked all-over the place.
Right brake cable frayed inside the cockpit. There is an extra VHF antenna that is not connected. Right brake pedal's cable clamp (just behind the pedal, under your foot) is too close to the pedal stop and is sliding over the stop, causing binding. Left side gear strut fairing has a small crack that requires stop-drill (this is an issue because it is not a simple affair to just remove it.
One of the horizontal stab braces was about 1/4 turn too loose (lower left). Trim tab is missing 2 rivets. Trim tab has a lot of up-n-down play but we discussed it and decided that since it is working properly it would be more hassle than it's worth to unskin the horiz stab to troubleshoot it...and maybe find that that's just how it is. (Please chime in here.)
We discovered that the wing light wires were removed when the airplane was restored...the rear light wire is still there (we are wiring it for the eventual installation of lights). And we also found one old Ritz cracker located at the rear of the fuselage...just sitting there all lonely.
Annual Day 2:
New findings: One of the engine mount nuts had the wrong cotter pin (way too small). Fuel line through the firewall could use some good ol’ orange sealant to plug-up the gap. Speaking of gaps, I always wondered why so much air seems to move through the cabin. Where the wing meets the windscreen, under the removable fairings, is quite a large open gap...will probably cut some foam to shape and fill. There is also a sizeable gap under the floorboards on either side radiating out from the bungee mount area…perhaps some 100mph tape (although I do not want to trap any kind of moisture under the tape here). Is there supposed to be any kind of cover inside the fuselage over the bungees or is that area open to the outside by design?
The right brake cable is now replaced with 1/8” wire. The cable was worn under the floor board, just in-front of the pulley that allows the cable to go down to the landing gear; and only 2 strands were left. It's easy to see why it was missed at the pre-buy last year...but it should have been caught at the last annual (maybe those floor boards didn't come up last time??). The cable was obviously very old 3/32” (the one on the left is newer). I believe the cable did NOT break all within the last year...but who knows. Of greater issue is that midway between the two pulleys under the floorboard the cable runs over a spot where there is an aluminum stiffener and it is rubbing there (not a contributor to the issue) . That area’s getting a phenolic block. The prior issue about the adjuster clamp rubbing on the pedal stop is solved with the new cable; when the old cable started to break and stretch, that reduced the tension and the adjuster creeped towards the stop. I HAD noticed that the right pedal needed to be pressed further down than the left about halfway through the summer. Now we know why.
The debate about zip ties continues to rage at our local airport and at the EAA clubhouse. Some for, some against. The experimental guys just shrug their shoulders, all the military guys are aghast, and other regular single engine guys run the gamut. The final consensus (if you could call it that) is that zip ties are a factory solution to some applications in newer airplanes. Most of the vintage guys don't like it because there weren't zip ties when the Wright Brothers were soaring above the North Carolina dunes. The mechanics feel that it works for some wire bundles and other situations where excessive heat or chafing isn't an issue, but that the Adel clamp solution is ideal. Magnetos: The mags were rebuilt just this last June. When looked-at, the mags were obviously loose and were both rotated to the end of their adjustment slots in the 'retarded' position. It was observed that in the event a magneto were to get loose and perhaps move, that the magnetos will naturally rotate is such a fashion so as to rotate towards the retarded position...which makes operational sense. They are designed to error in the direction of LESS timing so as not to cause engine damage. Once properly adjusted, the mags are in the straight vertical position with almost equal adjustability in either direction in the middle of their respective slots.
We had to cut down new, cork gascolator gaskets because all the ones in the parts bin were ever-so-slightly larger than required. Is there a source/part number for a made-to-fit gasket? The new gaskets make a huge difference, although they were not leaking, the primer now sucks fuel on the first pull. Trim Tab: All the slop is at the end at the connection between the push-pull rod and the tab itself. The hole is elongated. Has anyone done a drill-out/bushing install here...or maybe drill-out and install a larger fastener? Also, the tab seems to have slipped on the adjustment cable (it goes down a bit too far and not up far enough). I assume that one could induce some slack in the cable and rotate the small pulley ahead of the vertical stab by hand to regain proper adjustment? It's not a cable-stop adjustment thing, the tab has the proper amount of total travel up and down, it's just 'off.' Wing-tip lights/wires: the wires are there after-all. …Well one wire at least: One white wire in the left and one red wire in the right wing. We figured that there should be two wires in there because you have to ground SOMEWHERE? The wires dead-end near the wing tanks and do not extend into the cockpit. The plan is to use the existing wires to pull-through the 4 new wires required for the Aero LED lights. Speaking of wires, any thoughts on the best way to secure the new wires to the old wire that we will use to pull the new wires through…without slipping? And does anybody have a picture of a battery box installation under their luggage compartment behind the seat?
Propeller nuts re-torqued. Taylorcraft Bar Trivia: How long do you have to wait before re-torquing wooden propeller fasteners? Please answer below….
We've completed a 337 with supporting documents for the installation of 8.00x6 tires. While we're at it, a 337 for removal of one door while in flight will also be submitted.
More to follow in the coming days…
80psi compression checks were 79, 80, 80 , 79 (only 200hrs on TSMOH...A65). Improper hardware on Carb Heat and Cabin Heat cable ends (where they attach to the carb and cabin heat boxes). Hard fuel lines are zip-tied (rather than Adel clamped) to the engine mount. Magneto fastening nuts were only snug and not tight. Magneto timing was only 19* BTDC. Gascolator cork gaskets were badly worn...just for fun we tried to put gascolator back together with original gaskets and, of course, it leaked all-over the place.
Right brake cable frayed inside the cockpit. There is an extra VHF antenna that is not connected. Right brake pedal's cable clamp (just behind the pedal, under your foot) is too close to the pedal stop and is sliding over the stop, causing binding. Left side gear strut fairing has a small crack that requires stop-drill (this is an issue because it is not a simple affair to just remove it.
One of the horizontal stab braces was about 1/4 turn too loose (lower left). Trim tab is missing 2 rivets. Trim tab has a lot of up-n-down play but we discussed it and decided that since it is working properly it would be more hassle than it's worth to unskin the horiz stab to troubleshoot it...and maybe find that that's just how it is. (Please chime in here.)
We discovered that the wing light wires were removed when the airplane was restored...the rear light wire is still there (we are wiring it for the eventual installation of lights). And we also found one old Ritz cracker located at the rear of the fuselage...just sitting there all lonely.
Annual Day 2:
New findings: One of the engine mount nuts had the wrong cotter pin (way too small). Fuel line through the firewall could use some good ol’ orange sealant to plug-up the gap. Speaking of gaps, I always wondered why so much air seems to move through the cabin. Where the wing meets the windscreen, under the removable fairings, is quite a large open gap...will probably cut some foam to shape and fill. There is also a sizeable gap under the floorboards on either side radiating out from the bungee mount area…perhaps some 100mph tape (although I do not want to trap any kind of moisture under the tape here). Is there supposed to be any kind of cover inside the fuselage over the bungees or is that area open to the outside by design?
The right brake cable is now replaced with 1/8” wire. The cable was worn under the floor board, just in-front of the pulley that allows the cable to go down to the landing gear; and only 2 strands were left. It's easy to see why it was missed at the pre-buy last year...but it should have been caught at the last annual (maybe those floor boards didn't come up last time??). The cable was obviously very old 3/32” (the one on the left is newer). I believe the cable did NOT break all within the last year...but who knows. Of greater issue is that midway between the two pulleys under the floorboard the cable runs over a spot where there is an aluminum stiffener and it is rubbing there (not a contributor to the issue) . That area’s getting a phenolic block. The prior issue about the adjuster clamp rubbing on the pedal stop is solved with the new cable; when the old cable started to break and stretch, that reduced the tension and the adjuster creeped towards the stop. I HAD noticed that the right pedal needed to be pressed further down than the left about halfway through the summer. Now we know why.
The debate about zip ties continues to rage at our local airport and at the EAA clubhouse. Some for, some against. The experimental guys just shrug their shoulders, all the military guys are aghast, and other regular single engine guys run the gamut. The final consensus (if you could call it that) is that zip ties are a factory solution to some applications in newer airplanes. Most of the vintage guys don't like it because there weren't zip ties when the Wright Brothers were soaring above the North Carolina dunes. The mechanics feel that it works for some wire bundles and other situations where excessive heat or chafing isn't an issue, but that the Adel clamp solution is ideal. Magnetos: The mags were rebuilt just this last June. When looked-at, the mags were obviously loose and were both rotated to the end of their adjustment slots in the 'retarded' position. It was observed that in the event a magneto were to get loose and perhaps move, that the magnetos will naturally rotate is such a fashion so as to rotate towards the retarded position...which makes operational sense. They are designed to error in the direction of LESS timing so as not to cause engine damage. Once properly adjusted, the mags are in the straight vertical position with almost equal adjustability in either direction in the middle of their respective slots.
We had to cut down new, cork gascolator gaskets because all the ones in the parts bin were ever-so-slightly larger than required. Is there a source/part number for a made-to-fit gasket? The new gaskets make a huge difference, although they were not leaking, the primer now sucks fuel on the first pull. Trim Tab: All the slop is at the end at the connection between the push-pull rod and the tab itself. The hole is elongated. Has anyone done a drill-out/bushing install here...or maybe drill-out and install a larger fastener? Also, the tab seems to have slipped on the adjustment cable (it goes down a bit too far and not up far enough). I assume that one could induce some slack in the cable and rotate the small pulley ahead of the vertical stab by hand to regain proper adjustment? It's not a cable-stop adjustment thing, the tab has the proper amount of total travel up and down, it's just 'off.' Wing-tip lights/wires: the wires are there after-all. …Well one wire at least: One white wire in the left and one red wire in the right wing. We figured that there should be two wires in there because you have to ground SOMEWHERE? The wires dead-end near the wing tanks and do not extend into the cockpit. The plan is to use the existing wires to pull-through the 4 new wires required for the Aero LED lights. Speaking of wires, any thoughts on the best way to secure the new wires to the old wire that we will use to pull the new wires through…without slipping? And does anybody have a picture of a battery box installation under their luggage compartment behind the seat?
Propeller nuts re-torqued. Taylorcraft Bar Trivia: How long do you have to wait before re-torquing wooden propeller fasteners? Please answer below….
We've completed a 337 with supporting documents for the installation of 8.00x6 tires. While we're at it, a 337 for removal of one door while in flight will also be submitted.
More to follow in the coming days…
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