Worrying power loss on take-off

[jdoran]

Re: Worrying power loss on take-off

J,

Don't give up. Just the sheer volume of suggestions from this gang will tell you you've got a lot of friends "in your corner".

If you get the kitfox, you'll kick yourself for sselling the Tcraft. Hang in there a little longer.

[N96337]

Re: Worrying power loss on take-off

I agree with jdoran... don't give up and sell it..you'll be kicking yourself later! As far as dependable, there isn't much in this world that is more dependable than that small Continental in front of you.... It's "talking" to you... just gotta figure out what it's saying..
There's been alot of good suggestions here.... fuel, cylinders, mags, primer lines, I'd second the motion to get it in level flight attitude then see if you can make it reproduce the rpm drop, then when it's happening, do a mag check, and so forth... it's not magic... just got to troubleshoot until you find it, then you'll be happy and proud that you've solved the problem and life will be good again!
Keep trying, please!!
JH

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Worrying power loss on take-off

Shop towel or disintegrated cork in the nose tank. Get a flashlight in there for a good look.

[J Holland]

Re: Worrying power loss on take-off

Well, it's been three months and I am reasonably confident to say the issue is sorted.

After the series of power-losses on departure we opted to remove the carb again and swap it for a different one that was on a Jodel in the hangar. It was a different type (Marbel Schreiber (spl?)) and after a few minor throttle cable and hot air tube adjustments it was ready to go.

I actually waited for a day with a decent wind down the runway just in case. I was amazed at how the power losses had knocked my confidence.

I lined up a few days later with a nice 15kt wind and gave it full power. The aircraft was transformed. She climbed beautifully and actually seemd to cruise better than before. I have a coarse prop on my T-Craft and was seeing 105 mph indicated before. With this carb she was doing 112+. Can anyone explain this?

Anyway, sadly the day came when I had to hand the loaned carb back to its rightful owner. Meanwhile my original Stromberg had been packed off to someone recommended to me by Rob Lees. (I secretly hoped it would get mislaid in the post and that the post office would have to supply me with a nice new Marbel Schreiber!). It had become immediately apparent to him when he took it apart that the fuel arm/float settings were giving a fraction of the fuel required to achieve any sensible sort of power setting. What perplexes me is that it hadn't been touched during the top end o'haul. What could have happened when it was sitting there idle for 4 weeks to make it emerge a lethal device providing a fraction of the fuel needed to get airborne?

Could it be that with the really low compressions I had before the overhaul that the engine was using less fuel therefore the problem didn't show? After the overhaul and with good compressions perhaps I am now using quantities of fuel it just couldn't handle?

Speculation aside, we bolted the refurbed unit back onto 'NR yesterday. After checking the engine bay through thoroughly we performed some extensive ground runs. 15 minutes of running up, running down, running from idle to full power and back etc.

Taxy to the end of the runway, spend 10 seconds wishing there was a breath of headwind (which there wasn't ) and full power.

I'm pleased to say she now flys like she was designed to again. I had a ball for 20 minutes and it felt good to be back in the air again in her.

Thanks for all the advice chaps. It's taken 3 months to go from the original problem to where I am now and my wife says that I have been the most miserable for that period of time than she has ever seen me before! The power of flying to one's sanity never ceases to amaze me

[cpirrmann]

Re: Worrying power loss on take-off

Good for you! Welcome back! BTW, all was not lost, this was a very informative topic for us all.

[dewhitaker]

Re: Worrying power loss on take-off

Great!! Thanks for updating us. I was wondering what the outcome was. Glad to hear you are flying again for your sanity....best therapy there is.

[jgerard]

Re: Worrying power loss on take-off

When I was up in Seattle visiting my old flying buddies back home last month I was giving rides out of the farm strip and had a bit of a stumble on the last departure. Seemed like she was out of gas. Only lasted about a second. The F19 is placarded "9 gal useable" on the main tank. I figured about 5 gal was in the tank at the time and I may have had some kind of hiccup from the high AOA on departure. Well 25+hrs later and here I am tonight going through the carb because it still has the old 2 piece venturi and requires inspecting every year. I found that the float was not set up properly. (MA3 on a cont 0-200) whomever installed the metal float forgot to bend the little tabs to get the proper float height in the open and closed position. I have been burning more gas than I should be and who knows but I think the two are related. I guess some flight testing is now in order! I sure miss flying in the NW