Ellioth

Oddly, I get pleasure when I read others have challenges getting their IO-360A3B6 to start! In July 2013, we had a factory re-manufactured engine installed. As the months wore on, the starting (hot or cold) became more and more challenging. (Note 1: I am understating how bad it really was. Note 2: We have a "modern" geared starter and a fairly new battery.) At the summer 2014 annual inspection it was easy to convince our shop that there was a problem starting the beast. An unnamed engine manufacturer suggested we use the following cold start technique: (1) Do not turn boost pump on! (2) Mixture full rich (3) Throttle about 1/4" open (4) Crank engine, increasing throttle after a few blades if it doesn't start. Surprisingly, it works for us -- and does to this day, despite what I will write in the few next paragraphs. I should state that the unnamed engine manufacturer also had a different hot start procedure which we also use to this day. The different hot start procedure is: (1) Throttle—FULL FORWARD (2) Mixture - FULL FORWARD (3) Wait - Approx. 5 seconds (To let gravity flow purge vapor from fuel lines) (4) Mixture - IDLE CUT-OFF (5) Throttle - OPEN (Position throttle for idle at 1,000 rpm) (6) Ignition Switch - START (Start engine without delay following the previous steps.) (7) Mixture - Advance slowly until engine starts (8) Boost Pump - ON momentarily after start, if engine idles roughly to purge remaining vapor from fuel lines. This should be necessary only at high ambient temperatures. After the annual inspection and the implementation of the new procedures all was well -- for about 15 hours of engine time. To keep this post from being of infinite length, the ultimate resolution was replacement of BOTH magnetos. After 150 hours use, they were wearing out and the timing was drifting several degrees per 15 hours of running. Also, the impulse coupling's spark was extremely weak. The unnamed engine manufacturer was very helpful during this phase of the hard starting problem. Very helpful! Very very helpful!

Perhaps this was Brian's last creation. The design was completed in December and due to some "production problems" only recently took possession of the airplane. I sent a note to Brian a few weeks ago with all of the pictures; he replied "I’m glad I could be a small part of it. I’m in the process of shutting down WINGS due to my cancer progression but sincerely appreciated the opportunity to work with you. All the best, Brian"

Interesting...I was about to send a wheelbarrow of $$$ to AircraftSpruce. Put me on the list of interested souls.

This time last year when our '78 M20J's Dukes boost pump went the way of all things aviation, we ended up getting a new pump (4140-00-19ACJ) from C J Aviation, Inc. in Kendall, FL, for approximately $1,300. Our intention was to have the original rebuilt at a "famous" rebuilder in the west Chicago suburbs but they were unable to get parts in a timely mannor and the estimated cost was very close to that of the new pump!

During our '78 M20J's conversion from a -A3B6D to a -A3B6, Don Maxwell Aviation Services sent the governor away for "...flush, reseal and conversion to a T-22." Besides that, additional hardware included "lower half control cable clamp, throttle/prop control cable clamp half-upper, prop support bracket, and governor arm bellcrank." We were pleased with our experiance at DMAS for the engine conversion/installation and annual inspection despite DMAS being a bit out of the way for us (NW Chicago suburbs).

Same as mine -- cyl 2. In fact, when I called Poplar Grove Airmotive and mentioned the airframe/engine type and that there was a crack on the cylinder mounting boss, their reply was "was that on cylinder 2?"

In the spring of 2013, we discovered a case crack in our '78's IO-360A3B6D. Over the years, we had work performed at Poplar Grove Airmotive so we discussed the situation with their staff. Options: 1. Fix the crack -- approx $12,000 2. Overhaul and fix the crack -- approx $24,000 3. Lyc reman (-A3B6) -- approx $32,000 4. Lyc new (-A3B6) -- approx $45,000 They strongly hinted at option "3" being the wisest, since the reman engine would likely come with a new case to support the roller tappet cam. So...a bit over $32,000 for the engine, and about $10,000 for the install ( yikes! prop governor upgrade, oil cooler overhaul, exhaust system rebuild, hoses, mounts, baffles, vacuum pump, and so on). The work was performed at a well known Texas MSC. For those interested, yes, the new engine runs $42,000 smoother.

I have a "spare" McCauley B3D36C424-E 3-blade prop, removed from a '78 201. It was slinging some oil so we replaced it with a Hartzell Top Prop. We discovered the backing plate to be cracked which further justified the new propeller. The prop is at the RFD airport. If it is conveinent for you, send a private email and we can proceed forward!

Have a look at AVWEB's articles by Mike Busch and Brent Blue entitled "Nonin Onyx Pulse Oximeter" and the more important companion article entitled "Respiration: What Pilots Need To Know (But Aren't Taught)" http://www.avweb.com/news/aeromed/181936-1.html (Oximeter) http://www.avweb.com/news/aeromed/181934-1.html (Respiration) Buried in the latter article is something which I've observed...while flying I start breathing less deeply as the miles tick by. By forcing myself to breath "properly" I see my O2 saturation go from the mid 80s ( ! ) to the mid 90s in less than a minute.

I used to fly a '81 PA28-236 as part of a flying club. From time to time, members would ask for the factory pants to be installed. While my performance tracking efforts were not 100% perfect, I could never detect a speed increase with the pants installed. The flip side was that any wheel maintenance (including checking tire inflation) was made more difficult. Then one day a non-flyer remarked the airplane looked like a "french poodle" with the pants on!

" JPI showed cylinder #1 had no bars on the graph..." Isn't this a classic case of Lycoming "Morning Sickness?" Have you ever had the exhaust guides reamed? If so, how recently?

...and the water is added to the line in the patient's room, not at the O2 tank

We installed a GTN650 in our '78 201 shortly after they entered the market last year-- and as the cliche goes, "we've never looked back." The 650 displaced one of two KX170Bs. To me, the most important improvement over the GNS430 is the screen resolution although the "human interface" is a welcome change from the older GPS units. Having been a 430 user since 2000 and thinking the world of that uint, I would without hesitation install another GTN650 in my airplane.