Carb heat and C models

[Dan]

I met up with a gentleman in Tahoe who had a very nice C model and he never applies carb heat. He said to me literally he never has turned his carb heat on and there is no need for it. This is so very contrary to the C150 I learned in. I found the carb heat to be one more annoyance and one more distraction that I may not really want.

The question posed here is Do other C owners actually use their carb heat during normal flying or not. Thanks.

Dan

 

[Theo]

I use mine on landing when it is humid, there is visible moisture, or I just feel like it might be a good idea. I have only experienced carb ice once in an M20C and it was at night in level cruise flight above an undercast. Got my attention for sure, but carb heat did it's job.

I check it on every run up unless there is lots of dust around.

[rob]

I've encountered carb ice in my C also. Mine was shortly after take off on a July night in Missouri when T-storms were closing in. Humidity was very high and ambient temps were in the 70s. Like Theo, it got my attention, and the carb heat did the trick. Also like Theo, I use mine when it seems like a good idea - when conditions are likely that ice will form. I do intend to install a carb temp probe in the plane also.

[Barry]

I have a carburetor temp guage with temperature warning alarm. I use carb heat when I see the warning that I am +/- some degrees from freezing. I have even used my carb heat in cruise when the alarm went off.

[Hank]

I apply mine whenever the Carb Temp needle gets near the orange stripe. For regular landings, I do not. My Owner's Manual says to check that carb heat doesn't kill the engine during post-start-up, prior to turning on the radios. Other than that, it's pretty optional. So far, very little use, no problems.

[carusoam]

I used it as recommended by the POH like any carbureted engine. 

Carb heat saved the day, once.  High humidity trip over some swampy land heading VFR to Sun 'N Fun a few years ago.

Power does diminish slowly, un-noticed, and carb heat is the only way to know that it was ice building up and not the engine going away.

I like the idea of a carb temp indicator.  I like the idea of fuel injection even better.

 

-a-

[Barry]

I first learned of carb heat guages in my Cessna 175. The engine was a GO-300. If you used carb heat unnecessarly, you could cause pre-ignition in the engine and a lot of trouble. The plane came standard with a carb temp guage. Watching that guage and using carb heat only when necessary (per the POH) I never had any trouble. When I bought my Mooney, it had a carb heat guage installed. I began to use it as I had in the 175. So far so good ...

[MooneyMitch]

Quote: Barry

I first learned of carb heat guages in my Cessna 175. The engine was a GO-300. If you used carb heat unnecessarly, you could cause pre-ignition in the engine and a lot of trouble. The plane came standard with a carb temp guage. Watching that guage and using carb heat only when necessary (per the POH) I never had any trouble. When I bought my Mooney, it had a carb heat guage installed. I began to use it as I had in the 175. So far so good ...

[231Pilot]

After I bought my '67 M20C, I had a carb temperature guage installed at the first annual.  With that, I applied whenever the temp hit the orange stripe and leaned accordingly to prevent running overly rich.  I never had and issue with induction icing after that (had a few sputters before) and would recommend the guage to all 'C' owners.

[lahso]

In my 1966 C model I apply it during the landing sequence (and check it on run-up). Luckily, I've never had an issue with carb ice.