|
|
|
|
|
Dad starts the inspection after we pull the cowling. It's cold!!
|
The back half of the plenum is removed to expose the top surface of the engine.
|
Connections, links, fittings, etc. are inspected closely for shifting in position (all were marked last time we touched them). We also look for wear and tear on any lines, especially for any frinction points if they cross over or near anything else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Skytec starter seen just above Dad's flashlight with prop govenor in line above it at top of picture. Orange Scat tubing running from air induction inlet seen on right of photo. Electric fuel pump at bottom of firewall just above curved fuel tank vent intake. Jeff Rose Electroair unit seen peeking out from behind the exhaust.
|
Top view of engine with aft half of plenum removed. Fuel spider just above center photo. Black wires are from Reiff cylinder heaters. Standard magneto connected to top plugs. Bottom plugs are fired by Jeff Rose Electroair electronic ignition.
|
|
This year, we rerouted the electronic ignition leads to hang neatly off side of engine rather than routed underneath cylinders.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ignition leads secured neatly. Aileron bellcrank seen at right of photo. The aluminum shield top right toward firewall covers the roll servo for S-Tec autopilot. The autopilot pushrod is seen connected to the aileron bellcrank.
|
Neatened ignition cables seen. You can just see the diverting baffle inside the air duct feeding the forward portion of the plenum. This baffle diverts some of the airstream from the roof NACA inlets such that a portion of the flow is bent downwards to cool the two most forward cylinders.
|
|
Pilot side, lower surface of engine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gear retraction test. Plane is up on jacks and gear cycled up. Notice the slight cant of the main gear doors such that the forward edge is just inside of lip of gear well. In early flights, we found that there was a slight buffet when in tight turns (pulling G's). It seemed that the gear sagged slightly into the airstream and the turbulence was felt as a buffet. Canting the door like this seems to have taken care of this problem as the airstream tends to force the door and gear back into the well.
|
Aft bulkhead removed and gear cycled.
|
Gear DOWN!!
|
Notice how high the overcenter linkage goes in the cabin as the gear swings through its arc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CLUNK!!! Gear down and locked!
|
We found that after rerouting the electronic ignition leads, the grommets holding them in place on the plugs needed to be replaced.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Replacing the grommets.
|
|
Final adjustments. The oil-air separator seen on firewall
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ready to fire up the engine!
|
|
Prop spinning!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Checking for leaks.
|
Looking for a pesky little oil leak. Turns out most of it came from some oil left behind after the oil change.
|
Looking underneath. Weldon electric fuel pump just to left of Dad's right hand on firewall. Oil-air separator outlet just behind Dad's head.
|
Another run.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Instruments all green!
|
Going for a little jaunt around the ramp.
|
Brakes check out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The sun sets on our annual condition inspection.
|
|
Beautiful Texas sky, January 2005.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reinstalling the rear half of the plenum.
|
N724X soars!!!
|
|
|
|
Taxiing back after a great flight!
|
Ready to go for another year!!
|
Comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome! email: