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Post by Garf on Mar 11, 2012 17:28:00 GMT -7
Replacement needle made some difference. APC 4 blade prop is no good. The main bearing is worn and leaking oil badly.
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Post by Garf on Mar 15, 2012 19:11:17 GMT -7
Another engine change. This time It's a Johnson Combat Special.
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Post by Garf on Mar 18, 2012 13:57:12 GMT -7
Flew this thing today. Seems that the Johnson had little to no running time on it. Runs great with a XOAR 10-5E prop.
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Post by Garf on Mar 20, 2012 17:58:11 GMT -7
I thought the engine quit suddenly on the last flight. I pulled the plug and the element was collapsed. Johnsons are notorious for this, especially when new. I need to find a cooler heavy duty plug.
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Post by Garf on Mar 25, 2012 15:51:01 GMT -7
Flew this thing again today. The second flight, the engine seized. The piston must be expanding with the thermal cycling.
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Post by Garf on Apr 15, 2012 13:42:31 GMT -7
Flew the Galaxy again today. Used a MA 12-6E prop cut to 9". It got set a little rich, but still pulled fairly good. A wind gust caught it and it pancaked in upside down. Knocked the tail off and bent the needle. You'd think I would have learned about flying in the wind by this point.
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Post by Garf on Apr 18, 2012 21:04:38 GMT -7
Once again, repairs are under way. The fuselage is glued back together. This time a piece is missing. I must have left it back at the field.
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Post by Garf on Apr 21, 2012 10:43:43 GMT -7
I glued the rudder back then filled the cavity with epoxy. It worked perfectly.
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Post by Garf on Apr 30, 2012 20:27:04 GMT -7
The outboard tip weight came loose, so I opened the covering and had a look. The weight had been glued to the tip plate. The plate disintegrated and the weights were rattling around the tip. The tip rib was rotten too, so I ripped the assembly off and will replace the entire tip.
UPDATE: The rebuild is almost done. I have to do some shaping, then glue in the weight, then cover the tip.
UPDATE: The shaping is done and the weight is installed and the glue is drying. Next will be covering.
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Post by Garf on May 21, 2012 20:29:33 GMT -7
I flew it again last Sunday. I had a hard landing and the fuselage broke at a prior repair. I guess I need to do it right.
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Post by jehold66203 on May 25, 2012 9:46:05 GMT -7
Popsicle sticks or small dowel rods running length wise will help.
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Post by Garf on May 25, 2012 12:30:30 GMT -7
I prefer plywood plates on either side of the fuselage.
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Post by Garf on May 30, 2012 10:14:35 GMT -7
I went ahead and glued it back using Gorilla Glue and no reinforcements. We'll see how this holds up.
UPDATE: The Galaxy is ready to go again. Lets see how long it stays together this time.
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Post by Garf on Jun 3, 2012 21:10:30 GMT -7
This time the fuselage held, but the engine seized. The lower end of the rod melted. It looks like lack of oil, but the fuel was freshly mixed 20% castor based fuel. The rod had no lube hole in the lower end.
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Post by Garf on Jun 6, 2012 15:38:48 GMT -7
I'm going to replace the engine with another Johnson CS. I will also try a higher oil fuel to see what happens.
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Post by Garf on Jun 9, 2012 12:39:38 GMT -7
Replacement Johnson CS runs dead steady with 29% oil. It's hard to get a proper setting. I think I need a colder plug. I added a little more offset and a colder plug. Now to see if it helped. I have found a replacement rod for the first engine, and will try to assemble some others from leftover parts. UPDATE: I have assembled an engine from a damaged Sport Special. It feels terrible. It had thrown a rod and damaged the piston. I don't know if it will run. If it won't run, I will try to install a BB 36 P&C and wrist pin.
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Post by Garf on Jun 21, 2012 15:43:42 GMT -7
Last flights gave me 3 cold cutouts inverted. This one can't tolerate a rich needle.
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Post by jehold66203 on Jun 25, 2012 17:29:43 GMT -7
In my opinion you are going the wrong way with the plug. I think you need a hotter plug.
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Post by Garf on Jun 25, 2012 20:32:43 GMT -7
On this one maybe. The original CS was preigniting badly.
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Post by Garf on Jun 27, 2012 16:28:36 GMT -7
I put a good rod into the failed Johnson CS, then installed it in the Galaxy. Lets see what happens to this one.
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