WIX Archives

Re: Thanks Joe and Jason...

Posted by John Beyl on Fri Sep 26, 2003 01:08:28 PM

In reply top Thanks Joe and Jason... posted by Dan K on Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:38:39 PM

Dan,

I don't think the old chap was pulling your leg...unless of course the many old hands I've talked with were pulling my leg in the same way....Hmmm ;)

I've worked on a varitable fleet of these old roundies and will say there is only instance in which a prop should ever be pulled backwards in the case of a hyd. lock: when there is a drain or "Sniffle" valve installed on the intake tube at its lowest point. I've seen some pretty nice mods that accomplish this but I've also seen some real abortions...as in a small .040 hole drilled in the bottom of the intake tube for a drain and no valve or plug installed. Lets just call that a blow torch waiting to happen if it ever ignited while in operation! My little voice inside me still tells me never to trust these "Drains" and to do the right thing and pull the plugs. I always have and will continue to! I've seen first hand the damage a hyd lock WILL do if not dealt with correctly. The late Jack Sanberg kept a quite a collection of "Forget me nots" at the now closed JRS Enterprises. Its a shame that stuff probably went into the scrap bin. Even though they are technically junk, what they represent as a teaching aide makes them priceless in my estimation. I saw everything from cracked heads and cylinder bases to bent rods and broken pistons and the stories that accompanied most of them definitley fall into the "I don't want to be there" or the "I don't want to go there" catagory!

A funny related Randy story for ya: We were working on our A-26 after its long winter sleep in the north country. After completing the anual inspection we towed her outside and began the pre run-up ceramony of pulling the props. Well one of the engines "Stuck" real bad, so off came the cowls (Anybody familiar with the A-26 knows the cowls are an absolute joy to work with but you gotta have three men and a gorrila to hike 'em around). When we located the offending cylinder, man you could not belive the oil that came out. We continued the exersize with the plug out but low and behold we found another one stuck. We made the decision to pull all the lower front plugs on both rows and run the engine that way to clear it for sure (Randy eludes to this very event in his artical but leaves out the best details!). With the plugs removed we proceeded to fire her up and without hesitation I can say its a d_mn good thing we decided to do it. The oil that spewed from the engine was nothing short of absolutely amazing. Randy found out its not a good idea to be standing anywhere...ANYWHERE near an engine when this process is taking place. As a lasting momento to his learning curve, a clean silhouette of Ranys likeness appeard on an otherwise well oiled hangar door! Randy of course looked like he was ready for a 50's greaser dance! We all thought it was pretty humorous...after a few minutes of contemplation and then noting his silhouette, Randy did too! We later traced the source of the nasty hyd. lock(s) to a failing drain back check valve on the main oil feed line leading from the tank to the pump.

John

Follow Ups: