Comanche has Alternate Plugs...

[Taka taka]

I fouled the Comanche enough times to read up and eventually swap in the fine wire plugs in place of the default plugs (And leaning the mixture sufficiently); have not had an issue since.


Are there any such steps for the Connie?

I had an hour on the plane with the description of "excellent shape."
The next time I went to power up at the runway with clearance, the engines died. I needed an overhaul?
(By the way, shouldn't the FE gimme a hint? "Sir, the engines need..."?)

What did I do?

I have the FE on auto, doing all the engine management and yet I burned the engines?
Clues or help or derision encouraged.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
No the engines do not have the chance to change plugs on the connie.
You have given no hint as to why the engines quit and needed overhaul , but i suspect you have abused the engines in some way , either low oil pressure if rpm too low or allowed plug fowlling or not enough bmep or over reving or not allowing engines proper warm up or cooldown periods.
take your pick of the list as to what might have caused the issue.
I purchased my connie on xmas eve , flown over 50 flights on vatsim , plus training flights to learn the systems prior to that and still have 4 good original engines.
regards alan.

[Taka taka]

Hi.
No the engines do not have the chance to change plugs on the connie.
You have given no hint as to why the engines quit and needed overhaul , but i suspect you have abused the engines in some way , either low oil pressure if rpm too low or allowed plug fowlling or not enough bmep or over reving or not allowing engines proper warm up or cooldown periods.
take your pick of the list as to what might have caused the issue.
I purchased my connie on xmas eve , flown over 50 flights on vatsim , plus training flights to learn the systems prior to that and still have 4 good original engines.
regards alan.

I really have no clue.

The FE was fully engaged and I turned everything on via shift 3, looking to just get airborne.
In the hour I had been flying it, I didn't idle long nor too low as far as RPM.


As I mentioned, the last entry in the book was "excellent shape," which is why the need for an overhaul was surprising.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
If you did not idle to long , then you may have put too much stress on them , as they may not have been at correct temp , i always wait till i have at least 105 cyl head temp and oils in the green band , before taxiing out slowly , and on shutdown i wait till cyl heads are at or below 139.
regards alan.

[Taka taka]

Tell ya what.
One issue was my mouse acceleration.
I had recently upped the acceleration and it seems to have been interfering with choice made via mouse clicks..
I lowered the acceleration and et voila...much easier.

I took her out from KONT to KSAN- 80 some odd miles. What a joy.

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
Glad you found the issue , blue skys to you.
regards alan.