Engines 1 and 2 Producing Little Power

[Yoda]

Problem begins in climb power (51"/2550 RPM):

Carburetor Temps in the green for all four engines.
Cylinder Head Temps for engines 1 and 2 drop to the bottom of the green range.
Torque and fuel flow decrease in the climb.

Carb heat valves open increase carb heat but no effect on engine performance.

I can raise CHT by closing the cowl flaps all the way, but this doesn't increase power.

Engine management techniques suggested by the manual work fine for engines 3 and 4, but applying the same techniques to engines 1 and 2 don't keep the engines operating properly.

I am running SP2.

[ICDP]

Does it happen every single time or is it a random occurence?

[Yoda]

Three flights in a row now.

It doesn't do this with the Guppy.

[Scott - A2A]

Make sure you checked SP2 on the install. Also, try a different flight.

[Yoda]

Roger all.

I tried reinstalling, making sure I installed for SP2. Didn't solve it.

I'm using "free flight" and not a saved flight. I'm selecting "cold cockpit" and starting that way.

[Yoda]

A little more troubleshooting:

Uninstalled Accu-Sim, and the behavior remains.

It also does it if I start with engines running at the free flight startup.

[CodyValkyrie]

What are your flight conditions, such as weather, etc? Just curious.

[ROB - A2A]

What if you don't use "cold cockpit"?

By "cold cockpit" you mean the switch on the 2D panel?

regards
ROB

[FLICK]

I'll second the motion...

I was somewhere over the Pacific last night between SFO & HNL and engines 2 & 3 wet the bed. Inconsistent torque, output, etc. Later on, they surged back to 100% power, but I wasn't in icing conditions or any weather to speak of. I'm baffled.

In addition, fuel rates were different for each engine. I had the fuel selectors set the same, but one tank would bleed dry and the other would still be full... ???

I must be doing something wrong, but I can't figure it out yet.

[Lewis - A2A]

FLICK part of your problem can simply be the realism of the aircraft. No two engines will ever have the exact same consumption rate of fuel, running temperate etc.

Just like computers,.. Same software, same hardware and two pc's will still act independantly

[SD_Research]

I'll second the motion...

I was somewhere over the Pacific last night between SFO & HNL and engines 2 & 3 wet the bed. Inconsistent torque, output, etc. Later on, they surged back to 100% power, but I wasn't in icing conditions or any weather to speak of. I'm baffled.

In addition, fuel rates were different for each engine. I had the fuel selectors set the same, but one tank would bleed dry and the other would still be full... ???

I must be doing something wrong, but I can't figure it out yet.

Did you have the tank selectors set to "manifold" or "tank to engine"? Once the climb is completed, you should set them all to manifold and only change the selectors to balance the fuel load.

As far as fuel consumption, the engines should all be within one percent of one another unless one of them experiences some kind of major fuel leak or induction problem and I don't think that sort of thing is modeled in Accusim or in FSX. Are all of your mixture levers in the same position? The #4 lever will remain in AUTO RICH unless you make sure to set the starter selector switch back to OFF after starting the engines and that will increase fuel consumption on that engine by about 10 percent or so.

[Yoda]

What if you don't use "cold cockpit"?

By "cold cockpit" you mean the switch on the 2D panel?

Rob,

It does it whether I select "cold cockpit" from the 2D panel or not. In other words, if I start the engines myself or leave them running, the left two engines produce very little power at altitude.

On the ground, they work fine, and takeoffs are with full power. By 4,000 feet, there is a noticable difference in torque between the left and right engines. By 6,000 feet, the left engine torque values are on the lower "peg" with power set at 51" MP/2550 RPM.

On a wild hair last night, I backed up the original b377.air file, copied the b377pg.air file into my WoS_B377 folder and renamed it "b377.air". I got the same indications...but as I mentioned earlier, I don't get this problem with the Guppy, so that makes no sense. (I've since switched it back.)

Is there persistent damage modeling? Might I have bent those engines somehow, and now be seeing an "uncorrected operator-induced problem?"

[SD_Research]

What if you don't use "cold cockpit"?

By "cold cockpit" you mean the switch on the 2D panel?

Rob,

It does it whether I select "cold cockpit" from the 2D panel or not. In other words, if I start the engines myself or leave them running, the left two engines produce very little power at altitude.

On the ground, they work fine, and takeoffs are with full power. By 4,000 feet, there is a noticable difference in torque between the left and right engines. By 6,000 feet, the left engine torque values are on the lower "peg" with power set at 51" MP/2550 RPM.

On a wild hair last night, I backed up the original b377.air file, copied the b377pg.air file into my WoS_B377 folder and renamed it "b377.air". I got the same indications...but as I mentioned earlier, I don't get this problem with the Guppy, so that makes no sense. (I've since switched it back.)

Is there persistent damage modeling? Might I have bent those engines somehow, and now be seeing an "uncorrected operator-induced problem?"

Reload the plane and start from scratch, making sure you do everything by the book. Don't select "cold start" and set turbo control to automatic. It sounds as if you are losing your turbochargers. Also, if this happens again, note the fuel flows and torque values to the affected engines. I have never experienced any problems with the plane at all, either with the power, autopilot, or any other system whilst using Accusim, therefore I have to believe that those having issues are just not following the procedures exactly...which is just what Accusim is all about!

Don't be shy about using the pause button while you change seat positions to keep the plane from being damaged or to buy a little extra time. I have found, though, that just by handing turbo control over to the copilot, you can handle the rest of the duties without any problem as long as you are flying level. Now, when you're preparing to land, you can really have your hands full but it can be done.

[Yoda]

SD_Research,

Since I'm using SP2 and not Accelleration, I don't have an option to set turbo control to manual...as mentioned in another thread, ACES didn't include turbo control in the SP2 SDK, so those of us with SP2 are, by default, "handing turbo control over to the copilot."

Fuel flows to the affected engines are around 300 PPH, and as I stated, the torques drop off to below 50 PSI by 9,000 feet. CHT on those engines drops to the bottom of the green arc (100 degrees C). All other parameters are in the green.

Your advice is absolutely spot on (I've given similar advice in the Aeroworx forum many, many times), but in this case, I believe we're dealing with something other than "procedural errors". I don't experience the same problems in the Guppy that I do in the 377, and I do follow the checklists in both.

[ROB - A2A]

This is interesting case. We have to think, Yoda, so pls be patient.

regards
ROB