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Re: Europa-List: Rotax Info from CopperState Fly-In

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Rotax Info from CopperState Fly-In
From: Duncan McFadyean <ami@mcfadyean.freeserve.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2004 10:02:18

<<. US
> builders.....contact your Rotax dealer because this guy says that the US
Rotax
> importer is subsidizing the replacement of these new starter motor at 1/2
price.>>

I suggest that UK builders deluge the UK agent with the same request. The
response is predictable, but you never know!
http://www.skydrive.co.uk

Can Dave Watts confirm that his recently fitted 912s (in to the Classic
mount) includes the later starter?

Duncan McF.
----- Original Message -----
From: <DuaneFamly@aol.com>
Subject: Europa-List: Rotax Info from CopperState Fly-In


>
> Good day All,
>
> We are just finishing up at the CopperState Fly-In here south of Phoenix,
> Arizona. I sat in on a forum given by a gentleman from Lockwood Aviation.
They
> are a major US source for Rotax engines, accessories, parts, and service
located
> in Sebring, Florida.
>
> I'm just going to quickly transfer my notes for those of us that have
decided
> to go with, or already have, a Rotax in their Europa.
>
> Oil.....biggest cause of concern for Rotax due to the problems caused by
the
> wrong oil, running the oil too hot or too cold, or mounting the oil
container
> too high. For the 914, Lockwood recommends Mobil 1 MX4T Synthetic. But if
you
> use 100LL occasionally, do the oil change every 50 hours. If you use 100LL
> exclusively, then do the oil change every 25 hours. The lead in the avgas
mixes
> in with the oil and slowly covers the oil channels inside the engine
until,
> like arterial sclerosis, your engine has a heart attack. For the 912 &
912S they
> use Penzoil Motorcycle Racing oil 10W40 or 20W50. He says that the Penzoil
> still has Phosphorus in their base oil and this prevents the oil from
foaming,
> turning into a thick mousse, and not to returning to the sump. There are
also
> many AD's on keeping air out of the oil. Also, oil temp is important to
keep
> 210-230 F range. This can be difficult to do if you set up your oil
cooling
> system to work well in hot temps, it will cool the oil too much in cooler
temps.
> And Vice versa. They recommend an oil thermostat to shunt the oil around
the
> cooler until it gets to temp. When mounting the oil sump, don't place it
too high
> in relation to the engine or you may get the oil to siphon into the engine
> after shutdown. Then when you check your oil it will look low, you add
oil, and
> now you have too much and it gets dumped out.
>
> The carb flanges that people had trouble with splitting recently. There
are
> new flanges out that are stronger material and the clamp has a spacer to
> prevent the screw from being over tightened. If you have the old style,
then tighten
> the screw until you have a 7mm gap at the underside between the two sides
of
> the clamp. This is sufficient, especially when using an airbox. Too tight
and
> you will either squeeze out the flange and it will pop off or it will
split
> right at the clamp in short time.
>
> Float Bowl gaskets - If you remove the float bowls and the gasket comes
off,
> reseat it into the groove in the carb......don't try to sit it on top of
the
> bowl and press it up into place. It will not seat and probably leak...or
worse
> it will get damaged.
>
> On new engines.....the carbs are set to full open...if you start it up
> without a prop you will reach damage level rev in less than a second.
> Idle set screws should not be used to set the idle if you can set it at
the
> throttle quadrant. Otherwise you could bend the set screw mounts if you
> hurriedly pull back on the throttle.
> If you run an airbox, run the overflow tubes from the carbs into the
airbox
> so the float bowls see the same pressure as the carbs. If no airbox, do
not
> extend the overflow tubes as it may be fine on the ground at idle but the
> pressure will change in flight.
> With the carbs off and upside down when the float bowl is removed, the
float
> arm should be horizontal.
>
> Synchronizing the carbs is the means of allowing your engine to run
trouble
> free until TBO. They should be synchronize every 100 hours unless there is
> trouble. Unsynchronized carbs cause excessive gearbox wear. Idle should be
set at
> 1800 rpm...under 1400 rpm the engine runs bad and will probably shut down.
> Synchronizing the carbs can be done with a kit they sell and takes about
45
> minutes the first time you try it, then only 20 minutes from then on.
>
> Gearbox - On the 912S, the service should be done at about 500 hours.
Sooner
> if you don't sync your carbs. The gearbox can be removed by removing the
two
> bolts that attach the fuel pump and let the pump hang by the hoses. Then
remove
> all the bolts holding the gearbox. I think that he said that there are two
> bolts near the bottom that are a different size. Then with the prop off,
use a
> rubber mallet to lightly tap the back side of the prop flange to evenly
remove
> the gearbox. If you clean it up and ship it to them, they do a two day
> turnaround (usually) for about $100 plus return shipping.
>
> EGT's - they don't recommend them because you can't do anything about it,
the
> front ones will always be higher than the rear, and at cruise they hardly
> ever agree. Nominal temp runs about 1470'F with a max of 1560'F. This is
measured
> with their EGT setup that has the probe 36mm from the manifold. If yours
is
> more then it will run lower, closer it will run hotter.
>
> K&N Carb Filters - Use only the K&N cleaner. If you use solvent or
gasoline
> you may ruin the filter paper. After cleaning let it air dry then apply
the K&N
> oil, otherwise the filter will only catch leaves, paper, and bugs. The
grit
> will pass right through. It should be done about every 200 hours...sooner
in
> dusty areas and grass strips.
>
> Verify your prop tachs....he has seen most tachs are reading too low. You
> should run 5600 rpm for take-off and climbout. But 5800 is max, so make
sure your
> tack is right.
>
> And last but not least....he says that if you run a slipper clutch, you
> should have the new starter motor to prevent damage to the sprag clutch.
US
> builders.....contact your Rotax dealer because this guy says that the US
Rotax
> importer is subsidizing the replacement of these new starter motor at 1/2
price.
>
> Questions contact Lockwood. www.lockwood-aviation.com
>
> Mike Duane
> A207 XS Conventional gear
> Redding, California
>
>




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