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bushcaddy105

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Everything posted by bushcaddy105

  1. bushcaddy105
    I have seen pinhole corrosion in an aluminium head bore a tiny hole from the coolant passage into the exhaust port. Discovered by slight coolant stain at the exhaust flange. Caused by some tiny bit of foreign material being included in the head casting at manufacture, and setting up electrolytic corrosion. It took years to eventually break through.
  2. bushcaddy105
    Gooday Jim The old book I have says any 144 from 1971 onwards. I have taken one out of a 244 at a wreckers, so I suspect that any 244 which isn't fuel injected may also have one. They were also used on Wolseleys, Range Rovers, Austin/Morris Marina, MG V8's according to my OLD book. There may be more as they were the last version of SU carbies made. What makes them ideal for aircraft is the small float chamber which surrounds the metering jet a full 360 degrees. Fuel level is pretty well constant at any angle. They also work at low supply pressure, gravity only on a high wing is fine. I only use an electric pump for initial climb and then turn it off. (I can still pull 4,000 rpm and 500fpm without the pump - a good safety feature). The choice of needle is dependent on the rest of your engine setup. The Volvo carby needle is NOT suitable, as that engine is either 2.0 or 2.2 litres. The jet is OK as is. I plan on 15 litres/hour and usually get 14 point something average on a trip. That's at the sweet spot of 4200 cruise rpm.
  3. bushcaddy105
    Gooday Paul I use an SU HIF6 which comes off a Volvo B series engine. Try to get one from a single carby engine - the twin carb version doesn't have a "choke". (It's actually an extra fuel valve). Going rate about $50 from a wreckers. Has performed faultlessly for 600 hours and doesn't have a diaphragm like Bing and Stromberg equivalents.
  4. bushcaddy105
    Has the address of the forums changed? When logging on I get the banner at the top and a message "Page not found." I used to get taken straight to the forums page but now have to find it.
  5. bushcaddy105
    Having attended many Natflys both at Narromine and Temora, as a flyin participant, forum presenter and volunteer, I make the simple observation that the event is what we as RaAus members make of it. It has always been the old adage that the vast majority expect the tiny minority to present a whizzbang show. There will always be the tyranny of distance to travel and weather considerations, but if more members make the effort there will be more incentive for suppliers to spend their time and money to exhibit in the trade displays. Our organization has just been through a bad patch (I didn't fly to this year's event as the registration hiccup got me), but I detect a new sense of optimism emerging at present. Please ask yourself - "What can I do to help make Natfly 2014 an event not to be missed?" The concept of registering your intent to attend has a lot to offer, perhaps this forum could facilitate this? If suppliers (and visitors) get prior indications that attendance will be high there will be greater incentive for them to come. Just my 2 bob's worth!
  6. bushcaddy105
    Use arc welder cable - has huge number of very fine wires, so is flexible and easy to route and has a tough (but thin and light weight) outer covering for insulation. Will handle any starter current with minimal voltage drop.
  7. bushcaddy105
    Back in the 1980's I took out a Provisional Patent on a prize-winning invention of mine. The 12 months window that this gave me quickly taught me that patents are for the big boys, not the back-yard inventors. To have taken out reasonable patent protection (and that only applies to countries which subscribe to patent conventions) back then was going to cost tens of thousands of dollars. I still have the paper work to remind me of this lesson!
  8. bushcaddy105
    Another thumbs up for Odyssey. I got sick of replacing my ride-on mower wet battery every couple of years, so replaced it with the 8 year old Odyssey out of the aircraft (having never been charged other than in flight) and it continues to perform flawlessly in its new role. $230 well spent for a new aircraft battery, in my opinion.
  9. bushcaddy105
    Interesting topic - I too have wondered what code my BushCaddy R80 goes under? No listing comes up under the ICAO search. Any clues?
  10. bushcaddy105
    Gooday Paul Not much point in looking at direct drive, as optimum power developed will be way above prop revs - eg my EA81 cruises at 4100 to 4300 rpm. Redrive is essential. I run a single SU HIF6 carby, advantages are that it is, like a Bing 64, altitude compensating at the levels we fly at but doesn't have a diaphragm which can fail and needs replacing every 2 years or so. (If service recommendations are followed). It is mounted on an adaptor bend into an EA82 standard intake manifold. Weight of engine (with all accessories) + redrive + mounts + 4 litres oil = 92 Kgs
  11. bushcaddy105
    Hi Paul EJ22 is a lovely, bullet-proof Subaru (just as the EA81 is). Problem is it's weight compared to the EA81 when fitted to RaAus registered aircraft. For VH rego, it is relatively easy to fit and program an aftermarket ECU using just the sensors available. I would have gone this path had I been looking at VH rego. I now have 570 hours of proven EA81 flying and expect many more!
  12. bushcaddy105
    Sorry about the funny dates in my previous post - should be Friday 22nd Feb and Monday 25th Feb. I plead poor light, poor sight and fat fingers not made for keyboards.
  13. bushcaddy105
    Received my renewal notice on Friday 23rd Feb, with covering "IMPORTANT NOTICE" which advised sending rego number photos, cockpit warning placard photos, MTOW placard and hours and landings for the previous year. This notice with Paul Middleton's name at the bottom. Had already had made and fitted the MTOW placard (which wasn't required when aircraft first registered in 2006, and no subsequent advice received as to its necessity). All done and posted on Monday 24th Feb. As rego was due to expire on Wednesday 27th March and no contact from RaAus, I rang RaAus office on Monday 25th March to inquire. Was told that my paperwork had been received on 28th Feb and was yet to be processed. Was also told that "we have just started processing March renewals" and that my file would only be looked at when its turn came about. So I too couldn't make Natfly and am effectively grounded until my file makes it to the top of the pile, however long this may take. I make the point that at the time of initial registration in 2006 as a 19 rego, ALL the required documentation was submitted and approved. No subsequent request for further documentation has been received to date, so I can only assume that with the MTOW placard everything is now in place. Time alone will tell if my assumption is correct!
  14. bushcaddy105
    Engine is an Isuzu 6VE1 3.5 Litre V6 as used in the Holden RA Rodeo utes. 147 KW @ 5,400 rpm 280 Nm torque @ 3,000 rpm. These specs are straight from my ute's handbook. I don't know what reduction drive was fitted to Roger's engine.
  15. bushcaddy105
    About 5 years ago I fitted Headsets Inc. ANR modules to a low end pair of Pilot headsets. You need to be competent with a soldering iron, but the results compare most favourably with the expensive brands. I directly compared them with Bose at their display at Avalon one year, and the difference is minimal and a matter of personal preference. They certainly take out the low frequency engine/propellor/airframe rumbles while leaving radio and intercom audio quite clear. Google the name for detailed info.
  16. bushcaddy105
    Another thought! Carefully check the diaphragms in the carbies - even a slight split in one could produce similar symptoms. Hours of use is not an indication of their condition, but age and particularly lack of use causes them to deteriorate. Hope you soon get to the bottom of your problem
  17. bushcaddy105
    Just a thought - what ignition system are you using? Is it over-advancing in this rev range? Some years ago I experimemted with timing on my EA81 and found that it needed both centrifugal and vacuum advance control, just like in a car. It runs a Bolly 3 blade through a belt redrive and is silky smooth from 1000 to 5000 engine rpm. It runs a single big SU carby, torquey cam and 1mm off the heads. Now done 550 trouble-free hours. Another thought - what flywheel do you use? In my experience, EA81's need a bit of weight in the flywheel to remain smooth. I use a lightened steel one - are you using a superlight aluminium one? Otherwise, it sounds like you may have a torsional vibration issue brought about by the relative rigidity of the Rotax gearbox and what sounds to be a very modified engine. Torsional vibration will quickly break critical parts - beware! I wouldn't dare think of running up to 6500 rpm, even if I could! 1500 rpm idle sounds very high for an EA81, even a modified one. I trust these comments will give you some ideas.
  18. bushcaddy105
    D Ditto from here I just thought it was my usual slow satellite problem, but 2 tries failed in succession. Satellite must be OK as I'm posting this message!
  19. bushcaddy105
    Talking about bird stories! My workshop is currently host to two bird families - a Grey Shrike-thrush is sitting on eggs in a nest in the C-section frame, right at the apex of the roof. 3 bays further along a house swallow sits on her eggs in a similar location. The problem:- Neither family appreciates my tolerance and interest in their activities! The Shrike-thrushes have a beautiful, melodic call, but at what seems to be 130+ dB within the shed. The swallows keep doing low level beatups on my balding head, and also seem insistent on driving out the bigger birds. Maj, like you I enjoy watching more competent aviators than us. Well done with your Plover story.
  20. bushcaddy105
    The pilot wasn't trying! Port Pirie has Flying Doctor PC12's coming and going most days, and they certainly don't need anywhere near this distance. Runway 03/21 is 672 metres long, crossing the main bitumen 08/26 approx 300 metres from the threshold of 21. I have seen them take off on 21 and be airborne by the bitumen, and land on 21 and be taxi-ing for the approx 120 degree turn onto the taxiway to the parking apron which joins both runways. Today I watched a take-off on 26, with 20+ knots crosswind from the North, and it was well airborne by the western taxiway, approx 400 metres.
  21. bushcaddy105
    3 Screwits held my plane down at Avalon 2009 while 2 star pickets (fence droppers) failed to hold down the aircraft 3 feet off my left wingtip. I believe this was purely due to the nature of the wind event - my aircraft may have been just on the edge of the wind stream. Close inspection of the damage to 2 other overturned aircraft (I helped dismantle one of them the following day) suggests that had they been tied down any more securely the wings may well have been torn from them, such was the intensity of the sudden lift forces. Both had struts torn from the wing spar at the attachment point. My conclusion is that there is a limit to what you can expect from portable tiedowns, and there is little that can be done to combat freak events of nature, hence the option of insurance!
  22. bushcaddy105
    Likewise, my 7 yr old grandson asked if he could go flying with me last week. As he is usually full of bravado until the action is imminent, I just took him for a quick circuit before attempting a longer flight. He just loved it, pointing out cars moving, a ship moving out of the harbour, etc. A longer flight with a landing on a farm strip confirmed his enthusiasm. It just took a cushion under him to raise him a bit higher in the seat. Why not encourage early interest in aviation?
  23. bushcaddy105
    My dearly beloved tried flying with me on 2 occasions:- The first was a quick and gentle loop around the local patch. She was apprehensive, but interested. The second was a cross-country run to spend several days at a holiday destination. The result was the rest of that day and evening in hospital getting her head to work again! Turns out that her inner ear balance mechanism just couldn't cope with banked turns in circuit and she just lost the plot. Needless to say, she hasn't and won't fly with me ever again. Not that I mind, because I don't have to go to choir and yoga with her. Status quo happily remains!
  24. bushcaddy105
    3 point 95% of time, (also counting 2 point in crosswinds, ie the upwind main plus tailwheel). Wheelers usually result from too high an approach speed on short final, plus wind shear causing a loss of headwind down low - without flaps to play with, there's no option for slowing down so wheel it on and wait for the tail to come down. The old story- it takes the right approach to produce the right landing!
  25. bushcaddy105
    Your thoughts are too general! Some of us think that selected car engines make excellent aircraft power plants, eg the venerable Subaru EA81 Reading about the issues which regularly occur with some "aircraft" engines (and their maintenance costs) confirms our opinion. The Mercedes based engine used in the FK aircraft seen at the last 2 Natflys should also encourage you to look objectively at the technology available in current auto engine conversions.
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