It's payday - so I've ordered all the fuel-related & primer plumbing from CPS.
Otherwise, not a terribly productive evening. Removed the exhaust from the engine, and taped up the ports, so I can get it aluminium-ceramic coated, but wasted two hours in a long overdue tidy-up searching for the necessary Allen key.
Dropped off the exhaust at High Performance Coatings.
One of those moments that make it all worthwhile. Tonight I extracted the propeller from its nest of paper wool and mounted it on the gearbox to check bolt sizes. Suddenly Delta Echo starts to resemble a flying machine.
Finalised a position for the throttle cable splitter block. This was an issue because the cables have to snake around the rotorhead control tubes. After playing around, Skywalker-style, with the 7 foot package of tubing stock I've elected to mount the splitter on the upper end of the right-hand seat brace.
Mounted the splitter block on the right-hand seat brace, using a small extension plate to position it correctly. Irritatingly, seems something slipped during the drilling and it's cosmetically misaligned by about one degree. Something to live with, urrgh.
Finalised a routing for the throttle cable between the splitter and the quadrant, and cut it to length. Currently grappling with how to terminate the cable at the actual lever, or more precisely, how to get the frayed ends of the b****y cable through the fitting. Deep thought.
Ordered the mounting bolts for the propeller.
A frustrating evening. Continued to battle with terminating the throttle cable at the lever, and eventually worked out that CPS have supplied the wrong fitting. An email storm is in progress.
Installed the P-clips to secure the throttle cable (another hole in the seat), and swapped out several bolts in the quadrant and the splitter bracket for replacements of the correct length.
Bought a new torque wrench (correct range this time, the other one's going on TradeMe) and a 13mm metric socket, and re-torqued the cylinder head nuts.
The fuel plumbing has arrived, the exhaust has apparently been coated, and after the 4th email, CPS might just do something about the throttle quadrant debacle.
Another Saturday lost to real estate. The day was redeemed however by a late-afternoon visit from three fellow aviation nuts.
Moved this construction log to its own hosted server.
Re-positioned the lower P-clamp on the throttle cable. This required the removal of the seat so I could drill the necessary hole in the brace. While the seat was off, I sanded the frayed edges and gave the inside a coat of paint.
Also started on the fuel plumbing.
The line from the tank includes a quick-disconnect fitting with shut-off.
The exhaust has just been delivered back to me, gleaming in its aluminium-ceramic coating.
Relocated the P-clamp for the throttle cable, finished bolting the painted seat back into place and installed the rubber edge strip. It's a definite improvement.
The propeller bolts have arrived, and so has a replacement 22 inch carburettor cable, which will improve the curve from the rear carburettor to the splitter block.
Swapped over the rear carburettor cable, installed the spark plugs, CHT sensors, exhaust and EGT probes. Had to file a small amount off each CHT sensor to allow them to sit cleanly in the spark plug wells.
Another Saturday sacrificed to real estate. Progress is made either very early in the morning, or late at night.
Very sore thumbs - this evening was spent forcing little bits of blue tubing onto nylon, brass or chrome nipples where it didn't want to go. After destroying the nylon tee in the primer line and acquiring a replacment, I've now got most of the pluming installed including the fuel filters. Waiting on a package of hose clips from CPS. Still need to find a location for the primer plunger, and also the bulb primer, and to investigate cable ties and anti-chafing protection.
Following an edict in the installation manual, the fuel pump impulse line now travels uphill before descending to the pump.
Started on the wiring - first task, assemble the Rotax-supplied plug that carries the ground, tachometer and ignition-kill wiring. The other plug is the two alternator connections. Not surprisingly, I couldn't get a one-to-one match for all the colours in the required weight.
The wiring is going to travel in two bundles, with the ignition & power related stuff separated from the four thermocouple pairs.
More wiring, this time on the other side of the aircraft. I would have preferred to use a plug and socket for the temperature sensors, but the extension wire has to make direct contact with the thermocouple wire.
Some shopping today: A container of gear oil, a set of feeler gauges and a non-elastic tow rope...
Bought and mounted a nylon pulley for the starter rope.
Fabricated the switch/primer panel - two attempts at this; version #1 was utterly beautiful and twice as long as version #2 with one small problem: I'd forgotten about the lap belt which passes through that area. Two redundant holes in the seat.
The package has arrived from CPS with the replacement throttle quadrant fitting. But instead of sending me a replacement fitting for the incorrect unit supplied; they've shipped (and BILLED) for TWO MORE incorrect fittings. I don't think that level of incompetence is accidental; they must actively work at it.
Nonetheless, have devised a means of getting the quadrant to work in the interim, although there's no way I'd fly with it. Have set the idle screws and setup the cable adjusters so both carbs track perfectly together.
Drilled and populated the switch panel.
Up extremely early - intend to get the engine running today.
7:55am Have removed the tail, leaving behind just enough hardware to anchor a rope. Installed the primer bulb, connected up the plunger primer and put hose clamps anywhere they'd fit.
9:20am Carburettor air screws set, intake silencer replaced, and a plate fabricated to reinforce the throttle quadrant in lieu of the piece that won't fit because the supplied wire swivel is too long. I now have a complete working throttle, no thanks to CPS.
10:05am Ignition kill switch wiring complete.
12:20pm Wiring looms complete as far as the instrument pod.
1:10pm Wiring complete & everything cable-tied.
3:16pm Filled the gear box with the required 90-weight oil. Have run into difficulties with the propeller; a couple of holes in the hub don't quite line up with the prop flange.
7:15pm Have been advised to leave the propeller somewhere warm... so will give it a couple of days.
3:30pm Our scheduled weekend in Melbourne was aborted at 4am with the discovery of a leak in the roof, manifesting itself in the form of four, and later six, separate drips coming off the ceiling onto the carpet, bugger it. Spent the morning sorting out repairs, and then mooched down to the garage to do battle once more with the propeller. Finally got it on the aircraft - having left it in the airing cupboard to warm up for a few hours first.
5:05pm Spark plugs removed, gaps checked, re-installed and torqued. EGT probes disconnected, removed, washers installed, replaced, torqued, re-connected and cable tied.
We are "Go" for starting the beast as soon as it's sunny enough to get her outside.
She's alive!
Successfully started the engine this morning... two potentially nasty lessons learnt painlessly. First, the engine wouldn't keep running until I remembered to open the vent in the fuel tank. And I got quite a shock off the live side of the kill switches.
On the final run I strapped myself in and tried starting while seated. No problem, the 503 starts like a dream. With that established I let the beast warm up enough to check the monitor and thermocouples. Strapped in and with the prop turning, I had to work hard NOT to firewall the throttle. She wants to fly.
Four minutes total running.
Ordered the aluminium for the rotorhead cheek plates.
