O-200 champ puzzle
- Thread starter Doug Budd
- Start date
cubdriver2
FRIEND
upstate NY
BC12D-4-85
SPONSOR
Fairbanks, AK.
Unless we periodically drain the tanks there's always some old fuel available
Gary
Gary
Doug Budd
MEMBER
Crawford Nebraska
BC12D-4-85
SPONSOR
Fairbanks, AK.
If new fuel doesn't help then what?
Gary
Gary
Formandfunction
Registered User
Sounds like a restriction in the intake. Try leaning the carb with it stuttering on the ground. This will tell you if it's a lean or rich condition. Lean would be intake leak and rich would be blockage. Not much else that carb heat would affect shy of some very rare valve cooling issues. Valve issues are usually a bit sporadic though.
chadronmike
FRIEND
Nebraska
Well folks, the final verdict is in and the puzzle is solved. After throwing dollars at a new carb, new plugs and all new fuel lines, it turns out the problem was...contaminated fuel. Probably should have started there first, but in 40+ years of flying, I've never had JetA in my Avgas and I simply could not imagine it as a real concern. At the suggestion of Glen, Larry Vetterman and local cub genius Jim Rath, I drained all fuel, replaced all fuel lines with new (initially, I thought it possible that one might be collapsing internally) and drained the carb bowl. I added new fuel (from a new source) and test ran it this morning. It ran like....a Champ. All back to normal. A frustrating and concerning process. My ever supportive spouse simply said, "well, at least everything's new." Gotta love her. So, I guess steak dinner to Glen, Larry and Jim.
As a side note, I did actually save all the fuel drained (9 gallons) and poured it all into a clear glass tank. After 48 hours, about a gallon at the bottom had a semi-discernible separation line. That said, the entire tank was nice and blue--no obvious color difference. I can say with absolute certainty that the fuel came from my local airport's 100LL pump and I can track all the issues--beginning with a starting problem--back to the first attempted flight after I fueled it last (which has been several months ago--followed by two months of troubleshooting).
As noted above, please be careful out there. I guess I was fortunate that I had fueled and parked which allowed the contamination to prevent me from flying. If I strive to be a "glass half full" type of guy, I guess I'd have to say that I gained a lot of experience, some wisdom and I can be thankful no one was injured in the process.
Thanks to everyone who floated out ideas and suggestions. Very much appreciated. Safe and fun flying.
Mike
As a side note, I did actually save all the fuel drained (9 gallons) and poured it all into a clear glass tank. After 48 hours, about a gallon at the bottom had a semi-discernible separation line. That said, the entire tank was nice and blue--no obvious color difference. I can say with absolute certainty that the fuel came from my local airport's 100LL pump and I can track all the issues--beginning with a starting problem--back to the first attempted flight after I fueled it last (which has been several months ago--followed by two months of troubleshooting).
As noted above, please be careful out there. I guess I was fortunate that I had fueled and parked which allowed the contamination to prevent me from flying. If I strive to be a "glass half full" type of guy, I guess I'd have to say that I gained a lot of experience, some wisdom and I can be thankful no one was injured in the process.
Thanks to everyone who floated out ideas and suggestions. Very much appreciated. Safe and fun flying.
Mike
BC12D-4-85
SPONSOR
Fairbanks, AK.
You might consider informing the fuel vendor of the contamination. Good you are puzzle-free and airworthy again - go fly and have some fun!
I flew a Citabria from Umiat to Fairbanks Alaska with 5 gallons of #1 stove oil in the 36 gallon system. While I refueled from a ladder my hunting partner handed me the container from several identical and unmarked sitting nearby. I dumped it in without confirming that we used one of our oil stove fuel containers instead of avgas. Never knew until he later returned to town and asked me "how did your plane like the stove oil?"
Gary
I flew a Citabria from Umiat to Fairbanks Alaska with 5 gallons of #1 stove oil in the 36 gallon system. While I refueled from a ladder my hunting partner handed me the container from several identical and unmarked sitting nearby. I dumped it in without confirming that we used one of our oil stove fuel containers instead of avgas. Never knew until he later returned to town and asked me "how did your plane like the stove oil?"
Gary
Last edited:
cubdriver2
FRIEND
upstate NY
aktango58
FRIEND
9aa9
My first year herring spotting we opened the first drum of fuel they had been picked up from the fuel company in Akutan, complete with seals over the bungs.
When it came out of the hose red I was telling the crew to STOP!
Yup, diesel.
Was some interesting few minutes with FAA group wandering around the ramp and us trying to drain that tank out as inconspicuous as possible.
A cup of diesel in 25 gallons might not be an issue, but a gallon in 13 would make me very cautious. Diesel engines don't like the other way either- winter more disastrous results.
I would take the fuel to the local vendor. They need to know, and good ones will offer you some compensation for their problem.
Glad you are running well. Glenn gets the cigar!
When it came out of the hose red I was telling the crew to STOP!
Yup, diesel.
Was some interesting few minutes with FAA group wandering around the ramp and us trying to drain that tank out as inconspicuous as possible.
A cup of diesel in 25 gallons might not be an issue, but a gallon in 13 would make me very cautious. Diesel engines don't like the other way either- winter more disastrous results.
I would take the fuel to the local vendor. They need to know, and good ones will offer you some compensation for their problem.
Glad you are running well. Glenn gets the cigar!
