europa-list
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Europa-List: Carb Heat and Coolant

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Carb Heat and Coolant
From: Richard Holder <rholder@avnet.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2005 23:13:03

> Think we had a problem with carb ice this morning -
> apparently, the engine felt as if it wasn't running on
> all cylinders - could imply a carb partially blocked
> with ice? G-MFHI has the plenum air intake so no
> heating of the air on the way in, on a cold morning,
> still a little fog about - could well be pretty ideal
> conditions for carb ice.
> 
> Can someone who has fitted the skydrive carb heat kit
> please tell me - is it a pretty straight forward job? I
> seem to recall that fitting the water 'jackets' over
> the carbs is a but tricky to say the least. Is this a
> job better entrusted to skydrive / Conrad?
> 
> When we have the carb heat kit fitted, we will be
> changing the coolant. As we've had over temperature
> problems with the oil, I'm reluctant to put the Evans
> coolant in as I believe it will raise the temperatures
> even more. Can I just buy ordinary antifreeze from the
> motor factor and mix this 50 / 50 with water? If so,
> tap water or some form of purified water?
> 
> Thanks in anticipation

I have had a slight misfire at the top of the climb. I
have the Skydrive kit. I tried to fit the jackets but i
could see myself screwing up the carbs so i sent the whole
lot back to Skydrive to fit. It was only 15 plus postage.
I couldn't even start the press of the units onto the
carbs - they seemed to be far too small !

The carb heaters only work if there is plenty of heat in
the water system. So I blank off most of the air flow to
the water radiator.

This is 912S. No carb heaters are required on a 914.

I use 50-50 water Anti-freeze with the 1.2 bar pressure
cap - max placarded 120 C.

I can't see the over temperature problem with the oil.
There is more than 3 litres of oil compared with only a
litre or so of water. My oil is always significantly
cooler than the water, and indeed went through the hot
summer of two years ago with half the oil radiator blanked
off.

I am trying to get the OK to put an oil thermostat in.
Nigel Beale put one on a 912 engined plane he built but
doesn't seem to have generated a formal mod for it. the
engine has since done 1100 hours with the thermostat.

Richard, who some DOTHers have now met !



<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>