Well, I thought I had an engine quitting problem solved when I replaced the flop tube (still glad I did though) as I incorrectly thought the inverted flight was the cause... but the engine still quits in a particular set of circumstances.
Inverted, loops, rolls, etc, the fuel pressure remains fine (I checked the gauge). An incipient spin (1.5 turns), the engine is fine.
However, if I do more than 2 turns in the spin, or do a "spin to spin" (spin left, stop spin, immediately spin right) the engine quits and stops spinning (irony, eh?)... Didn't check the fuel pressure gauge during the spin, though. And it doesn't do it *every* time...
I have the older "Starfire" fuel tank. The fuel at takeoff was 25+ gallons each time. Checked the vents and they seem fine.
One thought is that the fuel is sloshing about just enough for the flop tube to grab some air. Another thought is that if I pull aft really hard on the throttle on the ground, the engine goes below a smooth idle (down to about 500 rpm). I'm pretty sure I didn't pull back hard on the throttle during the spin, but maybe I did, and with everything else going on, then maybe that was the cause. Next time, I'll do the spins with a little more than idle power and hand clear of the throttle and see if it quits.
Any other ideas on what might cause this? Last time it quit we got a good wiff of the exhaust - it didn't smell rich or flooded (we start spins 5,500+ above the ground). I'll attach a picture of the fuel tank we have...
Oh, and one other thing... We have a fuel vent on the upper wing for the fuselage tank. Didn't see that in the plans.
Maybe this is why Steen has the baffled tank?
Inverted, loops, rolls, etc, the fuel pressure remains fine (I checked the gauge). An incipient spin (1.5 turns), the engine is fine.
However, if I do more than 2 turns in the spin, or do a "spin to spin" (spin left, stop spin, immediately spin right) the engine quits and stops spinning (irony, eh?)... Didn't check the fuel pressure gauge during the spin, though. And it doesn't do it *every* time...
I have the older "Starfire" fuel tank. The fuel at takeoff was 25+ gallons each time. Checked the vents and they seem fine.
One thought is that the fuel is sloshing about just enough for the flop tube to grab some air. Another thought is that if I pull aft really hard on the throttle on the ground, the engine goes below a smooth idle (down to about 500 rpm). I'm pretty sure I didn't pull back hard on the throttle during the spin, but maybe I did, and with everything else going on, then maybe that was the cause. Next time, I'll do the spins with a little more than idle power and hand clear of the throttle and see if it quits.
Any other ideas on what might cause this? Last time it quit we got a good wiff of the exhaust - it didn't smell rich or flooded (we start spins 5,500+ above the ground). I'll attach a picture of the fuel tank we have...
Oh, and one other thing... We have a fuel vent on the upper wing for the fuselage tank. Didn't see that in the plans.
Maybe this is why Steen has the baffled tank?
