Annual 50% Done 100 % Happy

blimpy

blimpy

New member
I am really immersed in a hands-on owner assited annual of the cruisair...
and I've been really fortunate.

The wings are as perfect inside as anyone could hope for. No spar checking, no dirt, no
evidence of any moisture, sound as a dollar and smell like furniture.

I'd given them a lot of thunking, and peeked in a couple of inspections holes as a "pre- purchase inspection" ... but getting to really see, poke and thunk everything see-able has given me new confidence in the bird, confirmed my confidence in the seller Allan Alcok, confirmed the always hangared history,
re-inforced my own initial assessment of the wings.

Second, true to the old addage, flying it regularly has indeed brought ALL the compressions up into the 70's !

We did the test with the engine warmed up... and I don't know how the previous tests were done... but
The tests are consistant with the smooth running, and minimal blow by ( I didnt say leaking, I said blow-by)

Since the last annual recorded all the compressions in the 60's ... this relieves a LOT of anxiety about
having to do a top-overhaul - with the down time and expense involved.

While my cables are showing thier age at the exposed ends.. there are no broken strands, or questionable
terminations. Again nothing immediate .. just plenty of good fresh lubrication.

The replacement CHT thermocuple cable proved just long enough for a nice safe routing.

The brakes are getting the attention that 1 person working along really couldn't give them, which has been a constant thorn in my side... especially as I've been renewing my tail dragger skills in the cruisair after nearly 40 years.

So, whether it's new clevelands or the old hayes.. the brakes will be working right when it flies again next week. And that is worth the life of the plane right there.

All this means there will be time enough and money enough to buy and install the external oil filter
and have the air-filter assembly made and installed sooner rather than later.

And.. there will be time to start in on the wing cover .

I'm lucky to have found a mechanic willing to take the time to learn an unfamiliar plane,
and even more so that he will be available to supervise my work.. to keep it safe and legal.

It's all comming together better than I hoped it would.
So, untill the inevitable next Murphy Moment.. color me happy.
 
Do yourself and your ship a big favor-----install Cleveland brakes. Spend the money as it is well worth it. Lynn the crate :!:
 
Hi Blimpy,
I bought a Cruisair that hasn't been flown for a number of years and is was in parts. (I did buy it right.). I stripped it to the bare frame and have had the engine overhauled, have an rebuilt Aeromatic prop hub with new blades, and changed every cable and wire in the entire plane. We used 1419 axels and put in Cleveland brakes. I recovered the entire bird and have it in the paint shop now. I have been on it for five years but I have also been working so it was whenever I got a little time.
I haven't done much with the instruments as there is no one around here with that expertise so I'll have to take to an instrument shop when I get it flying. I have learned a LOT but there are always more questions. Good luck with you annual.
 
Thanks Gary and Lynn.

Lynn I did spring for a new Patterson/Cleveland 199-46 brake conversion kit,
and also bought used viking axles .

After overhauling the Scott #4000 master cylinders, blowing out the brake lines, and flushing well
with red aviation hydraulic fluid , we installed a hydraulic pressure guage on the line and
MEASURED the obtainable pressure with the following results:

Normal brake pressure 125-150 psi
"Normal" hard peddle application ~ 175 psi
Panic level peddle pressure ( harder than practical when flying or taxi-ing ) 300 psi
Maybe hard enought to break something !

Given the fact that the chart that comes with the kit shows 500 psi for 2100 lb gross weight, I decided
there was real merit to previously posted comments that the Scott's wouldn't do the job.
So, untill I have obtained replacement master cylinders that will bolt in, and do the job , the conversion will have to wait.

But the good news is the Hayes brakes are actually working nicely... probably better than they have in many decades. Whoda thunk it ?

Gary sounds like you are well on your way to having a prize winning airplane.
The flying charactoristics of the plane will be worth all your effort.. it's just so pleasing to fly.

There are real " bargains" to be had in overhauled and yellow tagged used vaccuum instruments being sold on the used market.. sometimes for much less than the cost of overhauling yours. Google what you want.. and try some of the used suppliers like wentworth and others. Stick to overhualed instruments with proof, or send yours in.

The aeromatic prop is worth it !

I bet a venturi costs 3- 5 mph in cruise speed. I have no venturi or vaccuum instruments.
Unfortunately a used electric DG costs more than a good aviation GPS !
 
Blimpy, I still need to replace my CHT thermocouple cable. Mine was actually cut off sometime during the past sixty years. What did you use for cable and how long is it supposed to be?
Thanks,
Gary
 
Gary, someone may have a direct answer, but as far as I know, this was never standard equip. 14-19? Maybe. Some notes:
A mechanical CHT gauge often has the thermocouple loop resistance it needs labeled on the backside. It is usually 2 ohms for copper/constantan and 8 ohms for iron/constantan for the war surplus gauges commonly installed in these era planes.
If the lead is cut to fit or shorter than the calibrated length, the loop resistance can be increased with a wire wound or film resistor(stable) to get the right value to maintain accuracy. I have seen yards of thermocouple wire under instrument panels. (actually, enough to get from the cockpit to #4 engine on a B-24) If your existing severed lead is pretty fat, this may have applied to your case.
BTW, I should probably come clean and admit that I once had FAA instrument, radio, and accessory repairman certs. and a repair station.
Ron, N86716
 
Thanks, Ron. I am restoring my bird about 100 yards from the factory and the guys there are very helpful. If the wire was in the 1419 series, they will probably have some.
Gary
 
Gary,
I have a WWII vintage CHT guage ( actual radium glow in the dark dial) made by a famous maker ( weston ? )
I forget now.

Anyway it is stamped "use 2 ohm leads" on the back.

Current production leads are either "J" or " K" type. see westach website.

I bought westach tso'd CHT cable from Chief in Oregon I think .. 48" leads. It came labed 1.5 ohms.

I clip-leaded to my guage, dunked the thermo couple in boiling water ( always 100C or 212F ) and read
100 degrees C on the guage. Called that good. won't mean the output will be linear or match the guage calibration
but it's a start, Like the dead clock thats accurate twice a day ?

Thermocouple is the 14mm sparkplug type.. that replaces the copper gasket when the plug is installed ( # 2 cylinder bottom plug) that's the one in back on the right viewed from the rear of the engine.

Inserted blunt probe to make a path in the wire bundle passing throught the firewall ( cruisair) near the battery box, taped the leads together, and fed them through. Lead length was just adequate to obtain safe routing and leave couple of inches extra.

Will report when I connect to guage and use it some.

larry
 
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