Couldn't pass this up: Sukhoi su-31 .40-.46

[akphill]

You could use the fuel line to make a clamp for the pressure line so that it doesnt blow off and cause a lean
the other thing I would do is put in a remote fueling dock this way you dont have to take the pressure lines off
and weaken the connection.
I think your right about when the line came off I do not think it ran long enough to hurt the piston

[Doozer]

Nov 1, 2013 10:17:39 GMT -6 akphill said:

You could use the fuel line to make a clamp for the pressure line so that it doesnt blow off and cause a lean
the other thing I would do is put in a remote fueling dock this way you dont have to take the pressure lines off
and weaken the connection.
I think your right about when the line came off I do not think it ran long enough to hurt the piston

do you have a link for the remote fueling dock. I could probably do a search, but if there's one you suggest I'd take that into higher consideration. Thanks Phil!

[akphill]

something like this will work never have to take your lines loose
www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/cPath/1575_526/products_id/67137/n/Du-Bro-E-Z-Fill-Fueling-Valve-Gas-Glow

[Doozer]

oh ok, yeah I've seen those. Alright sounds like a plan. I'm going to make another attempt at breaking the engine in today. I ran it on the ground a bit yesterday. I was trying to zero in on a 2400 rmp Idle, but I couldn't get it. That's about 200 rpm lower than it is right now. I was also keeping and eye out to make sure that from WOT to idle the engine transitioned smoothly. It barely stays alive at 2500 so I've got it down to 2600. With a 10X6 prop, 13800 on the high end.

I've ordered a Rotoflow gas tank:

www.jlproducts.net/ProductRotoFlow.html

They look cool, but are expensive so.... we'll see.

Have bunches of homework to do and I'll probably have to put off doing much with this plane after today, but on the break from school in December, I'll be flying a bunch.

[19000rpm]

It does sound like it leaned out. Probably as you surmised. I wouldn't worry about the piston. It wouldn't have run lean that long. Good luck on Flight #2.

[Doozer]

I flew it yesterday, but once again the the hose came off. It actually broke and left a full ring of tubing around the nipple on the exhaust. This is the tubing that came with the engine. So It couldn't be all that old or ... maybe it is, who knows. I brought the plane in as soon as I heard it start to struggle. I tried the tubing with a zip tie and took off again. Same thing struggled in a climb so I brought it in. This time the engine died on approach, but I already had it dialed in to land so that wasn't a major concern. Again the vent tubing split and came off...even with a zip tie. So I decided to run it on the ground and I could never get the engine to run right after that.

I tinkered with the needles a little bit after I got home. I reset them to factory settings following the instructions in the manual. I had no luck. After leaning the low end needle I got it to run decent, but I was leery of a lean run. So I came in and started reading threads in various forums relating to this engine. I found a lot of interesting theories, but the main thing that stood out was Pete Bergstrum (Horizon Evolution product manager) saying that you can lean these engines to 1 3/4 to 1 1/2 turns on the high end, and to make moves as large as a 1/4 turn on the low. He wrote the manual, and this goes directly against what the manual says. But he goes on to explain, in other forums, that this is an ABC engine and the break in is completely different and he wanted to make it as simple as he possibly could for those who may not be familiar these type of engines.

So, I have a little more room than I thought with the needles and I feel I was probably running a bit rich on the low end. I pulled the plug and it looks really good actually. I checked the piston, and the carbon build up looked to be normal, and the skirt was not scuffed at all. So I'm good I hope. Just have to get it dialed in. I have video I'll post it when I can.

[Doozer]

I just bought and received a J-Tec wrapp around Pitts muffler:

www.jtecrc.com/evolutionwraparound.htm

It's tapped for a 6/32 pressure fitting which I purchased at my LHS. I have the new Rotoflow gas tank, and the EZ fill fuel dock. I'm going to have to remount the engine and change it's position with the head at 6 o'clock and the carb facing down. This means that I have to reposition the throttle linkage as well... and that means I'll have change where the gas tank sits.... fun, fun! (actually it is). I have another cowl though I will probably use the old one until it's time to paint it, and I plan on trying to paint it similar to the picture.

Now all I need is the time. Probably another 2 weeks.

[19000rpm]

It does sound like fun.

[Doozer]

Picking this back up on Thursday Dec 12. Hope to be done with it sometime over the weekend. I want to start working on my other project over the Christmas break. I'm hoping the Pitts muffler resolves some of the engine problems due to the fact that the stock muffler for the Evolution 10cc is a POS, and comes apart at the smallest vibration (Numerous posts all over the forums about the exhaust woes).

I'm going to take the needles back to factory. It's been a while and I'm not sure where they are at the moment. I had it written down, but it helps if you know where the paper is that you wrote your changes on. I'm sure I'll find it when I don't need it anymore. That's the way it is with lighters, tweezers, and toenail clippers too. Never around when you need 'em... always show up when you're looking for something else. Ba$tards. I've had to chew my toenails off more than once

Anyway, like the Cermark Gee Bee, once I get this thing flying good, I'm going to paint it.

[Doozer]

It went kind of slow yesterday. A lot of fiddling and thinking. Here some images of yesterdays work:


After I removed the engine and mount from the firewall. I had some holes in the firewall that I wouldn't be using.



I measured the holes, then I went to my LHS (Hobby Bench) and bought some dowels (and other things too ).





Then I measured how much of the dowel I would need to fill each hole, and then cut pieces like shown in the pictures above. As I was measuring the circumference of each hole, I was kind of shocked at how the holes were originally drilled. I bought this plane used, and by all accounts It looked like the person that built it did a good job. Every hole had some sort of angle to it.  If you're not paying attention to the angle of the drill, this is what happens.  So I'm starting to get a little worried, and I'll be I'll be giving the plane a good look over in detail today.

I mixed up some 30 minute epoxy and put a fair amount inside the holes. I pushed the dowel pieces through from the inside out, so I could feel them go flush to the firewall on the inside, and so the excess epoxy would push to the outside and I could scrape it away easily.



I took a picture with one hole open so you could see the difference. The top two, larger holes are open, though they don't necessarily look like it. I'll be using those to mount the ignition box and pass through cables to the engine.

I let this all cure overnight.  I'm going to sand it, and start mounting the engine today. I did dry fit the Pittls muffler to the engine, and then put the engine on the mount and checked for clearance (since the Pitts muffler is rear mounted). That all looks good. The only thing that I'm somewhat concerned about is that the Rotoflow gas tank, is a 10 oz tank and is larger than the old tank. That was the smallest Rotoflow made (I don't have to fill it full if I don't care to). It doesn't fit into the current tank mount. It's like jamming a large woman into mini-skirt... it might work, but eventually the pressure is gonna push something out.  I might have to cut out the old tank mount, and make my own. I can get the gas tank to fit snug with the nipple of the tank peeking out of the large hole in the firewall, which is actually a optimal set up for this engine, but then I have to think about where I'm going to put my fuel dot??? 

So that's where I'm at.... I'll post more as I do more.


 

[Doozer]

I repainted the fire wall with a gloss black, and that was a bad idea. I had zero reference points so if I looked away then looked back, I was lost. So I sanded it. Here are the pictures:








I made a mount template out of a box I had lying around. Then taped it to the firewall and drilled my holes straight though it.




I would have preferred to flip the mount around, but because of the pressure fitting coming off the muffler, I had to mount it this way.




Not using the paper gasket that came with the muffler. This was a little thicker than I like, but the Pitts muffler has a square port. I wanted to make sure I had a seal. I know many people use a ton more than me, but you really don't need a ton of this stuff. If you use too much, you risk RTV getting in your engine.  That could be bad news.



I use the stock bolts that came with the engine to mount the Pitts muffler onto the engine. They are a bit long, but the screws that came with the JTEC Pitts were Phillips, and I have bad luck with them. I usually strip them out.








This is where I left off for today. I will install the fuel tank tomorrow, then I need to take the needles back to factory. I might get it started tomorrow.

[Doozer]

All done. Just have to take the needles back to factory settings then gas it up. Here's more pictures of the install:




This is the quick fill Phil suggested (see what I did there ). The only problem is, now I have to get one for all of my planes. The cool thing is that once you push the nozzle into the dock, it stays, and shuts off fuel to the carb.  No carb flodding.  Eventually, the vent for the tank will be under the cowl, so I'll have to measure my fuel. I'm going to start looking for 8oz water bottles. I really like the fuel dock Phil, thanks for the suggestion.








I have evolved a bit as a builder. I've taken to doing things in a manner that don't make my head throb. In this picture, and the three above it, I'm showing the running of the fuel lines. I used 5/32 Tygon for the fuel, and 5/32 Viton for the pressure/vent tubing. I connected the fuel line to the carb, then ran the tubing through the holes I drilled into the firewall for them. The Plane is upside down.

Here's a video that explains it:




I have the ignition mounted on the inside of the firewall. Mainly because of the break-in with the cowl off. However, there is plenty of room so I plan on leaving it here.



This is what the ignition mount looks like from the outside. I was using velcro straps before, but their hold was kind of sketchy and I decided to go with zip ties.





Rotoflow gas tank with foam mounts.


Front of the rotoflow. I did this to protect the tank from the mount bolts that were sticking through the firewall. I pretty sure the tank wont move, but this gives me peace of mind.


Top view


Finished!!

I have the tank cradled and held into the cradle with rubber-bands.  I'm fairly sure it wont budge.

I'm going to fire it up tomorrow.

[19000rpm]

Just a thought. Fuel will eat most rubber bands. Better off to use fuel proof silicone.

[Doozer]

Like a piece of Tygon? or do they make something specific? I have some of that super flexible Hayes tubing, but I'd need to figure out how to rig it up with a hook. Any ideas?

[Doozer]

I had a Rcexel mini-tach that came with my DLE 20. So I ordered another one, and installed that one on my Sukhoi.




After I removed the canopy, I cut a small hole in the fake mini instrument panel, and I pushed the lead through the hole. Then i used the servo tape, shown in the first piture, to hold the tach in place. I didn't want to use screws because the batteries are installed just below the cockpit.



I connected the lead to the tach lead on the engine.  I used the tube for the throttle push-rod to secure the lead.







I used the canopy glue shown above, and tape to re-install the canopy.



Going to wait for the glue to dry, then take it out to test the engine.