I haven’t been using the smoke system that much recently …post the engine rebuild .. but, over the last few flights where I have used smoke I’ve been getting an excess of unburned smoke fluid covering the underside of the aircraft.

The areas most affected are driven by the airflow and so, undercarriage (being quite exposed) gets a direct ‘hit’ main and tailwheel ..the rest goes just behind the main gear on the underside of the body … then under the lower body with some catching the tail

I made contact with smoking airplanes in the US who supply the kit to check that my attempts to lean off the oil mixture was not working and see if they had other ideas.

Their first thought was that it might be a single or dual blocked injector .. the injectors are strapped to the exhaust stacks and protrude through small holes so atomising the oil spray into the hot exhaust.

The effect of a coked or partially blocked atomiser would be to allow the oil to build into globules and so be too ‘thick’ to burn … but instead trickle and run down the tube … then exit in the flow and spread

Removing them revealed that they were clearly coked and blocked

A follow up email to Smokin Airplanes in the US ..gave an almost instant response with a detailed sequence for how to (safely) clean these… amazing service 😊👍

I have been very fortunate to be able to use a lovely Hamble PA28 on occasions. I last flew it from its temporary base (at Fowlmere) to Bicester (Scramble meet) and back … both grass strips and both offering different approaches … Fowlmere slightly undulating and very close to busy Duxford and one with quite a few residences around to make approach sensitive

I remember years ago flying to Fowlmere to reposition a PA32 from Duxford as Duxford advised I couldn’t depart before 8 am next day back to Jersey as only locally based aircraft could move early … remember lining up with my Dad onboard …and the chap in the tower advising L or R turns as people departed ..depending on their destinations N or S in the U.K. … I lined up .. and said Fowlmere …and he asked if I had enough fuel for the trip ! Being about 45 seconds in a PA32 ! As Dad was onboard I asked if we could do a circuit and low flyby before peeling off to Fowlmere and was surprised to hear “No problem … line up on the grass after the landing Spitfire … which came just over our head … cleared circuit, flyby then Fowlmere” ….

Think Dad smiled for the rest of the day ❤️❤️😊

I’m currently doing some Programme support for an exciting company down in Jersey so have been down a few times this year. Travelling commercially is a pain … drive around the M25 to Gatwick and overnight for the red eye out next morning … then the slog back after a few days.

This week, I was fortunate enough to get use of the PA28 again, now re based back at Little Snoring. The dense fog of the preceding 2 days in the U.K. was easing and looking like clearing on Wednesday morning. I’d booked the flightplan out, using SkyDemon, and was set for a 9:00 local departure. Filing custom gendec forms with Jersey and the ever helpful Norwich Border Force

The fog was a little slow to clear and pre fuelling (to the top of both tanks) meant departure was about 10:00 local. Backtracked down the tarmac to the grass of threshold 25 … around a couple of pheasants !… and climb away above the mist into a lovely clear layer. Calling Norwich at 1,600’ to make sure I could get good 2 way comms … but they advised they couldn’t open my flightplan…and I’d have to ask London

I switched to London Info 124.60 and was still abeam the Norwich zone .. London Info opened the flight plan and I advised my planned routing, Bury st Edmunds, Chelmsford, Thames, Mayfield, Goodwood, Orist and would remain outside controlled airspace of Stansted, Southend and Gatwick

Managed to actually see the MAY VOR as I banked wingover right …

Had to orbit 2 or 3 times just to the North of the Northwest corner of Jersey when a fellow Jersey pilot in a faster PA32 overtook me … parking up on the grass at the aero club as the grass nearest the club looked pretty wet ..buzzed through the access door, as my Aero Club access card has now expired (following recent security enhancements at the airport)

The return, was set for Friday and Thursday was pretty grim on the deck.. typical of the moist airmass around Jersey

Flightplan was filed for 1400 local on Friday … and Friday woke to BKN below 100 with all the early commercials being turned back as they were he night before ! People were being shunted to Saturday flights for BA

Got a ‘phone call from a private number just after 9.00am and it was Norwich Border Force saying they had seen my flight plan but no customs form (the one I had sent earlier in the week noted outbound AND return but I think they prefer one each sector .. no worries resent it and they emailed straight back to say many thanks and all fine .. “Have a nice flight” …nice touch 👍👏

The forecast for Friday was set to lift around midday .. but was still on the deck and showing a usual very slow up and down mode !

Clicking up the TAF every 20 mins or so didnt offer an obvious window but at 1230 I headed up to the aero club to get the aircraft loaded, prepped and ready. … and hose off some of the mud on the underside and undercarriage from the Fowlmere-Bicester trip

At 1400 there was a sudden small break in the clag .. so I started up and got to the threshold and was a finger from transmitting ready for departure … when a Citation came in and said 7 mile final .. he was given clear land …and ..with a stiff headwind took ages to get in …and in those minutes …the MET went BKN at 300 …Sat at the threshold engine on tickover and watched successive 300, 400, 300 foot bases drift through

Eventually I taxied back and shut down .. and sat in the aircraft as it was clearly going to be a short window if indeed it DID open up. I watched the TAFs come and go … and still no luck … my problem now was that the planned 2 hr 19 min flight was dependant on hefty cross,tail winds and this all bound by a sunset in Norfolk of 17:11 .. meaning night officially 30 mins later at 17:41 ..so my absolute drop dead time for leaving was 15:15 … Eventually the patience paid off and tower called me on one of the times I had switched the radio on to hear the ATIS 134.80 SCT 300, BKN 600, BKN 1800 … we’re OFF !

Engine already warm … ran through checklist and out and lining up in 5 … climbing away .. cleared to 1,000 … then 3,000 … then not above 5,000 .. base was 3,500 so 4,000 was great

Approaching the Isle Of White and the base rose up and the tops descended to swallow me …

..what had been forecast as a 2,000 base became, in reality a few 100’ .. solid IMC with all the rising ground near Gatwick and the downs I opted to stay at 2,000’ to MAY then turned North … eventually becoming VFR again just abeam Southend

As I coasted in towards IOW, London Info had said I should call Farnborough West … but they were back to back with ILS routing entries so I re switched back to London 124.60 and stayed with them until 1.7 from Little Snoring .. awesome service

The ongoing issue of the oil seepage has kept me grounded for a long time now …. The plugging of the rocker breather holes in each head (now I’ve conveyed to solid lifter from hydraulic) has certainly helped see the wood for the trees with only small but positive amounts of oil showing at the base on the rocker guide tubes on ground runs

Each ground run, where I let it get up to 50 degrees then push to as much throttle as the small heel brakes will hold .. usually around 2,300 rpm …at those revs the brakes are starting to squeak and object … but you can get short bursts of higher and accept the move forward if clear.

The option I did in the summmer … tying the tail to the hangar metal upright girder .. I’m not so happy about now .. his was after reading an Australian post on a Jabiru site about having Jab 2200 in taildraggers and excessive ground running NOT being good .

The reason sighted for this was possible oil starvation of the front cylinders, rockers due to the significant slant of the body

So I don’t do prolonged hot ground runs .. if I can avoid it.

Anyway .. to the fix

Having spoken with the engineer I decided an ‘in situ’ fix in a cold dusty hangar wasn’t ideal and to whip the engine out, pop it in a boot and strive up to Yorkshire was probably the far better, sensible, solution !

Engine out Friday, marking all ancillaries and safely supporting the exhaust … carb body status in situ so you don’t d disturb choke and throttle … and it’s craned out and in the boot in just over an hour

Drive to Yorkshire Sunday, work on it Monday, Back Monday night, reinstall Tuesday, Ground run Wednesday !

WORK

The engine was mounted on a sturdy bench … nose down … bolting 3 bolts through the prop driver plate through the table … this made a really easy working environment and the engine was easy to rotate

Given the photos I’d sent ..we looked to remove the rocker push riot tubes from one side first and investigate … rocker cap off, rockers undone .. pin removed … head slackened in turn …and tubes slid out of position

The alloy tubes sit in small alloy cups that then mate into the sump body. The place they insert has a rubber ring in the sump body, the allow tube has a rubber ring … the cups should be quite stiff to remove … but weren’t

This was repeated for all 4 tubes on one side and all cups were relatively slack

These were thoroughly cleaned and de greased and then new rubbers, Vaselined up and a dab of heat proof silicone for surety … and popped back in place .. this was related both sides of the block

Kevin had pre drilled the rear of the backplate – Spider to allow easy (regular) torque checking of the new flywheel bolts vs the big in situ strip.down I had to do when replacing the bolts and nordloc washers last time 👍

Having now plugged the oil vent holes in each rocker head and waited for the massive cold snap to go …and the rains that followed to ease …I’ve finally managed to get out and get 2 ground runs in to check for ongoing oil leaks.

Block and surrounds all degreased and dry I run her up to 50’ then 60’ oil temps .. then ranges from tickover to 2,000 rpm then up to 2,300 before the brakes creak at me that they can’t hold on the wet grass.

Taxy back from the power check area and whip off the now warm cowls to check

3 of the 4 cylinders are showing signs of oil smears and even drips starting at the base of the push rod guide tubes .. on checking the Jabiru maintenance manual these have a double line of rubbers as they locate into the block .. rubbers 11 and 17 in the diagram below as it exits part 13 .. the adaptor

I have noticed how much colder it is living up in the winter wilds of Norfolk … and the engine doesn’t burst into life as rapidly as she used to … ok it’s still within say 6-8 revolutions … but used to be 1st or 2nd

Ok .. it has been really cold … but this coupled with reading how Jabiru engines configured in a tailwheel aircraft ..mean that at low revs and cold startups .. the oil is sitting in the rear of the sump and may not get ‘efficiently’ to all the parts that it should

In fact an Australian article went as far to say that the front rockers may not get much lube at all in the initial stages of starting and warm up

Ever, and now MORE conscious of the engine (following the rebuild), I’m keen to be aware of more than I was before and so invested in a heater I saw on Machine Mart to allow pre warming of her in these cold cold months

You know that problem .. you look at something in a picture .. expecting it to be much smaller in real life .. heater duly ordered and delivered and it’s way bigger than I’d planned ! … I’d planned to make a neat little hanger and cowl to hook on the prop and direct nice warm air directly to the sump base and fins.

He heater is about 15” diameter and pretty chunky ! Great for warming me whilst I do the rocker cover removals but not quite petite enough for the ‘hang and blow’ design … will resort to plan B .. the Oratex heat gun in a cradle and running low speed

Anyway – following long discussion with my engine specialist .. we have decided to block off the pre drilled rocker breather holes (these were a mod when hydraulic lifter valves were in use)

I’ve moved from hydraulic to solid lifter … so one suspects you probably need to reverse the mod ! And… after 4 shortish flights … that’s what I’m doing …. Stop spraying oil and electrics with oil over the bulkhead !

The small grub screws were provided and the special Loctite Si gasket cement ordered and then warm the hangar up .. degrease everything and apply and screw in place

The useful see through rocker cover will let us run it and see exactly what the oil is doing inside the cover …it’s good to make sure they are getting fully lubed and the return flow …not under pressure, goes back down the pushrod guide tubes into the sump.