How do I know when to replace or service my fuel selector valve?
The most common indication of external fuel valve leaks is the smell of avgas in the cabin. Most valves are located under the cabin floor. Fuel stain on the valve and drain plug or drain valve or on the belly of the aircraft can also indicate external leakage. External leaks are generally around the actuation valve stem. Internal leaks are detected when the fuel is turned off and fuel continues to drip during fuel system maintenance. Inner port leakage will allow fuel from one tank to leak into another fuel tank. This type leak is difficult to detect. Fuel transfer from one tank to another with the fuel valve selected to one tank only will indicate inner-port leakage. An extended period of time is needed to detect fuel transfer from one tank to another. Generally if internal leakage is detected when servicing the fuel system, it is likely there is also inner-port leakage.
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I installed a torque link kit and serviced my shimmy dampener; why do I still have a shimmy problem?
There are many components all connected to keep the nose gear in line. If one component is worn or out of tolerance it can cause shimmy problem. Reference Dave McFarlane’s article: Can You Stop Nose Gear Shimmy instructions and suggestions.
Overlooked items also include the rod ends, shimmy dampener mounting and attachment, shimmy dampener, and steering collar. The steering collar is where the steering rod tubes connect and the upper torque link is attached to, along with the shimmy dampener on most aircraft. If the steering collar has play vertically and laterally and is allowed to tilt; that will cause excessive wear and force on the torque links, steering, and strut components. There are three different thicknesses of shims to help get the collar in place.
Ensure that the shimmy dampener is working properly with no dead spots in dampening action. The cylinder could be worn on the inside or on a piston that warrants replacement of components. All of the nose strut components are tied to each other and any movement is transmitted through to the tire and back through the dampening system, which if remedied will continue to be more pronounced.
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What does the Torque Link Stop Lug do?
The torque link stop lugs are more important than you would think. Overextension of the nose strut due to a worn out stop lug can lead to a cascade of problems. McFarlane A&P mechanics have seen struts over extend to the point where the metering pin comes out of the orifice. This results in loss of damping action and the pin hammering the orifice every landing and distorting and enlarging it. Over time, the excess nose strut travel and lack of damping can result in fatigue cracks in the torque link arms. McFarlane recommends thoroughly inspecting all nose strut components when replacing a severely worn stop lug.
The stop lug also acts as a centering device aligning the nose wheel and wheel pant straight with the airplane and slip stream after it has left the runway. Worn stop lugs can allow the nose wheel to lock in a turned position in flight that will require holding rudder for coordinated flight. Retractable gear aircraft depend on the stop lug to properly center the nose gear steering before it retracts into the wheel well.
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How often should I change my oil?
A good rule of thumb for changing piston engine oil is to change it every four months. Of course for every rule, there are at least two exceptions.
Exception #1: If you're able to fly frequently with proper oil temperature, you should adjust the four-month rule accordingly. Change out your oil after 50 hours if you've flown the hours in less than four months. If your engine doesn’t have an oil filter, change it after 25 hours. Always remember: the four-month rule is the most critical.
Exception #2: In recent years, the annual flight hours of many private planes have decreased.
And where there’s an idle plane, there’s rust. When an airplane engine sits too long (especially in humid climates or if there is excess moisture in the oil because the oil temperature is too low), rust will form on many of the parts such as cams, lifters and cylinders. Then, once the plane has been started, the iron oxide will run through the entire engine oil system.
While some of the larger pieces will filter out, many of the smaller pieces will remain in the oil and can act as grit on critical wear surfaces. If you don't plan on flying your aircraft for four months or more, be sure to use a storage or preservative oil to protect your engine.
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My oil temperature seems to be running low. Is this a problem?
Yes, low oil temperature can lead to excessive rusting and corrosion of critical engine parts. When an aircraft sits on the ramp or in a hangar, the engine heats up during the day and cools again at night. While the engine is cooling, some of the moisture in the air condenses on the engine walls and drops into the oil.
This can form rust on internal engine components. The moisture can also react with by-products of combustion in the oil,forming acids which can lead to corrosion. The best way to remove this water is for the engine to boil it off during flight. Studies have shown that the temperature of your engine oil increases about 50°F as it circulates through the engine.
Therefore, unless the oil temperature reaches 170°F to 180°F during flight, the engine will not boil off the water that has accumulated in the crankcase. The result: rust and corrosion.
Note that an excessively high oil temperature will also cause problems. Here are some tips to help avoid oil temperature problems:
Check your oil temperature gauge for accuracy. It should read about 212°F when the sensor is placed in boiling water.
Monitor the oil temperature during flight. It should be about 180°F even in winter. If it is lower, you may need a winterization kit. Otherwise, check with your mechanic to see what is causing the excessively low oil temperature.
The unique additive feature in anticorrosion/antiwear AeroShell® Oil W 15W-50 can also help control problems caused by rust and corrosion.
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Do AeroShell Oil W 15W-50 and AeroShell Oil W 100 perform the same in an engine?
The oils are similar, but there are some differences. The biggest difference is in cold flow characteristics. AeroShell Oil W 100 is up to 10 times thicker at cold temperatures than AeroShell Oil W 15W-50. However, at normal operating temperatures (around 200°F), both oils will have the same thickness or viscosity. Another major difference is that AeroShell Oil W 15W-50 and AeroShell Oil W 100 Plus have an antiwear additive which is not in AeroShell Oil W 100. This additive, along with the semisynthetic base oils, helps reduce friction and improve flow in AeroShell Oil W 15W-50.
These additives improve lubrication and reduce oil consumption past the oil rings. Conversely, the improved flow can increase oil loss through leaks or loose intake valve guides. So your oil consumption may go up or down if you switch from AeroShell Oil W 100 to AeroShell Oil W 15W-50. The improved flow and reduced friction characteristics of AeroShell® Oil W 15W-50 will also help reduce oil temperatures as opposed to using AeroShell Oil W 100.
This is particularly important in engines that run hot, like turbocharged, high performance or aerobatic aircraft engines. Pilots should always remember to monitor oil temps to ensure that they’re not too hot.
In cold weather, you should also make sure that the engine temperature is high enough to boil off the water that naturally accumulates in the crankcase. Temperatures in the 180° to 200°F range are recommended for most applications. Finally, if you have a marginal or slipping starter clutch, the antiwear additive in AeroShell Oil W 15W-50 may cause it to slip more than AeroShell Oil W 100. Understanding these differences can help you select the grade of AeroShell that's right for your plane.
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My battery is dead or near zero volts, how do I recharge it?
The ETX-Series of batteries have over discharge protection and is designed to prevent a continuous active drain on the battery to the point of damaging the battery, such as leaving your key in the on position, master switch on your aircraft, or parasitic draw as examples. If your battery is reading 0V, or near 0V, then this protection might be activated.
To determine the actual voltage of the battery, remove the negative battery cable and measure the voltage at the terminals with a voltmeter. If less than 8V, it will not accept a charge. Once a lithium battery is approximately 8V, it can be permanently damaged and the EarthX BMS is designed to not allow the recharging of the battery as this is no longer safe to do and can be dangerous and cause cell rupture. Never force a charge into the battery. This is not a battery defect, nor a failed battery, but instead the protection working as it is designed.
The rate of discharge depends on how many amp hours the battery has (less Ah = faster discharge) and the ambient temperature (warmer = faster discharge). When the EarthX battery is about 95% drained, the BMS over discharge protection will disconnect the battery from the active drain so that you do not continue to discharge the battery to the point of damaging it. You know this has happened when you put a voltmeter on the battery installed in the vehicle and it reads close to 0V. We allow this much discharge of the battery to provide you the most energy possible if the drain is intentional, ie: your alternator fails in flight, and you are powering your electronics with the battery. The battery will continue to drain, at a much slower rate, with time as this is impossible to stop batteries from self-discharging. Even “brand new” batteries left in a box will drain and if not recharged and maintained, will be permanently damaged.
It is very important to recharge the battery immediately if it has been drained. The longer the battery remains discharged will shorten the overall life span and increases the chance of permanent damage.
Depending on the amp hour of the battery and the environmental temperature will dictate how much time can pass before it is permanently damaged. Example, the ETX12A is a 4Ah battery and should be recharged within a week whereas the ETX900 is a 15.6Ah battery and should be recharged within a month of finding it in this state.
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My LED light is flashing on my ETX680C/680, ETX900, or ETX1200, what does that mean?
Most of the time, it means you need to charge the battery as it is at a low charge level but it could mean several things. First thing you need to do it put a voltmeter on the battery, if the voltage is less than 13.28V, the LED light will flash to let you know to charge the battery. If the voltage is above 13.28V and flashing, then you could have a weak cell /a cell out of balance/or defective cell and you need to contact EarthX for a warranty coverage if it is less than 2 years old. The LED will also flash if the voltage is too high, above 14.6V. If the light is solid and remains on for more than 10 minutes, then it is an indication of a BMS electronics problem and contact EarthX.
LED Light |
Voltage |
Possible Cause |
Recommended Action |
Slow Flashing (5s on/5s off) |
Less than 12.8V |
Battery over-discharged (due to faulty charging system) |
Charge battery. Once charged, the light will stop flashing. |
Slow Flashing (5s on/5s off) |
Less than 13.2V |
Weak or failing cell |
Charge battery. If voltage drops below 13.2V within a few days, discontinue use. |
Slow Flashing (5s on/5s off) (> 1 hour time period) |
13.2V-14.6V |
Weak or failing cell |
Discontinue use. If in flight, this is not an immediate issue unless it is in conjunction with a charging system failure. |
Slow Flashing (5s on/5s off) |
Greater than 15.2V |
Over-charging (due to faulty charging system) |
If in flight, shutoff charging system immediately. Aircraft over-voltage protection is required if alternator charging system is greater than 20 amps (i.e. over voltage crowbar circuit) |
Slow Flashing (5s on/5s off) (< 30 min. time period) |
13.2V – 14.6V |
Cell to cell charge levels are not balanced |
May come on briefly during periods of high current charging until the cells are automatically balanced. Try charging with a plugin charger, like an Optimate Lithium charger. |
Solid Light |
Any voltage |
BMS electronic issue |
Discontinue use. If in flight, this is not an immediate issue unless it is in conjunction with a charging system failure. |
Solid Light that turns off after 3 minutes |
Any voltage |
Short Circuit protection was activated |
Nothing needs to be done. |
Short Flashing (2s on/2s off) |
Any voltage |
High battery temperature (> 65°C / 150°F) |
Let battery cool down prior to cranking or charging. |
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