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Friday, 04 November 2011 20:17

Loss of power at takeoff

Written by  Rotax Owner

This happened to me


Taking off from a somewhat short grass strip in northern Wisconsin, two up in my Kitfox, we had just cleared the tree line when my 582 suddenly started to lose power. The only emergency item to try to address this situation is to turn on the Facet fuel pump. Did that and the engine came back to life. Flew home with the Facet pump on all the way. No further problem. Trouble shot the fuel system, filters, lines, carbs, rebuilt the pulse pump, etc. Flew again and encountered the same problem.

I found I could replicate the problem with a full power climb. I could climb for approx 5-7 seconds and then see the EGT's climb about 150 degrees and then fall off as the engine started to die. (This with the Facet fuel pump OFF). With the fuel pump ON, no problem.

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Carburetor troubleshooting

Rotax Aircraft Engine Manuals


More checking of the fuel system. Even blew string through my lines and pulled a small piece of cloth through them as I was certain I had a fuel blockage problem.

Eventually found that over the course of the 6 years I had flown the plane and done the condition inspections, I always check the hose clamps on the hoses and just give them that little "tweak" to make sure they are still tight.

Well, the pulse line to the fuel pump has a somewhat short nipple on the engine and the hose clamp hung past the end of the nipple just enough that all those little "tweaks" had constricted the I.D of the hose to about half of what it was originally. Still got enough pressure to run the engine O.K. in level flight at reduced power, but not enough for full throttle in a climb.

Replaced the pulse line and all was good again.

Rotax-Owner Addendum:

Rotax recommends the use of gear clamps, Rotax part # 938195 on fuel lines.

Excerpt from the 2 stroke installation manual showing fuel system diagram.

Excerpt from the 2 stroke Illustrated Parts Catalog showing fuel pump and components including the recommended Rotax gear clamps.

This story was submitted by an anonymous user for the purpose of passing on information which might help someone else.

Rotax-Owner has no affiliation with the writer nor takes any responsibility for accuracy or technical content.

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Published in Rotax Blog

Comments  

 
0 # Tweeking — Ted Norris 2011-11-09 22:27
One should never keep tweaking a hose clamp, if it's loose it will leak and then a small tweak is in order. A hose will take a set as you probably found out when you removed the hose, a lot of times they have to be cut to get them off, a spring loaded clamp like this http://www.clampco.com/products/t-bolt-spring.asp will keep a constant pressure while expansion and contraction is happening.

I'm really happy you were able to handle the problem and land safely.

Ted
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0 # Re: Loss of power at take off — Mynor Mendoza 2011-11-10 00:16
In the final items of my before take off check list, as well as in the before landing check list, one of the items in capital letters is: ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP ON. I do that religiously in order to avoid this type of episodes, and after 1000AGL ELEC FUEL PUMP OFF, so you can test the proper functioning of your entire fuel system during climb out.
I'm glad you were able to pull it off and come back to ground safely.
Thanks for sharing.
Mynor
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+1 # Yes! Electric Fuel Pump On — Dov Elyada 2011-11-10 08:35
Where I fly my 912ULS, "ultralights" are not routinely allowed above 500' AGL. When the engine fails at such altitudes, the little time available before ground contact is better used for preparing a survivable emergency landing than for troubleshooting the engine. Therefore I've been taught in ultralights flying school to keep the electric fuel pump on throughout the flight.
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0 # 500 Feet??? — Ted Norris 2011-11-10 08:44
Where I fly my 912ULS, "ultralights" are not routinely allowed above 500' AGL.
=========================================
Where is it that you can only fly 500 feet AGL???
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-1 # where do you fly ? — alejandro diez 2011-11-15 03:14
Hi Mynor ! I am instructor and mechanic in Guatemala. wherw you fly in Costa Rica ?
Saludos
Alejandro Diez
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-1 # R/ Where do you fly? — Mynor Mendoza 2011-11-15 15:28
Hello Alejandro,
I am the director of operations of Paradise Air here in Costa Rica, so I fly commercialy, but I also have a Quicksilver GT-500/912 for personal use, My base airport is MRPV (Tobías Bolaños International Airport) and I fly my GT-500 from here to any where in the country, usually to the beaches. So far I am the only one here in the central valley, because all of the other 74 ultralights in this country, prefer the calm winds of the coast line or the flat terrain and there is where they operate their planes, but there is another pilot planing to bring his ultralight here, so there is going to be, 2 of us in here pretty soon. You can see some videos in youtube, of the way I use my plane, all you have to do is to write mynor120 in the search window, and it will take you there.
Saludos.

Mynor.
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0 # Clamps — Roger Lee 2011-11-10 04:05
I have seen a few times where clamps especially Band-It clamps have been over tightened and more importantly applied in the wrong place. Clamps should always be over the metal nipple on the hose.
Band-It clamps that may be on fire sleeve can easily be over tightened and restrict the flow of any fluid. Band-It clamps should be only slightly snug and that's all.
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0 # Fuel flow — Michael Rand 2011-11-10 05:07
It is advisable to carry out a fuel flow test at regular intervals or if the fuel system has been worked on. The procedure for this can be found on the LAA (UK) website
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0 # Re: # 500 Feet??? — Mynor Mendoza 2011-11-10 15:19
Where is it that you live, that only 500Ft AGL are allowed to an ultralight? Here in my country (Costa Rica) if your ultralight is equiped with a panel installed comm radio, mode C transponder, and an ELT with a remote control in the instrument panel, you can fly any where and at any altitude that a GA airplane can do, even in controled airspace. Of course you have to act and fly as a GA aircraft, once into contrlled airspace, but that is not an issue at all. when you want a little more freedom, then you go to uncontrolled airspace, and there you have it.
I found very unpractical a restriction of 500 AGL max altitude. There is almost no time to react to any problem, other than prepair your self for impact.

Mynor
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