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I have bought a second hand JORA microlight aircraft equipped with an inverted Blue Head 582 UL 99 engine. The engine has 203 hours since new. I know that both the aircraft and the engine were jealously maintained by the previous owner...but there has been a problem that no body seems to have been able to explain or solve. The problem is that when making the mag checks when one mag is switch off the drop is of about 150' but when the other is switched off the drop is of about 700-800'. And yet the engines continues to run without missing beat-water temperature remains at 80*C and EGTs firmly within operational range. Can some one tell me why this abnormal drop? Is there a cure for this?

Strangely enough on another microlight we have a 582 UL DCDI (not Blue Top). It has been recently overhauled at a Rotax authorised centre in Sicily Italy. I was having a problem because my 12V was not charging and some one suggested that I had a defective regulator/rectifier. Without thinking twice I got a new regulator/rectifier and replaced the defective one which as declared 'burnt'by an electician. But the thing is that after replacing the regulator when making mag checks, the Left mag drops about 200' but the Right mag INCREASES by about 300'!! Furthermore when we switched wiring the Left mag increased by about 300' while the right mag dropped by 200'. And above all the battery is still not charging! (when I had the 'defective' rectifier I never experienced this abnormal mag drop behaviour).

Finally - back to the Jora. The Rotax 582 Blue Head installed has a WoodComp 3 blade propellor pitched at 12 degrees (can be pitched to 17deg) At maximum full take-off power I get 6,800'. At 5,800' my airspeed is only 50knots. Can I achieve a better cruising performance by increasing the pitched from 12 to say 14 degrees?
  • Re: Magneto Drop

    by » 13 years ago


    Hi Rod....my old 503 had a big drop on one side as indicated by the tach....but listening to the motor during the mag drop test each side sounded about the same....with my engine it was a known problem and the a/c maker noted it in the handbook to just listen to the engine during this test,

    Does your motor sound like it has such a big drop.

    Nick.

  • Re: Magneto Drop

    by » 13 years ago


    Hi Nick

    Thanks for your prompt reply. No the engine sound is commensurate to the normal expected drop of max 300' both mag tests sound exactly the same...it clearly does not sound like dropping 700/800'

    Rod

  • Re: Magneto Drop

    by » 13 years ago


    Rob,

    My 582 does the same thing occasionally (not always). I use the
    Grand Rapids EIS for engine monitoring and their user manual even states that this will sometimes happen with rotax and some other engines. It has something to do with the way the RPM signal circuit is wired to the mags.

    Bill.

  • Re: Magneto Drop

    by » 13 years ago


    I'm gettiing the same indication on my 503 when checking the mags, but the engine RPM drop sounds quite normal. IMHO, it is the tachometer signal from the engine that is causing the incorrect reading. I suspect there is a change in the signal waveform on the grey tach wire that may be the cause. I will post waveform pictures of the tach signal showing the front mag, rear mag and both mags active after I get my engine top overhaul completed.

    hp

  • Re: Magneto Drop

    by » 13 years ago


    Rod, don't look at the tacho when doing the mag off test, listen to and feel the engine. Does in sound and feel like its dropping 100/150 rpm or 7-800rpm?
    John

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