Backcountry Pilot • IO 520D question

IO 520D question

Lycoming, Continental, Hartzell, McCauley, or any broad spectrum drive system component used on multiple type.
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IO 520D question

Hi,

I just got my new engine back from the overhaul (including brand new phase 3 crankcase and gAmi injectors).
The engine runs great. But when I came back from an hour flight on landing when I brought the power Back to iddle the engine stopped. I started the engine again, taxi out and went for an iddle check..engine stopped again.
The mixture got enrichen by my mechanic today. I did another hour Flight and same thing happened again today after landing..
I’m thinking that the mixture was already too rich.. Maybe it should have been leaned..
Another fact: when the engine is not fully hot after the initial start my iddle is around 500-600 and the engine did not stopped. When the engine is really hot uppon landing I see the iddle closer to 900 before the engine is quiting..
Any thoughts?
Thanks!!
400888 offline
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Re: IO 520D question

Mine did the same. Have your mechanic do the complete fuel system adjustment per the continental manual. It’ll take a couple hours. Make sure he sets up the maximum full power fuel flow at no less than maximum. Mechanics treat it like a redline where exceeding is a problem, and shy away from the maximum when really, more is better. Fuel pressure at idle is likely where your stalling problem is coming from.
Pinecone offline
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Re: IO 520D question

What he ^^^ said. Find a mechanic that knows how to set up fuel flows in these airplanes.....not all do, and as Pinecone noted, many seem to think the high flows are a "limit". We always treated those as a minimum.

Engine should idle nicely at 600 or so.

MTV
mtv offline
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Re: IO 520D question

Thanks for tour input guys!
I think That yesterday I was actually reading on what you guys are talking about:

https://www.lancairowners.com/files/wp- ... stment.pdf

Is that the procedure that you guys are talking about? The overhaul shop that did my engine are very well known and I’m pretty sure that they did the necessary. But I also recall the mechanic shop telling me that they played with the mixture before my first flight..

What is the difference between the unmetered fuel pressure at idle and the idle fuel mixture?

Thanks a lot!
400888 offline
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Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2019 8:30 am
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Aircraft: Cessna a185e

Re: IO 520D question

Your fuel injection is out of adjustment.

The engine must be installed on the airplane and running to accomplish the fuel injection setup. Even if your overhaul shop set it up on a test stand it needs to be readjusted once the engine is on the plane. Your shop saying they played with the mixture is a major red flag. There is no “playing,” the procedure is very clear.

The setup procedure is simple but it requires proper tools. Find a shop that has the tools and knows what they are doing. Having it setup proply makes a huge difference on how the engine runs.
whee offline
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Re: IO 520D question

whee wrote:Your fuel injection is out of adjustment.

The engine must be installed on the airplane and running to accomplish the fuel injection setup. Even if your overhaul shop set it up on a test stand it needs to be readjusted once the engine is on the plane. Your shop saying they played with the mixture is a major red flag. There is no “playing,” the procedure is very clear.

The setup procedure is simple but it requires proper tools. Find a shop that has the tools and knows what they are doing. Having it setup proply makes a huge difference on how the engine runs.


Yes, as I noted, find a shop that knows how to set these engines up. Believe me, you don't want to try to instruct your mechanic on how it's supposed to be done, and as noted before, make sure that thing flows LOTS of fuel at takeoff power.

Some folks in Alaska smoked a few big Continentals by not being very liberal on fuel flows.

MTV
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Re: IO 520D question

Good thanks for the feedback! I will contact the overhaul shop and see if they can do it themselves. That would be the best.
I saw 30.5 GPH at full power on takeoff today which is good and keeps the cylinder to a good temperature. I kept WOT with 2700 RPM for a thousand feet in the climb and everything was looking good.
I still need to fix the entire thing with doing the fuel setup procedure. Is that the correct procedure we are talking about:
https://www.lancairowners.com/files/wp- ... stment.pdf
?
Thanks!
400888 offline
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