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N12055 SN79 Coming Back http://thorp18.com/thorpforum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=7876 |
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Author: | Rich Brazell [ Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:44 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
I went with the Curtis valve for my bowl . About $12.00 from Spruce . No particular reason for the Curtis . Any of the push to open valves should work just fine . RB |
Author: | Jim Mantyla [ Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:11 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
Guys, I recently changed my gascolator to one made by "Steves Aircraft". It is STC'd for pretty much every aircraft out there. It is a nice CNC billet machined item that has eliminated the traditional Piper bail system to hold the bowl on. It is a 1/8 turn system that is O ringed to prevent leakage. It is a product that is worthy of being on a T18. The web page is: http://www.stevesaircraft.com Regards, Jim Mantyla |
Author: | ljkrume [ Thu Jan 14, 2016 10:52 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
Just to be sure you know what I mean, the gascolator shown in your original post (pg. 2) already has the push type plunger. You can see the spring in it and the small crossbar 'tangs'. Push it up to drain fuel, and twist into the notch if you want it to drain the whole tank, hands-free. An aluminum tube with notched end does it, but it's not permanent. Keep it in your toolkit. Les Krumel |
Author: | jrevens [ Thu Jan 14, 2016 3:43 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
jtwigg wrote: ... jrevens - are the valves in the link below what you had in mind? http://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/ep/ ... afair.html Yes, that's it. jtwigg wrote: I'm trying to find and prevent problems before I drag old' N12055 back out to the airport in April. The big (to me) issue that I found last night is that the plane only has a starter solenoid. It does not have a battery solenoid. Therefore, the starter solenoid (and the big cable to it) is always hot regardless of whether the master switch is turned OFF. Was this typical for the '70's homebuilts? Anyway, this is a mandatory change in my mind. Where do you guys mount your battery cut-off solenoid? I was thinking of mounting it inside the battery box (which is in the baggage compartment) because the new PC680 battery is so much smaller than the box. Or, outside the box on the forward side of it. There is a good 6" of space there that I could protect it from coming into contact with baggage (metal buckles, etc.) That is not typical of 70's homebuilts. All aircraft should have a "master solenoid" relay. Are you saying that main power from the battery is being controlled directly by a switch? The starter solenoid should be downstream of the master. As far as where to mount everything, would the starter solenoid be easier to access for service, etc. if mounted on the outside of the box? There are other reasons that it should probably be outside, in my opinion. For whatever it's worth, my master solenoid is mounted on the outside of my battery box (behind the baggage compartment). I ran a heavy wire (#4 AWG) from there forward to the engine side of the firewall, where it connects to the starter solenoid which is mounted there. A smaller (#10) wire connects at that same point and goes back through the firewall to my main power buss for the instrument panel. The starter solenoid mounted in that location provides a good connection point (the "in" terminal) for the "B" lead from the alternator also. That particular arrangement was chosen also because it resulted in the shortest wire run for the main buss supply - the heavy #4 wire had to come all the way forward anyway. These choices were to try to accomplish maximum efficiency with the least weight. I believe that many T-18s use the same set-up as I did. |
Author: | Rich Brazell [ Fri Jan 15, 2016 12:19 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
Attachment: Attachment: I agree with John . Here is my set up I mounted on the firewall . I used solid copper bar material from the + battery terminal to the "Master" solenoid and then another short copper bar from the MS to the "Starter" solenoid . This avoided using short lengths of wire with attached terminal lugs . With the battery on the firewall it also meant a very short wire run from the SS to the starter . I also ran a ground wire from the - battery terminal to the engine block . 200 + hours and no problems to date .RB |
Author: | rjaeger [ Sat Jan 16, 2016 10:50 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
Your aircraft was one of many T-18s that came out of EAA Chapter 101 from Addison, IL. It is a sister ship that was built at the same time as Bob Griffith's which sported the identical paint scheme although Bob Griffith"s had an 0-320, 160 HP. Both of these gentlemen have passed on. Bob K. also built a second one that was destroyed in a hangar fire at old Mitchell Field in Addison. The last time I saw your plane was when it sold up at Oshkosh for $10,000 to on of our members who took it home and was going to rework it. I believe he was an airline pilot and I believe his son was also in our group but I can't think of his name now even though I can picture him well. Regardless, there a lot of history to it. Good luck. |
Author: | jtwigg [ Mon Jan 18, 2016 10:47 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
Hi guys, sorry for the lateness of my reply. Thank you for all the great photos, too - they really help to explain things. I've seen the Steve's Aircraft gascolators that Jim mentioned and agree that they seem to be the best engineered and TOUGH. Thanks for the link! jrevens - Hi John, sorry I wasn't clear. I was saying that the #4 gauge cable from the battery goes directly through the passenger cabin and under the fuel tank to the starter solenoid. Further, since there is no switch for it, that cable is hot all the time regardless of the position of the master switch. Not a good design to have in an accident so I want to isolate the battery which is in my baggage compartment. At the starter solenoid, I have a similar #10 wire going back through the firewall to, in my case, the master switch and then the main power bus. I understand your description of your setup now and I'll copy it for mine when I put the master solenoid in. Bruce - Your picture convinced me to go to the outside of the box. It makes the most sense, doesn't it? Rich - Wow. What is the device mounted on the outside of your battery box in the upper left hand corner (as shown in the picture with the wires hooked up)? An electrical filter of some sort? |
Author: | jtwigg [ Mon Jan 18, 2016 11:21 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
rjaeger - thanks for the history and insight into this aircraft! I heard that these two planes (and possibly a third) were built in a "warehouse" in downtown Chicago. Sorry to hear that both Bob's have passed away. It would have been nice to meet them. I believe Bob Griffith was listed as a "co-builder." Their workmanship seems to be a testament to them. You have a good memory it seems. Yes, Ed Burke was the fellow who bought the aircraft - but I wasn't aware that he bought it at Oshkosh. Excellent! It's my understanding that Ed learned to fly in a J-3 cub on floats near Philadelphia and went on to fly for the predecessor to USAir and then went on to fly jumbo jets - I think a Lockheed L-1011. I'm told that Ed was well respected in aviation circles and I understand he was recruited by the FAA as part of a team to help set up the national airspace system back in the '50s after the big commercial air crash at the Grand Canyon in '56. Ed sold the plane to his son, Doug, who kindly sold it to me years later. Doug flew the plane to Oshkosh at least once and said it's an honest plane but don't use 40 degrees of flaps unless you're feeling adventuresome, haha. Ed passed a few years ago. Doug is doing well and I hope I can give his plane a good home and get it back to Oshkosh in '17. Here's a picture of it (and some other members' aircraft) from our Chapter 45 Corn Roast back on Aug 23rd. Use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate to the other members' planes. http://www.45.eaachapter.org/apps/photo ... =199877343 Are you from Chapter 101? |
Author: | Rich Brazell [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 6:14 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
John: DC shunt for the amp meter . RB |
Author: | fytrplt [ Sat Jan 23, 2016 11:13 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
Glad the Rostraver gang is still going strong. My wife and I broke down there many years ago in our Thorp and the chapter guys got us going again. It involved fabricating anew rudder cable. Super bunch. |
Author: | James Grahn [ Mon Sep 26, 2016 10:56 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: N12055 SN79 Coming Back |
Congrats! That's a big deal!! Cubes |
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