There are photos after the text, starting with the departure from Boulder.I visited my plane in the hangar yesterday. Most of the work is done. Ray and Tim have done an oil change, which involves about 12 gal of Phillips 25w-60, clean 3 screens, change 2 Champion spin on fliters, and an oil sample for analysis. Then remove valve covers to check head torque, and inspect for any wear. This oil leaves everything nice and clean and sort of a gold green color. And the heck with Elton John, the Queen should Knight the man who invented Merlin Fingers. Clean and check 24 spark plugs, rare original Lodge ones. Install a new air compressor, the previous one leaked oil. Air runs guns, supercharger shift, flaps and brakes, only the gear is hydraulic with an air backup. A couple of valves were changed, now the air system seems nice and tight. New Brackett air filter. This is a neat item, a piece of oil wetted foam cut just to size of the airbox, about 1x2 feet, and only cost $80. I have never been able to understand the logic of a Mustang owner who has an air filter on his old truck or airport car, but flies his $100,000 plus engine around sucking in dirt with no filters. If you think it is only dirty at desert locations try this. After the next airshow, go home and wipe the back of your neck and hair with a damp white washcloth, then look at it. Think what the enginge is breathing when taxiing out at Osh on the grass behind another plane. Next new 27" Dunlop main tires; the old ones had tread left, but were getting weather checked on the sidewalls. The Dunlop cores are great, will go at least 2 retreads. Tire wear on my Spit is very mild. Tim found 3 exhaust stackes cracked. They are Inconel, a heat tolerant nickel steel and require special welding. He did some very nice minor paint touch up such as leading edges and prop blades. We changed the battery, and haven't decided if we may use a different one. It's 12volt and Odessy makes some nice gell cell or RC types. It is a big weight and price advantage over a P-51 not to have to use the large 24v battery. Blew a bug nest out of the pitot. All the normal inspection of control cables, hoses, joints, fittings are done as well as the normal gear swing. Upon runup Ray found a leak in the engine driven fuel pump so it has been sent for overhaul. That is about it for now. The weather has been beautiful, warm and sunny. I think the Spit will come out ready to fly about the time the first blizzard gets here!
_________________ Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK
Last edited by Bill Greenwood on Tue Nov 27, 2007 6:10 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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