Warbird Information Exchange

Bill...I could be wrong, but I think you'd better start typing.

Mudge the prescient

ps. I've got a set of MERIN cams in my garage.

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Land of the free because of the brave

Well, some engines have different length pushrods for the intake and for the exhaust. Frankly, I work on (or used to work on ) lots of different engines on lots of different airplanes, and I have always been too dumb to remember which engine has the different pushrods, so I mark them all to insure that I don't screw up. Plus, it just never hurts to have them go back in the same spot where they're "happy."
Another thing I always do (which I didn't mention before), is to find a nice flat & smooth surface and roll each pushrod on it. That will show me if any of them have been bent.


Oh, and Bill...please enlighten me on this "other prop" story. I'm not sure I know what you're talking about. Is it something I screwed up once upon a time?

And it's funny how you mention you wish to have more cams for your Merlin...........it sort of echos some of my past thoughts about a common failure point of those engines, huh? Oh, and don't forget to check the torque on the nuts that hold the heads & banks on.....check 'em for cracks while your at it too.

Gary

Excellent step by step Gary,
Trey Carroll, please see the foul looking mop bucket at five o'clock low in the second photo.
And an epoxy floor makes it SO much easier to keep a round engine from permanently marking its territory.

Canso42, cleaning up behind two R-1830-92's.

First- They don't get any better than Gary. He took all the pictures, but my guys tell me that he also knows how to work the business end of a mop as well. I wish I had a picture of that

Second- Although we didn't discuss it, I wouldn't allow any of the push rods to be put into any other cylinders. It's not that it would immediately cause problems, but I think one of the keys to success with these aircraft is to constantly take whatever course that reduces variables. If you get the right people (read Gary) they just take the correct course of action intuitively.

Third- That floor is about as dirty as it has ever been in those pictures. Just a pet peeve, that the guys that work with me are great about.

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Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."

That is a very wise attitude around aircraft. For a few moments worth of additional effort you reduce risk. I think aviation in general is about risk management.

Instead of running the engine I had on my T-6, I sent the engine out for overhaul and found 4 cracked cylinder heads. An IRAN of the airframe has turned up a cracked fuselage frame tube behind the firewall (a fatigue crack from a bad factory weld in an area not visible with the firewall in place) and a few worn, damaged and corroded components I wouldn't have been happy about if they were still there.

Excellent points regarding the pushrods. Obviously, little proactive procedures like this can add up in the long run.

I do appreciate everyone’s input!

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Commemorative Air Force
Experimental Aircraft Association
Warbirds of America

What are you waiting for? Join us!

Best way to contact me- email my last name @gmail.com

Well, here's the last installment of my little Skyraider maintenance weekend update....

In the beginning of this update, I mentioned that Eric's mechanics had already gotten a good start before I got there and had removed some of the necessary items to complete this job. In this picture, you can see some of those items, along with some of the others that we took off while I was there. Replacing these pushrod tube seals & gaskets is not a quick and easy one day job......




On my last day there, I started looking over the airframe for Eric, while at the same time, allowing Dave dive into the remaining pushrod tubes. There were really no big surprises on this ol' Spad, and frankly, I was astonished at what amazing condition the airplane was in! Here are a few shots of what I was lookin' at......

Got hydraulics? ...........




Inside the rear hellhole, looking aft.......




At the very back of the aft hellhole, looking forward (standing up, I might add!)..........




Inside the cockpit......




Inside the rear cabin, looking forward.......




Oh, and I did take time every once in a while to play with my new friend. .....




Gary

Cool updates Gary ...thanks for posting them!!! I also heard that while you were up in St. Louis you were able to stop and visit Albert and help out with some of the B-29 turret stuff he has.

John

What are the 3 brightly colored antenna ball looking things?

Yeah, I stopped by Albert's hangar for a few minutes to chat with him about turret stuff. ......












Gary

Three brightly colored recognition light lens spares.

Gary

Thanks for posting the pics Gary...it looks as though Albert has really spread out his parts sorting operation and taken over the entire hanger. Just curious...I know it's low on the priority list but are there plans to restore one or more of Fifi's turrets to fully operational?

John

It's being worked on as we speak.

Gary

There so much serious info on this site that I'll start a new topic for my little prop story. That beast(the winged one) has more parts than a Chinese organ harvest. The other beast(the pawed one) is definitley a fittingly macho Warbird mascot. My IA has one that looks like some Paris Hilton owns. Could the 2nd one be a cousin Gary?

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Thank you for taking the time to post this, it is fantastic. I wish Boeing and Airbus produced maintenance manuals as good!

Rgds Cking