- Joined
- Dec 22, 2021
- Messages
- 28
- Reaction score
- 1
Hi all,
Hoping you guys can ease my mind or point me in the right direction.
The other day I took a friend and his 7 yr old daughter for a flight. It was hot and very humid with 3000ft density altitude (30 gal of fuel), I'm 170, he's 185 & she's 50lbs. Runup was normal and mag drops were good (just completed annual and had mags overhauled... also carb was OH last November). Engine instruments were in the green, however I noticed taking a little longer than usual take off roll and we were not climbing as fast as I'm used to. I checked my airspeed - it was ok, RPMs were a little low 2200-2250 ish, but then looked at VSI and it was only around 100! In hind sight probably should have aborted... but by the time I realized that things were off and there was a problem, landing wasn't an option with trees and a river at the departure end. Airspeed increased so I traded that for altitude and climbed out at 200 to 300 ft/ min. Was probably the scariest experiences I've had on TO.
I'm trying to determine if it was indeed just a hot/humid issue and I'm not used to that or something internal could be going on with the engine. I've flown with my whole family (wife, 145lb son, 45lb daughter) before - though not in the summer. I have the Lycoming o-320 E2A 150 hp engine, 1967 cherokee 140. My test static run ups are yielding 2150 RPMs, but I can lean and get another 50 (+-). Climb out is usually around 200ft/min, then improves to 400 as I reach TPA. I believe the AFM states minimum static should be 2275... but isn't that at sea level on a standard day? So could it just be DA? These planes drive me nuts sometimes! lol
> Compressions are good 70, 74, 76, 78
> Mag timing is "dead on" per A&P
> I have a climb prop.
Thanks in advance for your advice/suggestions.
Also - I should mention, one A&P says I should adjust the "stop" on my throttle to increase power. Another says, it's a mixture issue and I need to lean the mixture adjustment screw. I'm hesitant to have anyone fiddle with the carb since it was just OH by a shop I've heard nothing but rave reviews on.
Thanks again!
Hoping you guys can ease my mind or point me in the right direction.
The other day I took a friend and his 7 yr old daughter for a flight. It was hot and very humid with 3000ft density altitude (30 gal of fuel), I'm 170, he's 185 & she's 50lbs. Runup was normal and mag drops were good (just completed annual and had mags overhauled... also carb was OH last November). Engine instruments were in the green, however I noticed taking a little longer than usual take off roll and we were not climbing as fast as I'm used to. I checked my airspeed - it was ok, RPMs were a little low 2200-2250 ish, but then looked at VSI and it was only around 100! In hind sight probably should have aborted... but by the time I realized that things were off and there was a problem, landing wasn't an option with trees and a river at the departure end. Airspeed increased so I traded that for altitude and climbed out at 200 to 300 ft/ min. Was probably the scariest experiences I've had on TO.
I'm trying to determine if it was indeed just a hot/humid issue and I'm not used to that or something internal could be going on with the engine. I've flown with my whole family (wife, 145lb son, 45lb daughter) before - though not in the summer. I have the Lycoming o-320 E2A 150 hp engine, 1967 cherokee 140. My test static run ups are yielding 2150 RPMs, but I can lean and get another 50 (+-). Climb out is usually around 200ft/min, then improves to 400 as I reach TPA. I believe the AFM states minimum static should be 2275... but isn't that at sea level on a standard day? So could it just be DA? These planes drive me nuts sometimes! lol
> Compressions are good 70, 74, 76, 78
> Mag timing is "dead on" per A&P
> I have a climb prop.
Thanks in advance for your advice/suggestions.
Also - I should mention, one A&P says I should adjust the "stop" on my throttle to increase power. Another says, it's a mixture issue and I need to lean the mixture adjustment screw. I'm hesitant to have anyone fiddle with the carb since it was just OH by a shop I've heard nothing but rave reviews on.
Thanks again!
