- Joined
- Jul 14, 2020
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I had a new G4 engine analyzer put in during the last annual. I noticed the fuel flows didn't quite match what I was adding into the tanks, so I decided to fly a few hours for lunch and back, track the fuel put in and adjust the K-factor to be more accurate.
Well, the flight out went fine. So did the flight back. First approach to a touch and go. On the go, on crosswind, about 200' below TPA, I started to hear and feel the left engine ... I don't know how to describe it. It wasn't so much running rough, but more like surging. Enough to the point that I asked for an immediate landing. Checked fuel selectors on, mixtures full rich, etc. I glanced at the factory fuel flow gauge and there was a pronounced split between the left and right fuel flows (about 40 degrees). What I don't know if that was because I slightly retarded the left throttle in response to the surging or not.
Landed fine, and taxied back to the run up area. Did a run up and there was a pronounced difference in the left and right fuel flows. See posted picture.
Here's the kicker. I didn't have an SD card installed in the engine monitor for these two flights. When I got to the airport I realized I left it at home after I downloaded the last flights data. I figured, not a big deal. Now I'm kicking myself that I don't have data for that last 15 minutes of flight.
My A&P is at another airport, and I don't feel comfortable flying the plane until someone looks over the left engine. There is a maintenance shop at my airport but it's associated with a large flight school, but I'm sure I can have them work on my plane if I asked.
Any suggestions on what to go and how to proceed from here? Right now I'm thinking if everything checks out visually and there's nothing obviously wrong with the engine, having the engine shop do the TCM fuel system operational check/fuel system adjustment procedure in the TCM M-0 Maintenance Manual.
Well, the flight out went fine. So did the flight back. First approach to a touch and go. On the go, on crosswind, about 200' below TPA, I started to hear and feel the left engine ... I don't know how to describe it. It wasn't so much running rough, but more like surging. Enough to the point that I asked for an immediate landing. Checked fuel selectors on, mixtures full rich, etc. I glanced at the factory fuel flow gauge and there was a pronounced split between the left and right fuel flows (about 40 degrees). What I don't know if that was because I slightly retarded the left throttle in response to the surging or not.
Landed fine, and taxied back to the run up area. Did a run up and there was a pronounced difference in the left and right fuel flows. See posted picture.
Here's the kicker. I didn't have an SD card installed in the engine monitor for these two flights. When I got to the airport I realized I left it at home after I downloaded the last flights data. I figured, not a big deal. Now I'm kicking myself that I don't have data for that last 15 minutes of flight.
My A&P is at another airport, and I don't feel comfortable flying the plane until someone looks over the left engine. There is a maintenance shop at my airport but it's associated with a large flight school, but I'm sure I can have them work on my plane if I asked.
Any suggestions on what to go and how to proceed from here? Right now I'm thinking if everything checks out visually and there's nothing obviously wrong with the engine, having the engine shop do the TCM fuel system operational check/fuel system adjustment procedure in the TCM M-0 Maintenance Manual.
