"Your mechanic feels worse than you do"

About this episode

This episode discusses various mechanical issues related to fuel flow and octane ratings in aircraft.

A fidgety fuel problem, octane ratings, and water in the oil are on tap for this episode. Email [email protected] for a chance to be on the show. Join the world's largest aviation community at aopa.org/join Full notes below: Gareth has a turbo Arrow and he's been fighting a problem with fluctuation fuel flow. Sometimes the engine quits on the ground or runs rough in the air. They've checked the fuel spider, fixed intake leaks, overhauled the fuel pump, an exhaust leak, and much more. Paul is convinced that air is entering the system or there is a vapor issue. He suggests checking the heat shields near hot parts of the engine, etc. Mike suggests that it could be related to upper deck pressure, which controls the aneroid in the fuel pump. Matt wonders if fuel octane impacts timing. He has a Cessna 150 and is running autogas, and he's wondering if his ignition timing should be changed to accommodate a difference in octane. Paul said the airplane was certified with 80 octane, so it's fine to keep the timing as it is. Scott is wondering about an alternative to safety wire. A company called Bergen makes a safety wire alternative and he's wondering if it's legal to use on FAA certified…

Topics covered

• fuel problems
• octane ratings
• engine performance
• mechanical issues
• aviation maintenance

Keywords

• fuel flow
• octane
• engine issues
• aviation
• mechanics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Bergen

Products: Cessna 150, IO-540

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