[SEL] Spam> B17 Pt2

[Chuck Balyeat]

So anyway , I spent  2+ hours quietly crouched behind the tire and then in the bombardiers seat studiously watching and listening as  these guys test the same half dozen circuits with the same switch in umpteen positions(on three cell phones with the actual mechanic )over and over and over and over .... until they got all wrapped around the axle .(10X better than flying around in it by my estimate ) This all didnt  start at 2pm and by 5:30 everybody had left  and  just then wandered off somewhere and it was just me and him in the plane .  

" I just dont get it ,  we have fire and fuel .. it HAS TO RUN !" 

Are you talking to me ? I hadnt said a word since I came back outside nor touched anything , it just aint proper .  But it seemed as if someone was asking my opinion . 

"Well , first thing to remember is that all engines are female and if I may say so ...To a hardcore motorhead like me ,this little situation was 10x better than anything I could have imagined ." 

 He laughs a sarcastic "Thanks " 

" I have been watching  closely and they tested that output lead on the spark booster at least 10 times for continutiy , so I can see why they are frustrated ." Says I .

"Yeah , and it has a good spark when you energize it , grounds are open when they should  be , mags are sparking , got fuel , it HAS to  go."  says he . 

" No it doesnt  , you have already forgotten it's a she . It doesnt HAVE to do anything really  And  that high dollar model T coil that's been jacking you up has a high potential circuit , maybe 20or 30  thousand volts . If you have a perforation in the insulation , it could be leaking to ground when it has to actually jump a spark in the combustion chamber . A spark in open air ....... she eesenozeesame as a spark in the cylinder . " says I . 

"Come back on that again . " says he

"They checked it for continuity , but that's like rolling a marble down a hydraulic hose to see if it will leak when you put 10,000 PSI
through it . The marble will certainly fall out the other end , there's your continuity, but that doesnt prove if there is a hole in the hose "

" Ahhhhhhh ...yeaaaaaaaah.. ...are you an aircraft mechanic ?  " He had that tone I have heard a million times that says ...can YOU fix my car ?

I laugh  "Not exactly , tell ya what , You spin her up and hit the booster , I will spit on my hand and run it up and down the wire , if it bites me we found your problem . (I am quite certain that he had no more of an idea if it were inside conduit than I did , but I bet it is  .)

He busts out laughing , "Are you volunteering ?" 

"Are you gonna take me for a ride if we get it running ? I got a roll of plug wire and buzzcoils in the truck ." 

Crestfallen ,as he oviously wanted to go flying ,  he says , "Nah we need a plane full. " 

"Well  screw  that then  . " 

We had a good laugh and I split . I am quite sure that I was the  only one positively thrilled it wouldnt fly , and very dissapointed I didnt go home all greased up..... again .

I have absolutely no idea what could have been wrong with it , but I am certainly going to find out . And I gotta remember to try and sell Sonny some more CRC , so he can bitch me out for "giving away his last can . "





Chuck Balyeat 
http://royalcrossfarm.com/essentials.htm