Citabrias and Decathlons?

[bob turner]

This is a good forum - so far I have not found its equivalent for the later variants. The Bellanca club probably has a restricted forum, but I let my membership lapse when I got the impression that it was a business more than a club.

Why not try a section for Citabrias and Decathlons? We are all related. I thirst for information about my beautiful Super D.

[Richard Murray]

Welcome Bob. As you are aware the Super D is a cousin to the 7AC, thrice removed, and its got Aeronca in its genes. Heck this list treats Chief owners the same as Champ owners

I'll bet if you have a specific question or concern, there is at least a half a dozen individuals hanging around who can provide an answer or direct you to a solution for a problem.

[MikeB]

Welcome Bob,
We talk about all kinds of planes on this forum at times. Once in a while even a P---- C-- . The traffic is better when the flying weather improves. I fly a L16 with the 0200 Buzz Wagner conversion and am restoring a 1948 11CC Super Chief.
Mike

[EDGEFLY]

Welcome Bob,

I think you will find some related kin-owners here. Folks here are generally civil and helpful and I'm sure you'll get some traffic on your aircraft here. Why not, we even let some stuff through on Cubs and slower vehicles such as Champs ! Speed machines such as my 11AC are, of course, the favorite topic.

Dale

PS; Cheers, Richard - I have located most of the necessary parts for my McDowell. And the Veil of Spring is rumored to be appearing in the Appalachins. Must be really warm in Ohio, eh ?

[Richard Murray]

Warm Dale, it made it to 54 this afternoon, but I'm not believing Spring or anything close is near until I see a week of these temps. The stupid forsythia is starting to bud in this pseudo heat.

Glad to hear your McDowell project is taking form.

[bob turner]

Well, okay.

I am having problems with the Super D inverted oil system. There is a plug with an O- ring down in the sump, and what it does is it blocks oil from being sucked from the sump by the oil pump.

When it fails, oil can be sucked from the sump, and things work pretty good. Problem is, when it is inverted the pump can suck air around that O ring, instead of sucking oil from the top of the engine case. Once I get air in there, it can take a frighteningly long time to get the oil pump to quit cavitating and start sucking again - ten seconds can feel like an eternity when you are devoting half your time to looking at oil pressure and the other half to a suitable landing place.

So of course I asked. Christen doesn't even respond, although I have not tried them in a few years. Lycoming at first did not know what I was talking about. And ACA says that if I try for a more permanent solution I become a test pilot. Nobody seems to want to consider the problem.

Replacing the O Ring cures the problem - the last O- ring lasted a year. They are only seven bucks each, and it takes about an hour, counting dropping the oil and cowling. I cannot believe I am the only person with this problem - a forum would be a great place to learn what others have done.

[bob turner]

I should add that I have been hanging around here for a while, and am currently working on a field approval for Aeronca brakes. I have trained one pilot in a 7AC, and keep two others current. I own two J-3s and a Super D, and love all of them! You guys have helped me before.

[Richard Murray]

Wow Bob, you didn't say you had a tough question!

The knowledge base has got to be substantially reduced by the lack of people on this forum flying the Christen system. I've been trying to visualize your description of the problem and drawing a blank (lack of knowledge and experience on my part)

If the 'O' ring is failing with regularity what is the cause? Is the suction pressure too great, is there a thermal issue, is it susceptible to vibration, or is it a combination of these issues? The present solution seems to be periodic replacement at annual or 'x' hours, whichever occurs first. If the sage of NoCal doesn't chime in here with a solution, I would think the IAC has other Christen users experiencing the same problem.

I'm really contributing this so you don't feel ignored or that no one cares about your problem

[vintageair]

Bob

I haven't heard of this problem from anyone else. Are you certain the o-ring is not getting damaged somehow on installation? Perhaps a burr or something on the screen?

[bob turner]

Thanks. No, I took the sump off a few years ago and looked it over pretty good. The o- ring does not fail right away.

However (!) the problem fixed itself this time. I took it up one last time before going into crisis mode, and it reverted to normal operation. I have two theories: 1: the oil might have been ever so slightly below six quarts when the symptoms reappeared, or 2: a piece of dirt got in the shuttle valve. If the shuttle valve misbehaves, the symptoms can be identical.

Since I roll inverted at least once a week, trash gets flushed out of there routinely. Hopefully this is the end of it for a while. And yes, I have that insertion tool and am very careful inserting the plug.

[bob turner]

Latest attempt to keep Citabrias and Decathlons in this forum:

We just had an aluminum line break between fuel control and gauge. Fortunately it was on the ground, and the airplane is undamaged. Wasn't mine.

I have often looked at that line and thought " what a dumb idea" and "what if it breaks at the gauge, and sprays gasoline all over me before the inevitable forced landing in the trees?

I shall get rid of that line. There has to be a better way to read fuel pressure.

[Richard Murray]

Bob,

What about using a remote reading electronic gauge where the pressure transducer is located outside the cockpit? There are several TSO'd models that might fill the bill.

Richard

[bob turner]

It is going to be either that or a pipe plug. Can you imagine the line breaking in the cockpit during flight?

[Richard Murray]

Bob,

I've only had gas flowing in the cockpit once and seconds seem like eternity. (a leaking gage on the left wing of an aircoupe) You know the outcome if unchecked and you can't get on the ground soon enough.

An in-flight fire is something I never want to have to face.

Richard