|
Parts required:
- gasoline stabilizer
- enough synthetic oil to do an oil change
- a new oil filter brand name preferred
- moth balls
- rags
- tie raps or elastic bands
- distilled water
- silicate free antifreeze
- carb intake sockets
- spark plugs
- silicone paste for spark plug threads
Tools required:
- gas can if you are draining the fuel
- siphoning hose -
for information on the Super siphon click here!
- container if you are draining anti freeze
- 13 mm socket
- ratchet
- feeler gauges
- 17 mm socket or wrench
- 5/8 inch spark plug socket
- inch pound torque wrench
Getting the 912 ready for periods of storage - there are
two ways of doing this. The first is with a fuel stabilizer. The
second is by draining the fuel system.
1. To properly store the engine you first want to get it up to operating
temperature. Add gas stabilizer to half a tank of fuel, take the plane up for one last flight,
land with about 1/4 tank of fuel.
Stabilizing the gas is probably the most important thing to do
when storing your 912 engine. Gasoline is a blend of dozens of
different compounds. Over time, the more volatile compounds will
evaporate, leaving a hard sludge that will plug up your
carburetor's needle and seats as well as your high and low speed
jets, preventing them from working. Gasoline stabilizer helps
prevents this from happening. AGAIN make sure the fuel tank(s)
are NOT full when you put your craft in storage!
Why? Because when you next go flying you HAVE to fill it up
with FRESH fuel!
2. The second way is to get the engine up to operating
temperature by taking the plane up for one last flight, after
you land change the oil and filter, and then drain the fuel
from the tanks, fuel lines, fuel filter or gascalator and
carburetor bowls.
Oil Change:
Now that you've gotten your engine up to operating temperature
we need change the oil and oil filter, by doing this we remove all of the contaminants in the engine and engine oil. If
the engine were stored without doing this these contaminates would
form into sludge in the engine, oil lines, oil cooler or
oil tank.
After you have changed the oil and filter, with the ignition turned OFF turn the engine over with the
electric start making sure
you have oil pressure, NEVER START a Rotax 912
engine after an oil change UNLESS you have oil pressure! Now crank
the engine over on the starter in two, 15 to 20 second bursts. This
will ensure that any remaining contaminates are diluted and moved
into the oil filter.
Do Not START the engine, if you start it any time during the
storage period you will cause condensation to form and will
contaminate the oil. You can turn the engine over by hand, turning
it ALWAYS in the direction of rotation, or with the electric
starter if you can turn it over with the ignition turned off.
Oiling the cylinders
Our next step is to oil the pistons and cylinders. To do this
we have to remove the top 4 spark plugs, which may mean removing
the engine cowl. Before removing the spark plugs use a bit of
compresses air to remove any dirt or debris from around the spark
plug holes. Now remove the spark plugs. With the plugs removed,
spray a bit of "fogging oil" into each cylinder. DO NOT use WD 40
it will evaporate AND will remove any oil that is on the cylinder
walls! When you have about a tablespoon of oil in each
cylinder with the TOP plugs OUT turn the engine over by hand 4 or
5 revolutions.
Re-install the spark plugs putting a little silicone
grease on the threads.
Carburetor and exhaust:
After your exhaust has cooled take a little of the "fogging
oil" and spray it into the exhaust pipes, I like to put a
moth ball in each outlet and then cover the pipe ends with a rag
or canvas cover secured by an elastic band or tie wrap. The moth
balls will keep your friendly neighborhood mice from taking up
residence.
It is also a good idea to do this in the cabin, wings, storage
areas etc. ANYWHERE mice or squirrels may think of nesting.
If you have an air intake box or airfilter it is also a good
idea to cover them, putting a moth ball inside the cover.
Battery
One of the most frequently forgotten items during storage is
the battery. Your plane doesn't need it's battery over the winter,
and leaving it in the plane in the cold can cause it to freeze.
Batteries contain water, and water expands when it
freezes. If it gets cold enough, the water/acid solution in your
battery could freeze, cracking the battery when it expands. Then
during a thaw the battery acid will be all over your plane!
Take it out of the plane and bring it inside, remembering to keep
it charged, the best method of doing this is with a "smart
charger" this only charges it as much as needed and won't boil it
dry.
- If you can't afford or don't want to buy a smart charger,
buy a cheap 12v trickle-charger ($10 or so) and hook it up to an
automatic timer, so the battery gets about 30 minutes of
trickle-charging a day.
- Unless you have a maintenance-free battery, check the
battery's fluid levels regularly to make sure the charger isn't
boiling away the electrolyte. If the levels are low, add
distilled water only to bring the levels back up.
- Charge the battery in a well-ventilated area, particularly
if your battery isn't "maintenance free." Batteries can emit
hydrogen gas while charging, which is fairly explosive. (This is
why wires get hooked up in a specific order when hooking up
booster cables.)
- All batteries: clean the terminals with a wire brush
and lube them with a dielectric grease before returning the
battery to service.
- Do not start the engine over the winter!
You'll create condensation in the engine and combustion
by products (acids, etc) in the oil. But you can turn the engine
over by hand - or with the electric start if your battery it is installed.
When turning a 912 Rotax engine over by hand NEVER turn it
over backwards!
Winter is an excellent time to do other routine maintenance
-- you'll miss flying, and it's a good way to spend time with
your plane as you wait for the flying season to start.
Read through your owner's manual, and perform any service
that gets done once a year or more frequently, even if it isn't
quite time yet.
At the very least:
- check the 912 intake sockets for cracking
- inspect/replace/clean air filter
- disassemble/clean/reassemble carburetors
- gap and install new spark plugs, using silicon paste on
the threads, on new engines these should be gapped to
.027 thou. - on older engines .022 thou. Torque on the spark
plugs is 177 INCH LBS.
- check your motor mount and rubber mounts
- clean your windshield and prop with PLEDGE - you wife uses
it for polishing furniture, it will fill in scratches and
remove bugs etc.
- check the exhaust for cracks, and springs for damage and proper
tension
- lubricate control cables and periodically move all
of the control systems
- check brake pads/ drums/rotors
- check all bolts to make sure nothing is loose or
worn
- inspect tires for cuts, uneven wear, side wall cracking,
proper inflation
-
change coolant,
remember to use a silicate free anti-freeze with distilled
water
|
