How to stay cool?

:FI:Sneaky · #1 11-13-2011, 08:15 PM

I begin to think that the temp for RAF AC was modeled in centigrade and the data not converted from fahrenheit !
I'm finding the Blenheim needs cowl flaps open ALL THE TIME! and normal mixture just to prevent cooking it, can't move the throttle past 50% without blowing the engine.

burlaff · #2 11-13-2011, 08:40 PM

are you flying with your pitch set to fine? You'll get very high RPMs if you leave your pitch in fine which would result in high temps you're getting. Try putting your pitch into coarse after take off to lower your RPM's and engine temps, then you can cruise at around half throttle and less than 50% cowl flaps

:FI:Sneaky · #3 11-14-2011, 09:58 AM

I'm assuming that fine is with the plungers fully in and coarse fully out (re pilot notes " fully back" and "fully forward")

re Temperature dials - these are marked as centigrade. Surely this should be Fahrenheit.

225 F = 107 c which seems much more reasonable unless your using solder as a coolant.

Robo. · #4 11-14-2011, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by :FI:Sneaky

225 F = 107 c which seems much more reasonable unless your using solder as a coolant.

There is no coolant in Mercury IVs, it's the air cooling them and the temperature shown is CHT (cylinder head temperature) in Celsius, therefore 225 is OK for radial engine, even in good agreement with the manual.

The problems with Blenheim (I agree completely) are the too aggresive temp. damage for no apparent reason, prop pitch is weird (you have some space to fiddle between 'coarse' and 'fine', it's about 5-30 percent PP), mixture is not working as it should be, max. ceiling is ridiculously off etc etc, but it is possible to keep her cool - start your take-off run at some 200C, never exceed 250, you have to keep your RPM reasonable and you can actually climb with rads partialy closed and 220 steady with some practice. Point is that's not much like the real think flew, but it's not impossible.

Skoshi Tiger · #5 11-14-2011, 10:57 AM

Big LOL! I've just spent half an hour googling Blenhiem radiator guage!

Thanks Robo! It should have been obvious!

link to Blackdog's post! http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/showthread.php?t=23192

:FI:Sneaky · #6 11-14-2011, 04:56 PM

Thanks for the replies gents. Seems to be a very fine (too fine?) balance for settings , compounded by the fact that temp gauges are are at 5 o clock and need constant monitoring.
Ah well , finally upgrading from Tir2 (32 bit only

), that should help make things easier.