Posted Tuesday, April 21, 2020 @ 08:48 AM
Interesting indeed,
I have only just found & read this, but I've posted somewhere else on this forum about the serious loss of power I experienced when the emulsion tube unscrewed itself from my RF4D's standard Zenith 28RXD carburettor.
There is neither provision, requirement nor need for this or any other carb component to be fitted with thread-locking liquid. The important thing, as with all threads, is to torque it up properly.
The warning symptom is an unusual enriching of the mixture, resulting in black smoke, smoke staining of the fuselage sides behind the exhausts and a gradual loss of power
Most of you will be aware of the sudden & complete engine failure & forced landing caused by the body of a small insect blocking the main jet of the same carburettor. The jets on these carbs are so tiny they are easily blocked.
The third carb problem I've had was a leaking plastic float on my British RF4D's carb. That manifested itself as a gradual and inexplicable richening of the mixture over more than a year before the float eventually sank. I could keep the engine running at full throttle, although it was down on power and belching black smoke, but of course as soon as I reduced power the engine and propeller stopped... which is why I didn't throttle back until I was on short final within safe gliding distance of the threshold.
Just for your general elucidation.
Happy Fournicating, Bob
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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV