Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: "Jack Phillips"
Does anybody know what the CHT runs on a Continental with J-3 cooling eyebrows?I made a pair and that ended up too low for the front plugs -- probably reducedfrontal area by 40%. It wouldn't be the first do-over.Thanks,Tom Bernie"flying in May"________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Tom,I don't know the actual temperatures, but I can tell you that two years agoI broke the bracket attaching the eyebrow to the left front cylinder on theway to Brodhead. This allowed the eyebrow to splay out, leaking some of thecooling air. I made a couple of makeshift repairs which didn't hold andfinally remade the bracket (out of steel - the original was aluminum) when Igot home. The airplane probably flew a total of 20 hours with less thanoptimum cooling on the left side. The next year at the annual conditioninspection I found that both cylinders on that side had weak compression soI pulled the cylinders and discovered that both of them had the piston ringsstuck. I replaced the rings with new ones and have had no problems since.In discussing the problem of stuck piston rings with a number of peopleknowlegeable about small Continentals I found that the primary culprit tocause stuck piston rings is high cylinder head temps.All this is a long preamble to saying, if I were you I'd make them over.Jack PhillipsNX899JPRaleigh, NC-----Original Message-----

Original Posted By:> owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Thanks Jack, that's all I needed to hear. Two interesting and contradictory thingsI found were that some Mooney Mites have no eyebows and some have very minimalones, and Super Cubs can have "low rise" eyebrows inside the cowling! Onething for sure, I'm not going to spend $500 bucks for a pair.TomOn Mar 27, 2010, at 9:31 AM, Jack Phillips wrote:> > Tom,> > I don't know the actual temperatures, but I can tell you that two years ago> I broke the bracket attaching the eyebrow to the left front cylinder on the> way to Brodhead. This allowed the eyebrow to splay out, leaking some of the> cooling air. I made a couple of makeshift repairs which didn't hold and> finally remade the bracket (out of steel - the original was aluminum) when I> got home. The airplane probably flew a total of 20 hours with less than> optimum cooling on the left side. The next year at the annual condition> inspection I found that both cylinders on that side had weak compression so> I pulled the cylinders and discovered that both of them had the piston rings> stuck. I replaced the rings with new ones and have had no problems since.> > In discussing the problem of stuck piston rings with a number of people> knowlegeable about small Continentals I found that the primary culprit to> cause stuck piston rings is high cylinder head temps.> > All this is a long preamble to saying, if I were you I'd make them over.> > Jack Phillips> NX899JP> Raleigh, NC> > -----Original Message-----

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
The best source of info on the small Continentals that I know is HarryFenton. I discussed my stuck rings with him and pointed out that someairplanes, including the Rose Parakeet don't have any cooling eyebrows. Hisresponse was that they will exhibit cooling problems sooner or later.The Mooney Mite is a lot faster, so maybe it can get enough cooling. All Iknow is I had less cooling on that side and got stuck rings on both thosecylinders.Jack PhillipsNX899JPRaleigh, NC-----Original Message-----

Original Posted By: Thomas Bernie
I copied mine from a J3 Cub. The inboard attach point was an up angle attaching under the casestuds/nuts.I was advised that the attach mat'l Can't be Aluminum. Must have a angle of steel under the nuts or lose the seal on the case due to soft aluminum compressing.walt evansNX140DL ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By:> owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
I'm convinced. Thanks.On Mar 27, 2010, at 10:37 AM, Jack Phillips wrote:> > The best source of info on the small Continentals that I know is Harry> Fenton. I discussed my stuck rings with him and pointed out that some> airplanes, including the Rose Parakeet don't have any cooling eyebrows. His> response was that they will exhibit cooling problems sooner or later.> > The Mooney Mite is a lot faster, so maybe it can get enough cooling. All I> know is I had less cooling on that side and got stuck rings on both those> cylinders.> > Jack Phillips> NX899JP> Raleigh, NC> > -----Original Message-----

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
That is correct, Walt. I made those brackets out of steel, but had usedaluminum under the rocker box cover screws. Those aluminum brackets werewhat broke, and now ALL the brackets on mine are steel.Jack PhillipsNX899JPRaleigh, NC _____