Too windy.

I've been wondering about the speedometer on the ElCamino. It has a bad bounce in it and it was the same on the other one I installed. I figured it may be the cable but it is in good shape and free in it's housing. I hooked a new cable to each speedo and using a drill motor tested each. They worked fine but when installed back in the dash the bounce was still there. I lubed the speedo with WD-40 as best as I could but no change. I remembered another speedo tranny gear I had for many years in the nut and bolt box. I found it and cleaned it up and installed it last Sat. I got a chance to test it today and the speedo works fine now. I can't see any damage to the old gear but it was not working properly. I also looked up the directions on the Holley electric choke adjustment. I'm headed in the right direction on that one but in a paragraph on wiring the choke it said to not wire it to the coil as it will reduce the power to the coil and cause other problems. I ran a wire from something that was hanging unused to the choke and removed the other wire.

More testing.

I got in two flights with the batteries hooked to the plug. Same fuel load, 3.5 ounces, and got 6 min 39 secs. of run time on each flight. That's 1 min 54 secs./ounce. Pretty good I think. I think I'll make up another holder and install it on the orange Primary Force as it needs a fuel mileage increase. That will be a good test too. The short runs cost me first place at Baton Rouge last October. That's a good project for today as the winds are supposed to be strong. The other Fox got a head shim and it flew much better. I got in a full pattern for the first time with the plane. I've noticed that adding a drop of armor all to the fuel stops it from foaming. But the drop only lasts for a day or so. Now when I go out to fly I shake the fuel and if it foams I add another drop. I've had to add a drop each session and the engine runs are better. I only take a quart with me and have to refill the jug each time out so it will foam up without the armor all.
That Cherokee looked good, any word on it?

Testing 1.....2

I had an idea that having a battery hooked to the glow plug while flying would do some kind of good. I bought some parts from Radio Shack and hooked it up to the Fox on the Padre. Two AAA cells and two mini-alligator clips. I taped the pack to the landing gear and got in a short flight then a full flight. I noticed a difference in the engine run as it was steady and I think it ran about 45 seconds longer than it should have. I have to time the run with a set amount of fuel to be sure. I put the other new head button in the Fox that has not been running right and flew it today too. It ran much better but really powered up in maneuvers. I'll add a thin shim next time out.

Got a new grill.

We got to Nashua. NH around 1100 and hit Sears first. I figured we could get everything we wanted there but they didn't have the right grill. I drove across the mall area to The Home Depot and they didn't have the right grill either. Up the road a bit is Lowe's and they had 10 or so of the one I wanted. I stood it up in the bed against the cab and put some bungees on it. Once on the road the wind laid it down. There wasn't any damage. I fired it up when we got home and disassembled the old grill and put the pieces in the truck. The dump opens for Plainfield residents on Wed. morning.

The Baton Brothers head south.

I wrote to the Baton Brothers and asked why there not on utube. And I requested they do The Orange Blossom Special. Well, I figured I could tape one of their shows if I got no answer which I didn't and so I did. They were in top form and I got the full hour of blood curdling singing and picking with out grinning. They could have called this episode "Arte and George at Wal-Mart". I'm sending a box of support equipment for the planes too. And a DVD or CD of Bluegrass in the UK.
Were heading for NH to get some clothes and a new gas grill today. The old grill is worn out.

Test went OK.

I flew the engine with the stock head button this morning. It started up with one back flip and I had to lean it out a quarter turn. Probably because of the increased compression. The winds were strange, many directions and from calm to 10 mph. Hard to place maneuvers down wind.
I dragged out a small ringmaster with an .049 on it. I flushed the tank and spray bar with alcohol and needed the starter to get it going. It ran pretty good. I made up a set of lines at 48 feet long. I don't know if that length is optimum but I do know it's too long if anything.
I'm surprised that the box arrived in less than 3 days. Everything I send from the Moosup P.O. takes 4 or 5 days at least. I priced the postage on the USPS web site and it was over $30.00. I paid close to half that with insurance. And the hours are better than Moosup. And on the way to Lizzy B's.

The post man knocks twice.

It was the parts from Fox. I installed one of the new head buttons with a .020 shim. I have the old one ready to go back in if it don't work out.

Morning flights.

After breakfast we went to the dog track with the plan to beat the forecast winds. It worked. I got in 3 flights and the Fox .40 ran quite well. There wasn't any turbulence and the winds were very light and steady blowing away from the sun. Before we left for the track I shook the fuel container and the fuel foamed up. I put in another drop of armor all and that may have been the reason for the good engine runs. As I was wiping the oil off the rudder it pulled off the fin. Not a problem and I glued it back on.
I went to Lowe's in Danielson looking for a new vacuum hose. I found one and an attachment and a filter that I didn't need as there was a new on it already. I have a spare. I also got some epoxy that mixes as it goes down the applicator tube and some spray glue for sheeting foam wings. Then I had words with the self checkout machine. There wasn't any regular checkouts available.
I hooked up the mowers and cut the grass for the first time too. It needed it.
The mail just came and I think the package he put in the box is the new head buttons for the Fox .40's. I may have cut too much off the others.

Nice day a bit windy.

I went to Lizzy B's for coffee and they told me Ma had won the raffle. So I was also headed to the Sterling P.O. to mail a box to LA. The Moosup P.O. didn't open till 0900. Anyway I got the box sent off and the post master, Mrs. O'Brien, said my son went to school with her daughter. I head for home and as I got out of the truck I remembered the raffle prize I left on the counter at Lizzy B's. Back we go. After that we go to the dog track and it's getting windier by the minute so we walk around the place a couple times. I removed the mower blades and sharpened them. I found that I had installed the small mower blade upside down last year. This engine has lasted through Roy, 2 mower decks and sits all winter. It's got to be 15 years old. 4 pulls on the cord and it's running, ready for another season. I got some oil, a filter for the El Camino and a can of fix a flat for the riding mower. The tire has been going flat for several years now and I finally got around to doing something about it. I should have bought 2 cans while I was at it. Lots of leaks around the bead. A lot of shaking and it may hold air longer.

Nice day.

I dragged the carpet from the garage extension and they are drying out slowly. The water level is going down and the water stopped seeping into the basement around 2:30 this afternoon. It's still wet behind the garage but below the cement level. Easter dinner kept me from flying today. I did repair one of the Fox .40's. I had broken one of the muffler mount bosses a while back. The hole was complete enough to hold a screw in place so I cleaned the hole and bolt/stud and JB welded it to the block yesterday. I installed a tongue muffler and put it on a board for some run time. It started good and I ran 4-2 ounce fuel loads through it. They always run good on the board. I ordered 2 head buttons from Fox for more experimenting. The river is back to within a foot of normal levels. That should be good enough for the hatchery to resume stocking soon. Fishing season opens next Saturday.

The aftermath.

It Looks like the high water mark was about 6 feet above normal level. Kaman took a pretty good beating. Probably got 2 more feet to go down. The Bulletin said Windham County was spared the worst of it. Can't prove by me.