Aux tanks and other questions

wredick · Post by **wredick** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 5:14 pm

I picked up my new maule last weekend and flew it from the east coast to Omaha where its new home is. OAT was 0C and it was cold inside the aircraft. Oil temps barely made it into the green, Cyl temps were in the green but not by much. Is this normal? How do I warm things up? Another question, does it hurt the aux pumps to run them dry? Other than waiting until the aux tanks show empty, how do you know all the fuel has transfered? Thanks for any help. The flight took 10.5 hours, and I loved each and every one. Of all the landings, one was good one!

flyer · Post by **flyer** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:20 pm

Bill

What Maule do you have? engine, etc.
I have my oil cooler air intake covered with duct tape.
You can try to time your fuel transfer. I usually forget that it is transferring.

flyer

Hottshot · Post by **Hottshot** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:37 pm

wredick wrote:I picked up my new maule last weekend and flew it from the east coast to Omaha where its new home is. OAT was 0C and it was cold inside the aircraft. Oil temps barely made it into the green, Cyl temps were in the green but not by much. Is this normal? How do I warm things up? Another question, does it hurt the aux pumps to run them dry? Other than waiting until the aux tanks show empty, how do you know all the fuel has transfered? Thanks for any help. The flight took 10.5 hours, and I loved each and every one. Of all the landings, one was good one!

Bill to get the oil temp up you will need to cover part or all of the inlet of the air to the oil cooler and this will vary upon outside temps, kinda of a pain but there is not a current way to adjust temp from the cockpit, The heat inside the cockpit can be dialed in via sealing up the "leaks" in the airplane and routing the muffler heating ducts in the best orientation. Aux pumps you don't want to run dry too long as the fuel is the lube and will burn them up. You can go by time on the pumps to make sure you don't run dry, I will ask Jeremy A. or Im sure he will chime in as I don't remember what the GPM is on the pumps. Your bird also used to have a stiffener / extra lip at the bottom of the cowl and that will draw more air and cool the cyls, if you remove this lip it will slow the draw and warm the cyl a bit

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 8:55 pm

I seem to remember that the transfer pumps pump one and a half gallons per minute per side. If I recall correctly, the information is buried in the pilot operators handbook somewhere. I try to not let them run dry, however as others do also, I will sometimes turn them on and forget. I try to always keep a little bit of fuel in the auxiliary tanks, both for emergency purposes, and also to keep the pumps wet. Cycling the pumps is part of the pre-engine start checklist.

In the winter months (average temperatures at the altitudes I fly at around here will be somewhere between 20 and 30°F) I keep the oil cooler inlet about half to two thirds covered with a piece of duct tape. I leave a little flap on the tape so that it is easy for me to pull off by sticking my hand in the cowling. With my four-cylinder, I can reach back there ok.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 8:56 pm

Wup, is that what it is looking like in Joseph nowadays? It is breathtakingly beautiful. I will have to take a ride there, as soon as the stupid inversion clears.

Hottshot · Post by **Hottshot** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 9:07 pm

Mountain Doctor wrote:Wup, is that what it is looking like in Joseph nowadays? It is breathtakingly beautiful. I will have to take a ride there, as soon as the stupid inversion clears.

This more like it...

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 9:20 pm

Yup. That's the inversion all right. Can barely ride my motorcycle much less fly.

wredick · Post by **wredick** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 6:32 am

I thank you all for your answers. If you have time, I have one more question. I need to add left rudder all the time to keep the ball in the center. I have unlocked the Right Rudder Trim Lever and pulled it out, pressed the right rudder until the ball is one width to the right and push the lever in and lock it. Am I doing that correctly? It still needs left rudder.
Thanks,
Bill

PatinLoco · Post by **PatinLoco** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 6:49 am

wredick wrote:I thank you all for your answers. If you have time, I have one more question. I need to add left rudder all the time to keep the ball in the center. I have unlocked the Right Rudder Trim Lever and pulled it out, pressed the right rudder until the ball is one width to the right and push the lever in and lock it. Am I doing that correctly? It still needs left rudder.
Thanks,
Bill

No Bill, you add rudder first, then while holding it in, unlock the lever, pull it out and lock it to the right. That will lock the amount of rudder that you had pushed in.

pilot · Post by **pilot** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 7:34 am

Rudder trim school is now in session

The rudder "trim" is a cable attached to a spring behind the right kick panel. When you pull it out, it adds spring tension pull to the right rudder pedal. It will not "lock in" a rudder setting, just pulls on the right rudder pedal only.

Look at the spring, it should barely be loose when rudder is straight, easily adjusted by clamp on outer cable sheath behind kick panel.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:15 am

My plane likes it out and locked all the way. I release it when approaching to land.

It does not seem to do much, but it works somewhat.

Left rudder seems odd to me to have to add.

I'd make sure my tires were even in pressure and wear and park on a level slab or ahngar and lok at the ball. Maybe it is mounted a few degrees off?

Bear in mind I'm a doctor not an IA but worth trying.

pilot · Post by **pilot** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:42 am

Bill, I'm pretty sure that our resident doctor has the correct prescription for your plane - constant left rudder does seem odd. You might be out of rig.

wredick · Post by **wredick** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:15 pm

I can't wait to try the new procedure. Just for fun, I flew the first model 60 Sabreliner for years. I suppose due to test flights etc, it would either fly wing low with the ball in the center, or wings level with the ball about 1/2 out. That aircraft flew faster, higher with less fuel than any other Sabreliner in the fleet. Maybe my Maule is like that. Thanks for your answers.
Bill

Njacko · Post by **Njacko** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:43 pm

Mountain Doctor wrote:I seem to remember that the transfer pumps pump one and a half gallons per minute per side. If I recall correctly, the information is buried in the pilot operators handbook somewhere.

It should be under "Normal Flight Operations", part G. My AFM says 0.4 gallons per minute, which equals 1.5 litres/min, but your Maule may vary. My left hand aux pump seems a bit faster than the right hand one...

ATB, Peter.

Njacko · Post by **Njacko** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:57 pm

Hottshot wrote: This more like it...

Wup, that looks like Irish CAVOK to me, but I guess you also have some pointy mountain things round about?

Aux tanks and other questions

Aux tanks and other questions

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