corsair44

My Feedback: (4)

Mr Bax,

I just set my AX 46 tonight after reading all your helpful posts. Engine is on its 3rd season...I have it set to around 12k...it bounces on the tack between 11.7 and 12.3...but, after running a few minutes, the engine is too hot to touch...

ie, I ran it dry, refilled with gas, then went to plug the air hole to choke it and could not keep my finger on the inlet...

is this too hot? I am concerned about over heating to a fault...years ago I ruined a 46 SF by getting it too hot. This is why I set for a target of 12k...to have margin.

Running 10% with APC 11x6...am I safe even though the engine is too hot to touch?

Thanks for the help.

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

It is normal for an airplane engine to become too hot to touch. In fact, it is normal for it to become hot enough to cause you a severe burn. The engine just needs to run smoothly when the high-speed needle is set rich of the peak RPM setting. If the engine will not run smoothly when it's leaned to that setting, then there are other problems inside the engine. It may have a bad piston/ring/liner fit or other damage.

If the engine has been run and then stopped, cooler parts of the engine will become hot because the heat will travel from the cylinder head and muffler to cooler parts of the engine.