ORIGINAL: CGRetired
Gene.. my instructor pretty well drilled in the pinch test when I was learning. He pointed out that it was always better to make it a tad bit rich. So, I got the ''ear'' and seem to have had pretty good success that way. I would do the test then end up with a tad bit of rich, perhaps a click or two.
When I started out, I had quite a few dead-sticks about half way throught the flight. When I landed it, he worked with me to show me the differences between where I had set it and where it should be. and that all was ''the ear''... the tone of the engine note during the pinch test.
Since I got it down, I've not had dead-sticks due to mixture settings. It works for me, but may not work for others.
I guess information given in these forums allows folks to work it out and see what works best for him/her.
CGr.
Your very correct. When I do pinch I get it set but still open up the NV two clicks for normal flight. When I was using it the pilot I was working for wanted every rev he could get so it was set to that point of almost too lean. That was my thinking but he was winning races and the engine wasn't being harmed.
Just for grins. Yesterday I broke in a new .46AX for a friend. After the break in runs I took a tach to it and had it set on the ground 500 RPM fat. One guy in the pits was freaking out because it didn't have a huge smoke trail, I could see smoke but with the 100% synthetic oil no mater how much fatter I ran it the trail wasn't good enough for the peanut gallery. No one else had a clue what fuel I was using but I learned I had to have a huge smoke trail or the engine was too lean. I always thought you tuned the engine, not the smoke?? I stuck in a tank of my Powermaster and it was decided the engine was in correct tune. I never touched the NV. My bad but I thought it was funny!
