MrGrey
03-17-2008, 12:20 PM
Ok, I know this post should probably go under the "Engines" section but, I felt it would get some more traffic here and possibly help prevent an accident/engine out. I had made a post referring to my 582 Blue Head losing an ignition, only to be discovered during post-flight. I did all the necessary checks on the coils and ohm'ed out everything before the next step. Well after disassembling the engine to examine the magneto/generator I found that significant corrosion had occurred on the steel pickups for the charging coils that power the discharge coils. This corrosion appeared to be a hard white porcelain colored buildup. According to a mechanic from Rotax this can be very problematic for the delicate ignition system in these engines. Even a small amount of buildup can act as an excellent insulator to prevent proper generation of electricity for ignition. The previous owner of the gyro hangared the machine on the coast of south carolina on coastal waterways. This humid salty atmosphere caused the unseen corrosion at a greater pace than normal, and a different type of corrosion than just plain ol' rust. After carefully cleaning the contacts on the pickups and reassembly of the engine, the problem was resolved. If you fly where humid conditions, salty air, or do not cover engines to prevent condensation.... please keep this in mind. This engine has only 200 hours on it and it is proof that it can happen anytime. Hopefully this helps someone who may have this same problem in the future and prevent an unnecessary engine out.
-Matt
-Matt