You meet the best people at airports

[dabkb2]

I flew to Chino yesterday to see Henry at Adventure Air, on my way back I smelled antifreeze, that was new so landed at Corona and the overflow bottle was cracked, grounded. As I was checking it out a guy walks up, Tand says that's a nice looking gyro. Talked for awhile and he asks if I need a ride. I said hell yeah. Flew back to Oceanside.

After work I called Spruce and they had the rotax overflow bottle, $170, a $10 bottle but rotax certified adds a lot to it I guess.

Drove up got the bottle and fixed it, now how to get my truck and gyro back home. Called Tony, he was in Falbrook, 10 minutes from Oceanside and had time to pick me up and fly back to Corona GREAT!!!

I meet the best people at airports!!!

 

[Steve_UK]

Always good to hear positive interactions - well done those that helped.

 

[Kevin_Richey]

Why didn't you get a Honda Fit overflow bottle?

 

[okikuma]

I flew to Chino yesterday to see Henry at Adventure Air, on my way back I smelled antifreeze, that was new so landed at Corona and the overflow bottle was cracked, grounded. As I was checking it out a guy walks up, Tand says that's a nice looking gyro. Talked for awhile and he asks if I need a ride. I said hell yeah. Flew back to Oceanside.

After work I called Spruce and they had the rotax overflow bottle, $170, a $10 bottle but rotax certified adds a lot to it I guess.

Drove up got the bottle and fixed it, now how to get my truck and gyro back home. Called Tony, he was in Falbrook, 10 minutes from Oceanside and had time to pick me up and fly back to Corona GREAT!!!

I meet the best people at airports!!!

Dave, I agree with meeting the nicest people at airports.

About your coolant reservoir and how it may have cracked.



The mounting strap may have been tight enough to transfer some the vibration from the engine and rotor mast, or the clamp pressure was enough to always place some stress against the molding seam, or a combination of both, thus over time it cracked.

Thinking out loud. Perhaps a layer of an old bicycle inner tube or coolant tubing between the clamp and the plastic reservoir help mitigate repeating the possible causes I have theorized. Those with more experience than I come up with your answers and solutions.

Wayne

 

[Chris Burgess]

Kurt will remember the Tupperware canister we used on the M-16 for a while. Worked just fine. I think it went "unnoticed" when missing from the kitchen cabinet.

 

[Mayfield]

And if you overkill things like I sometimes do: https://www.amazon.com/EVIL-ENERGY-...1-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

 

[okikuma]

Kurt will remember the Tupperware canister we used on the M-16 for a while. Worked just fine. I think it went "unnoticed" when missing from the kitchen cabinet.

Chris, I've seen Gatorade bottles used as a coolant reservoir.

And if you overkill things like I sometimes do: https://www.amazon.com/EVIL-ENERGY-Universal-Radiator-Overflow/dp/B07Y35ZNHM/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=1343604491793628&hvadid=83975578939640&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=78141&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83976154753370:loc-190&hydadcr=5738_13273475&keywords=radiator+overflow+bottle&qid=1699111227&s=automotive&sr=1-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Jim, That version is very nice. Should the reservoir be translucent so one can view the level of coolant that has been added or has flowed back into the container without opening?

Wayne

 

[Mayfield]

Chris, I've seen Gatorade bottles used as a coolant reservoir.


Jim, That version is very nice. Should the reservoir be translucent so one can view the level of coolant that has been added or has flowed back into the container without opening?

Wayne

I don't know Wayne. I've used both translucent and opaque bottles.

 

[Aerofoam]

Thinking out loud. Perhaps a layer of an old bicycle inner tube or coolant tubing between the clamp and the plastic reservoir help mitigate repeating the possible causes I have theorized. Those with more experience than I come up with your answers and solutions.

Wayne

I have some high end platinum cured silicone tubing leftover from a DOD project that I would happily send to anyone
who wants some and can pay the shipping.
This stuff was about $6/ft. wholesale when I bought it. (Did I mention FREE to you)
It makes excellent permanent rubber bands, tie downs, sleeves, pads, insulators, wire jackets, gaskets, whatever...
It can be cut into strips, bands, or sheets
it is good up to about 350F and will stretch to about 600%.
I can probably fit up to 12ft. in a priority envelope and could send that much to a group who wants to pass it out.....

 

[dabkb2]

Why didn't you get a Honda Fit overflow bottle?

I wanted to get my gyro back that day. It was fast and easy. I might look into changing it now that I have time, but it is working.

 

[dabkb2]

Dave, I agree with meeting the nicest people at airports.

About your coolant reservoir and how it may have cracked.

View attachment 1159708

The mounting strap may have been tight enough to transfer some the vibration from the engine and rotor mast, or the clamp pressure was enough to always place some stress against the molding seam, or a combination of both, thus over time it cracked.

Thinking out loud. Perhaps a layer of an old bicycle inner tube or coolant tubing between the clamp and the plastic reservoir help mitigate repeating the possible causes I have theorized. Those with more experience than I come up with your answers and solutions.

Wayne

The clamp fits pretty tight, I don't think there's enough room for much else. I hope to have it at the meeting next week

 

[dabkb2]

Kurt will remember the Tupperware canister we used on the M-16 for a while. Worked just fine. I think it went "unnoticed" when missing from the kitchen cabinet.

Something like that may be better, I'll look and see what I have in the kitchen

 

[dabkb2]

And if you overkill things like I sometimes do: https://www.amazon.com/EVIL-ENERGY-Universal-Radiator-Overflow/dp/B07Y35ZNHM/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=1343604491793628&hvadid=83975578939640&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=78141&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83976154753370:loc-190&hydadcr=5738_13273475&keywords=radiator+overflow+bottle&qid=1699111227&s=automotive&sr=1-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

I like the idea of aluminum, but want it easy to check the fluid level.

 

[dabkb2]

I have some high end platinum cured silicone tubing leftover from a DOD project that I would happily send to anyone
who wants some and can pay the shipping.
This stuff was about $6/ft. wholesale when I bought it. (Did I mention FREE to you)
It makes excellent permanent rubber bands, tie downs, sleeves, pads, insulators, wire jackets, gaskets, whatever...
It can be cut into strips, bands, or sheets
it is good up to about 350F and will stretch to about 600%.
I can probably fit up to 12ft. in a priority envelope and could send that much to a group who wants to pass it out.....

That looks like what we used for the wrist rocket sling shots

 

[okikuma]

That looks like what we used for the wrist rocket sling shots

Dave,

It certainly resembles surgical rubber tubing used for wrist rocket sling shots. Surgical rubber is made out of latex.

Wayne

 

[Aerofoam]

That looks like what we used for the wrist rocket sling shots

It's not as stretchy, it is "grippy" though, so it holds things in place well.
I also have the best latex tubing available on the planet. We use it to launch aircraft weighing up to 150lbs.
and costing more than $300k, so we take our rubber bands very seriously!

BTW surgical tubing is always extruded, which takes away a lot of the elastic properties.
We use "Mandrel Dipped" tubing, which can elongate to 700% and has the best elastic properties since it is formed
in a "Relaxed" state.....

 

[gyrokam]

Kurt will remember the Tupperware canister we used on the M-16 for a while. Worked just fine. I think it went "unnoticed" when missing from the kitchen cabinet.

Yes! It worked for years, too!

 

[GyroRon]

Ive used bicycling water bottles ( and holder ) on several gyros. ZERO chance I would pay over $100 for some fancy pants Rotax bottle

 

[okikuma]

Here's two photos of a KB2 powered by a direct drive EJ20. Note the plastic water bottle used as a coolant reservoir on the front of the mast. I also find it interesting that two common automotive parts store 12V DC green and red "beehive" marker lights on the rotor head cheek plates being used as simple navigation lights for perhaps night flight.

Wayne