Dan Thomas

Even when I was young it took way more than 15 minutes. How many have you done?

2° can be a serious deal. If retarded, the engine's power drops. If advanced, detonation can occur more easily. Different timing test...

I do hope you are placing the piston at TDC. Are you just applying pressure without turning to TDC first? If so, that cylinder might...

Did you rock the prop back and forth to find the sweet spot? Unsure? Have your mechanic test it. The internet won’t fix it...

Did the mechanic leave a plastic plug or rag in the crank nose?

Those two clevis pins, circled in red, are potential killers. They ride on the seat-back adjusting cam, which is just a thin piece of...

A leaky float valve isn't uncommon, but that wouldn't get fuel on the outside of the carburetor, it'd drip out of the airbox.

That there. Something is shorted, or nearly so. Or all three batteries are shot.

Yes, which is why I still use that old Sanwa. I have several digital meters and some other analogs but still prefer the analogs. The...

An analog multimeter is actually better at troubleshooting these kinds of issues. Faster to react and track the fluctuations.

No. The first thing is to get out the multimeter and start taking voltage readings. Charging the battery and load-testing it takes lots...

The exhaust system is NOT a good ground for starting currents. It's fine for the tiny static currents for refuelling purposes. Many...

Poor atomization from the MA3 carb? They're famous for that. Are the exhaust stacks sooty? Are you leaning properly? Is there a weak mag...

Cessna makes no provisions for that. There isn't a lot of material there to allow for that anyway. What Cessna will do is sell you new...

It's a waste of time, and gives baseless assurance. The crankshafts turn in the bearings. On each end of the front bearing are thrust...