Anyone with an O-540 "NOT" lean on the ground?

[mikea]

What is this Levy/Lycoming method you speak of?

You lean to rough and barely running, which is WAY back, and then go one hair rich.

Ron has a link to Lycoming's instructions.

 

[el con]

I did 1500 hours on an O-360 in a Maule. When I didn't lean aggressively and consistently on the ground, my oil would turn black in <5 hours after a change. It only occasionally (once or twice a year) fouled during taxi resulting in a 'failed' mag check and requiring 'clearing' before takeoff.

Once I began aggressively and consistently leaning for ground ops, my oil stayed clear much longer (not sure whether that is significant or not) and I never experienced fouling or a failed mag check.

With the IO-540, I lean aggressively and all is well so far at 350 hours.

Understand on the black oil,extra fuel blow by. I haven't see that with mine but I'll look a little closer.
Since oil does not wear out but gets contaminated I change it when I get anywhere from 30-50 hrs on it. In the winter when it starts looking whitish from moisture or darker in the summer. Never more than what the book say's which is 50 hrs.

 

[kenjr]

You lean to rough and barely running, which is WAY back, and then go one hair rich.

Ron has a link to Lycoming's instructions.

I'd love a link to this - definitely want to show this to my Partners.

Thanks!

 

[MSPAviator]

I'd love a link to this - definitely want to show this to my Partners.

Thanks!

That's how I was first taught to lean an O-235. I now fly a Cherokee Six with the O-540 and lean aggressively on the ground as well.

 

[petrolero]

Hello old thread.

I was searching for threads related to leaning of an O-540 and thought I'd revive this one.

_________________________

I lean ALL my engines very aggressively on the ground! At the very low power settings during taxi it is impossible to hurt an engine. The benefit is a near total elimination of fouled spark plugs. To give you an idea how far I lean, the engine must be richened to do a run up before take off. Mixture rich becomes a mandatory take off check.

Agree.

My TR182 has a turbonormalized O-540 and is based at a high elevation airport (KAPA). We always lean for taxi here, obviously.

I thought I was leaning enough until I got fouled plugs. I wasn't consistent or aggressive enough. Now I pull my mixture out a full inch or more after startup - sometimes I have to enrichen it in order to taxi. Heck I even start it leaned on a hot day.

I enrichen it during run-up then lean for max RPM. My RPM often increases from 1700 to nearly 1900 RPM just from leaning.

The surprising thing to me was noticing that this engine needs to be leaned for taxi and takeoff even at sea level.

Twice in the last month I have pulled mixture out 3/4" in Dallas (~600 ft MSL) to achieve max RPM during run-up. I'll often see a 100 RPM increase just from leaning even near sea level.

Saying that leaning for taxi harms the engine is some pilot's opinion but it is not based on fact.

 

[Dan Thomas]

Cessna, at least, demanded a certain mixture ratio at full rich for the O-540s in their airplanes. I looked after a 182RG and that thing ran so rich that it coughed and sputtered when carb heat was applied. I called the carb manufacturer (Precision, at that time) and they told me that's what Cessna wanted. The POH for that airplane calls for leaning for takeoff anytime above 5000' DA. I flew it some and told the instructors to lean it on downwind if it ran rough when the carb heat was pulled on, and lean it in the runup if the mag drops were outside limits. And lean it in the climb if it started roughing up. And lean it in the taxi.

Dan

 

[Geico266]

Agreed. Not hot enough to burn stuff up at idle. Someone is lying.

You cannot lean a Lycoming enough on the ground to hurt it. Period.

 

[N801BH]

You cannot lean a Lycoming enough on the ground to hurt it. Period.

Agreed....

Makes ya wonder why a manufacturer would spec out the jet sizes on a motor knowing it would be pig fat...

My guess is they could not care less about fouled plugs, just the one in a million warranty claim for a cooked cylinder..............

Or.... Maybe they calculated the fuel flow for a plane at Furnace Creek / Death Valley, which is 300' below sea level, being at 20f, in the middle of winter.......

 

[murphey]

I'd go find the Lycoming engine operations manual and read the specs on leaning the engine.

 

[thehulk06]

iirc the manual for my 235 recommends. 800 rpm on the ground. You are running it at 1200rpms?

I also run it lean while on the ground until I do my run-up.

But then again I always run it 75% power so I don't do much leaning while cruising. My GPH aren't that great because of it.

 

[comanche pilot]

I've been told splash lubrication of the cam doesn't take effect until at least 1000 rpm's. And my old generator doesn't put out a charge until 1200 rpm's...

 

[Jay Honeck]

The only time I didn't lean my O-540-powered Pathfinder on the ground was when I was using unleaded car gas.

Which was most of the time, for over ten years. That engine ran wonderfully on that sweet fuel.

 

[bnt83]

The only time I didn't lean my O-540-powered Pathfinder on the ground was when I was using unleaded car gas.

Which was most of the time, for over ten years. That engine ran wonderfully on that sweet fuel.

It offsets the offensive smell no doubt. Price isn't bad either.

 

[bnt83]

Do 0-540's run that much different than 0-360 concerning leaning on the ground?
I have flown my Cherokee with 0-360 almost 500 hrs and have never leaned on the ground. I have never fouled a plug, not once. I use REM-38E;s for plugs
I don't start leaning in the air till about 5,000 ft.
Other than maybe burning some extra fuel what am I doing wrong?

How many hours a year do you fly? Burning 100LL?


I run REM38S (finewires) in the lower holes on an O-320 and never fouled a plug in ~75 hours it flew last year. I'd say they were about 25 hours away from causing problems judging from the buildup found at annual. All using 100LL and not much leaning during ground ops, in plenty of stinking hot gross weather too. Field elevation is ~1200 feet. I normally cruise between 4500 - 5500 leaned heavily.