Real World Solutions, Inc

Action Required:

U.S.  Customers -  Customer option to either return product for program update or receive updated controller chips for installation by customer.  Instructions will be sent for accomplishing this.  The chips are installed in sockets so no soldering is required.  A return envelope for the old chips will be furnished.  Please specify your engine type, coils used, normally aspirated or turbocharged, backup crank sensor installed (or not), and any other special requirements that applies to your engine.  You may notify us by email to laura@rotaryaviation.com, postal mail, or phone call for your selection and details.

International Customers -    Updated controller chips with instructions to be sent to customers.  Please ship old chips back to RWS via the lowest rate possible (postal delivery is fine).

Background:

Due to a programming error, EC3s shipped prior to 06-01-08 will not retain mixture correction table adjustments (Mode 1 and 9) after being powered down.  Programming this table does function while the unit is in operation but the table reverts to factory default settings the next time the unit is powered up.

All other adjustments such as Injector flow rate (Mode 3), Injector dynamic range (Mode 2), Ignition timing (Mode 8), etc, do function normally and these adjustments are retained on subsequent power ups.

Because the latest version of the EC3 software requires very little adjustment of the program table, users may not even notice that the Mixture Correction Table adjustments have been lost.  However, it can be very frustrating to find that the mixture is different at some throttle settings than what was set the day before.  Therefore, this update is considered mandatory.

U.S. customers are requested to select their update option ASAP.  Real World Solutions facilities will be shut down during the dates of June 14 2008 to July 21 2008 so please make your request for update chips or return your unit by June 10, 2008 if you require your unit updated prior to our shutdown.

Three pilots, flying EC2 ignition/EFI control systems in COMPOSITE aircraft, have reported mixture changes on the A controller, when transmitting on the radio.  Sometimes the problem is frequency specific.  We have a FIX for this and it SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED ON ANY EC2 THAT EXHIBITS THE PROBLEM. (Note that we have many EC2s flying in composite aircraft that do NOT show this problem and no fix is required for those units). 

A .1uF capacitor will be added directly across pins 1 and 2 of the A controller MAP sensor to eliminate this problem. The B controller is NOT EFFECTED.  RFI problems can be VERY hard to find sometimes.  There is already a capacitor across these two pins on BOTH the A and B controllers. The one on "A" is only a couple of inches away from the sensor on the circiot board but it makes all the difference.  The part must be physically close to the sensor to eliminate this RFI problem. 

This notice is for all EM2 owners with SINGLE PIECE EM2 engine monitors.  It does NOT apply to two piece EM2 engine monitors.

MANDATORY INSPECTION PROCESS

During a routine inspection of the RD-1B gear drive on the RVotter, Tracy noticed some unexpected end play in the propeller shaft.  The source of the end play was eventually traced to a shallow groove warn in the front bearing retainer.  This was caused by insufficient clamping force on the front bearing outer race.  When the grease in the sealed bearing was cold, and the engine was started, the outer race would spin in the gear housing.  

This condition is NOT likely to cause an in flight failure, but could eventually lead to deterioration of the bearing grease seal and gradual loss of lubricant.  Inspection of the back side of the prop hub will reveal grease coming from the front bearing if this were to happen. 

Click HERE to read all details regarding this mandatory inspection. 

All owners of the RD-1/ RD-1(A) reduction drive: We recently had a report of a damper/flywheel malfunction.  The circumstances were as follows:

On the first attempt to run the engine  (13B equipped with an RWS EC2 EFI controller and an RD1 redrive), the builder let the engine idle several minutes to warm up and then started to advance the throttle to increase rpm.  The builder reported that the engine did not respond in any way but continued to idle normally.  The throttle was eventually advanced to full open with no change.  After some delay, the engine suddenly accelerated to a very high speed (there was no propeller mounted to limit the RPM) followed by a noise like an explosion.  The builder immediately shut off electrical power to the engine and it stopped.  Inspection revealed that the bolts attaching the damper to the flywheel had been ripped through the flywheel and the damper assemblies had been ejected at high speed causing considerable destruction to the engine and redrive mounts.  Some of the damper bolts were found to be deeply embedded in the wall of the builders house.

The reason for the lack of engine response to the initial opening of the throttle is a mystery and it is virtually impossible to determine the exact sequence of events causing the damper/flywheel failure.  It is most likely that the failure was due to a simple over-speed condition.  The 13B will rev to well over 13,000 rpm with no load, which is well beyond the design limits of the flywheel/damper assembly.  This is unlikely to occur in-flight because the propeller will limit the engine rpm.  Nevertheless, the failure did point out the weakest link in the damper/flywheel interface, which caused me to start thinking of ways to improve the flywheel stress distribution around the damper drive lugs.  It is also conceivable that this area could be subject to eventual failure due to metal fatigue at lower engine speeds.  Due to these considerations, I came up with a simple change to significantly reduce flywheel stress in this area.