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After I was visited by Rick Wright of Copperstate Aero who solved my 914 engine problem I tested my radios found a high level of noise coming from the engine. S/N I estimated 1:1. Makes it hard to hear the tower and other planes.

I have checked all the grounds from my engine through the grounding of my instrument panel. I installed .01MF caps on the ignition switch, checked and replace 4 bnc connectors. Shunted the panel ground directly to the battery. After all that done I really havent impacted the electricle noise. The wires from the CDI modules to the ignition are shielded and well grounded. The engine is well grounded. I have outside star washers under all the bolts that provied grounding to the engine. I'm able to squelch the noise off but it's annoying to have the noise riding on top of any and all transnmissions when the squelch breaks. Oh I have a composite (Plastic) plane

I have used a handheld radio with a peice of wire stuck into the antenna and can hear the noise being transmitted. Abount 60 hours previously I replaced all my ignition wires with Rotax supplied wire. The plugs were purchased from Rotax about 70 hours agokand were just regapped to .028. A few of the plug caps were replaced because the connectors opened up. Performing a run up there is no difference in noise when running the engine from the Left CDI or the Right CDI.

I know there are a few things I've forgotten to add to the mix but that's all I can say now. I was told that trouble shooting electrical noise in a "Plastic" airplane is 5% knowledge and 95% Voodoo. Short of planting a potato in a full moon and dancing around in a circle I've run out of ideas.

Appreciate advise and information you can provide. :side: :silly:
  • Re: Spark Plug electrical noise

    by » 11 years ago


    Bernard,

    The potato might work. I've seen weirder things tried. When you replaced the plug caps were the new caps the resistance type? If not, that might be part of the problem.

    Bill.

  • Re: Spark Plug electrical noise

    by » 11 years ago


    This may be the 22K ohm capacitor. It may have a broken lead. Plus the 22K Ohm capacitor is the minimum that Rotax recommends. You can install much higher capacity capacitors. I have an electrical engineer friend and he and a few others use 100K ohm capacitors. It will help reduce unwanted noise. makwe sure it is properly rated.

    Roger Lee
    LSRM-A & Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
    Tucson, AZ Ryan Airfield (KRYN)
    520-349-7056 Cell


  • Re: Spark Plug electrical noise

    by » 11 years ago


    Roger and Group. I looked at the schematic and see that Sky Star, the manufacture of my Pulsar, called for a 66,000 mf cap on the B+ line to ground acting as a noise filter.:sick: I'm sure that it was rated at 50 or 100 Volts. If that cap failed when the Rotax VR failed than that just may be my problem. Going to check it with the eye to replacing it. it's somewhere on the forward part of the ceiling in the footwell. The problem is that somehow the footwell space shrunk since I built the plane. :(

    Bill, the plug caps were sold to me by the Florida Rotax Distributor. Don't know what the stock Rotax plug cap is.

    Instead of sacrificing a Goat or burying a potato, I'm going to grill up some ribs.

    Thanks for giving me a path to hopefully solve the problem.

  • Re: Spark Plug electrical noise

    by » 11 years ago


    Bernard,

    Please have a look at the MGL avionics site: they sell EMI interference suppressors. It helped my problem of noise due to the engine and other electronics (yes this could also be a potential source!).

    Good luck.

    Jan

  • Re: Spark Plug electrical noise

    by » 11 years ago


    Interestingly I have had similar ignition interference problems. What I have noticed is that there is a lot less interference with brand new spark plugs. If I remove old interfering spark plugs I find them in good condition with little sign of wear and a gap that is essentially unchanged.

    I am sure that I never used to have this problem so I would be interested if someone had a fix for it.

    Kevin

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