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Hello! We are desperately looking for some good idea ...

Situation: Rotax 912 ULS from 2007, 600h, with the old VDO oil pressure sensor. Dynon D180 as EFIS/EMS instrument
-Shortly after takeoff oil pressure fluctuations from normal 3.x to 1.x. Not reproducible on the ground or at the next test flight.
-Shortly after takeoff again the same oil pressure fluctuation.

Changed the Sensor (as the most probable and simple cause), damaged the oil pump housing, therefore
-new-type Rotax sensor
-new oil pump housing
-Dynon factory firmware update, configuration for new type sensor.
-"Similar" oil pressure fluctuations when oil is hotter than 60 deg C/140 deg F.
-cleaning of the oil pressure valve ball: "little better"
-replacing the oil pressure valve ball with the mushroom type: "again a little better"
-Using a bluetooth oil pressure sensor parallel to the installment above:
Fluctuations in the Dynon-Rotax-sensor installment, no fluctuations with the Bluetooth instrument.

=> ???

You may see this in the film:

Setup for Rotax-Sensor, 18 Mb


Wiring

So
a) both the old VDO and the new Rotax-Sensor could be defective.
b) the pressure valve could be defective (but the outer part, the oil pump housing is new and the ball is replaced with a mushroom type. For this hypothesis, the bluetooth instrument has to be heavily damped/averaged. Values don't look like that.
c) the Dynon instrument is crazy (but as far as I understood this with the VDO sensor voltage is measured, with the new sensor current is measured. Different setup though). All other values are displayed without fluctuation.
d) something with ground/plus wiring is wrong. But the wiring has been checked/redone
e) the new sensor transmits some spikes/dips and the old sensor was defective?

If we (intentionally) wrongly configure the Dynon instrument for a Dynon-supplied Kavlico-Sensor, the values are way off (6.something) but stable and proportional to the bluetooth-instrument.

Does all this this makes any sense to you?
  • Re: Oil pressure fluctuations

    by » 7 years ago


    I see the same type of fluctuations in my Dynon Skyview system using the current type sensor nothing to worry about. I would remount mount the oil pressure sensor on the firewall as it's life will be shortened due to vibration and heat damage.

  • Re: Oil pressure fluctuations

    by » 7 years ago


    This is reassuring. But at the same time, it dumbfounds me. 10% fluctuation of the measured value after centuries of oil pressure measurement in engineering? Who is to blame for this cr^H^H user experience? Does the Rotax-sensor has such a noisy output or is the signal-processing and A/D converting of the Dynon that crude?

    Sorry for the language, a bit grumpy at the moment.

  • Re: Oil pressure fluctuations

    by » 7 years ago


    The ground is sensitive. Make sure it is a good one. Just because a ground is hooked up doesn’t mean it’s good. Try a second temporary ground just to rule a grounding issue out.

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


  • Re: Oil pressure fluctuations

    by » 7 years ago


    You could connect the sensor to compressed air and vary the pressure slowly (as a test away from heat and vibration). It is possible the fluctuations are from the vibration and the sensor is already damaged and /or starting to fail. The environmental that the sensor is in is extremely very tough on any electronics, consider remote mounting it's a lot cheaper than continually replacing the sensor.

  • Re: Oil pressure fluctuations

    by » 7 years ago


    Alexander,
    If by "Fluctuations", you mean that the Dynon display appears to be generating random numbers between 3.x and 1.x with no apparent pattern at all...
    and the needle on a mechanical gauge appears to be vibrating wildly within a similar range of pressures...
    This is a common complaint of a small but significant number of owners.
    It typically only appears at higher RPMs and only with Hot Oil.
    Most just deny it is a problem and accept it as normal.

    The inherent problem is in the design of the Oil Pressure regulator piston.
    Rotax no longer uses this style regulator in its later designed engines. (912is,915)
    Once the regulator Ball or Mushroom Valve begins to regulate, it moves OFF of its seat and is no longer supported or stabilized.
    If the vibrations in your particular installation happen to synchronize with the spring in the regulator, it becomes a "Bobble-Head" and the pressure flutters like a flag in the wind.
    You can change the Pump Housing, spring, ball, or Mushroom valve all you wish. The problem will remain.

    I have a drop-in solution that replaces the Rotax Oil Regulator with a different proprietary design.
    There are currently three prototypes in the field with a few hundred hours of flutter free operation on them.
    If you would like to discuss using my solution, please contact me at WHertzel1@yahoo.com.

    Bill Hertzel
    Rotax 912is
    North Ridgeville, OH, USA
    Clicking the "Thank You" is Always Appreciated by Everyone.


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