Aeroplane Systems Power Plant

BZ 04.2018 Handling

Engine Handling Supplement

R-1340 / Ju-52

This OM-B supplement is applicable to the R-1340 powerplant installed on the Ju-52.
The information is based on DLBS operating experience, recommendations from
Pratt & Whitney, and other qualified sources.
The basic design of the engine hasn't changed much since 1925. The last production run of
the R-1340 was in 1960 which means that some of the installed parts and components may
be at least sixty years old or older. Basically this engine is an overhauled and refurbished
antique machine that has specific operating procedures and limitations that must be adhered
to in order to assure reliability.
Radial engines don't have a brain, but they do have a good memory. The carburetor
remembers backfiring, cylinder heads remember high temperatures, and piston link rods
remember hydraulicking. In all of these cases, the engine will initially continue to run and
produce power normally and may not show any symptoms or malfunctions for quite some
time. But one day it will remember all of the abuse and may malfunction or fail.
It is the crew's duty to operate the engine according to Standard Operating Procedures and
obey the limitations to the best of their ability.

Before Start

Prop Lever
To insure that the propeller governor will not rob the engine of oil pressure during
cranking and engine start, the prop control lever must always be in the LOW RPM
position. (see Propeller Handling section)

Starter
No time limit is published in the OM-B for starter operation.
Pratt & Whitney states “To avoid overheating, the starter should not be operated
continuously for more than one minute, and should be allowed to cool before
attempting a second start.”
Common practice dictates 1-minute of cooling after 1-minute of starter operation.
If the engine has not started after 3 start attempts, something else is wrong and
troubleshooting is required in any case.

Hydraulicking
Due to the 3:2 reduction gear ratio, if hydraulicking is present, it can show up within
the first 4-blades of propeller rotation, so be immediately ready to release the starter
button if the engine abruptly stops.

A simple formula for this is:

engine revolutions x 3-blades x .667 gear ratio = blades counted
1 eng.rev. x 3 = 3 x .667 = 2 blades counted
15 blades counted / .667 = 22.5 / 3 = 7.5 eng.revs

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If hydraulicking does occur, do not try to clear the hydraulic lock by manually rotating
the propeller in the opposite direction! Even though this will clear the lock, the oil will
only be pushed back into the intake pipe and will lock again during subsequent
cranking and damage to the link rod may occur.

Pre-oiling
If the engine has not run within the last hour pre-oiling is performed by cranking the
engine and counting 15-blades. If battery conservation is desired, a continuous
cranking start may be accomplished by selecting the ignition switch to BOTH at
15-blades.

Engine Starting

Proper Throttle Positioning for Engine Start (Two Methods)

The biggest mistake made by crews during engine start is having the throttle too far
open. This engine does not like a lean mixture for startup and if the throttle is not near
the idle stop, the fuel/air charge entering the combustion chamber will be too lean and
the engine will backfire and be difficult to start.
As a reminder; backfiring is the igniting of the fuel/air charge in the induction system.
And it's escape route is back out through the carburetor!
The OM-B says the throttle should be opened approximately 0.5 cm. That's 5 mm from
fully closed. According to Pratt & Whitney, fully closed idle is 450-500 rpm and 5 mm
open would mean a target starting idle of around 600 rpm.
However, remember the OM-B idle limit after the Engine Runup? It is 600-750 rpm!
That means that with the throttle at the idle stop, it could already be open far enough
for startup. Just keep that in mind.

a) Idle Stop Method

The only way to really determine that the carburetor is fully closed is to pull the throttle
lever all the way back to the idle stop. Now it is closed.
If the idle rpm was noted at the previous shutdown to be ≥ 600 rpm, then this would be
the throttle position for startup.
Otherwise, if it is desired to open the throttle 5 mm, the play and hysteresis in the
throttle linkage must first be eliminated. This can be done once per throttle to find the
correct idle index reference.

1. Begin by loosening the throttle friction knob and retard throttle lever to the idle stop.
2. Slowly advance the throttle lever until a slight resistance of the carburetor throttle
valve can be felt. Now the play is removed.
3. Once the play is removed, advance the throttle about 1 index mark (~5 mm).
This is the approx. throttle position for engine start (based on ~ 600 rpm idle)
4. Repeat for other two throttles. Each will have a slightly different position.
5. Remember them, re-tighten the throttle friction knob, and start the engines.

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b) Advance/Retard Method
Another throttle positioning technique involves advancing and retarding the throttle
lever to some random idle index position. Yes, it does remove the play and hysteresis
in the throttle linkage, but the actual position of the carburetor throttle valve, compared
to the fully closed position, is only a “best guess” at this point because the position that
the throttle valve fully closes varies from engine to engine. It could be fully closed at
4 index units or 1, depending on throttle linkage spring-back.
This method tends to lead to a throttle position that is too far open which causes a
lean charge mixture, starting difficulties, and backfiring.

Priming
The published OM-B starting procedure uses the primer shortly before engaging the
starter (for a cold engine).

Rule-of-thumb for priming:

 3-seconds for a cold engine (carb temps of 5°C may require up to 5 seconds).
 2-seconds for a warm engine (shutdown for approximately 1-2 hours)
 1-second (or none) for a hot engine

If the continuous cranking technique is used, the primer can be used at around
12-blades then the ignition selected to BOTH at 15-blades.

Over-priming
There is tendency to over-prime an engine which has the throttle too far open.
The reason for this is that the charge mixture is too lean and the engine will not fire, so
the crew continues to use the primer which lets raw fuel run down through the
supercharger section and floods the lower cylinders which leads to hydraulicking.

If the engine abruptly stops, or kicks back, over-priming may have occurred and the
starter slip-clutch has released and is trying to prevent damage to the piston link rods.
When this happens, release the starter button and stop priming.
Let the starter cool, adjust the throttle position, and try again without using the primer.
Be immediately ready to release the starter button in case hydraulic lock is present.

Priming System Malfunctions

Starting difficulties may be caused by a faulty primer system.
Primer solenoid function can be checked by observing a momentary decrease in fuel
pressure when the primer button is pushed.
A primer valve which has stuck open will be indicated by excessive black exhaust
smoke and rough running engine with after-firing at idle.
Opening and closing of the primer valve solenoid can be confirmed by observing a fuel
pressure bump when pressing/releasing the primer button with the engine running at
approximately 1000 rpm.
Additionally a slight decrease in rpm and EGT drop in cylinders 1,2,3,8, and 9 should
be observed with the primer button pushed.
No EGT drop on a single cylinder indicates a clogged primer nozzle on that cylinder.

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Alternate Priming Technique

An alternate method of priming the engine without initially using the priming system is
available and should only be used while the engine is cranking.
This method involves cranking the engine and advancing / retarding the throttle lever
several times which activates the carburetor accelerator pump, squirting fuel into the
induction system.

CAUTION: Excessive use of the accelerator pump on an engine which is not

cranking will dump raw fuel into the air intake box and is a fire hazard.

1. Crank the engine using the STARTER OVERRIDE BUTTON.

2. At 12-blades advance / retard the throttle 3 times* (approx. 1-stroke per blade).
3. With the throttle near the idle stop select ignition switch to BOTH.
4. When the engine fires, release STARTER OVERRIDE BUTTON
5. Use the primer intermittently until rpm stabilized
5. Continue with OM-B starting procedure

*Rule-of-thumb for priming with accelerator pump:

 3-strokes of the throttle for a cold engine
 2-strokes for a warm engine (shutdown for approximately 1-2 hours)
 1-stroke (or none) for a hot engine

Ignition Switch
The START position of the ignition switch activates the starter and the induction
vibrator (ignition booster) to boost the sparks of the left magneto (the right magneto is
grounded in this position).
If the induction vibrator is inoperative, or at the crews discretion, the BOTH position
may be used and the starter activated with the STARTER OVERRIDE BUTTON.

After Start

RPM
After the engine fires, be patient. Avoid the urgency to advance the throttle to
1000 rpm too early. Give it time to stabilize at 600-800 rpm using the primer as
required.

Oil Pressure
When oil pressure reaches 40 psi the PROP LEVER may be positioned to HIGH RPM.
If the engine is hot, it may be difficult to reach this 40 psi minimum recommendation.
In this case (according to P&W) as long as the minimum oil pressure of 10 psi is met,
the prop lever may be positioned to HIGH RPM.

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Engine Runup

Magneto Check
The magneto check verifies that each magneto is functioning properly.
After single magneto operation, Pratt & Whitney recommends letting the engine
stabilize approximately 5 seconds in the BOTH position before the next magneto
check.

There should always be a slight drop in rpm when operating on a single magneto.
No drop in rpm indicates that the off-side magneto, primary coil, is not grounding
properly. The cause can be a faulty ignition switch or a broken primary grounding wire
to the magneto. A quick check would be to set idle rpm and then select the ignition
switch to OFF. If the engine continues to run, one or both of the magnetos is not
being properly grounded.

Excessive rpm drop and a rough running engine with after-firing on a single magneto
can be caused by several things; moisture in the ignition, fouled spark plugs, faulty
magnetos etc.

Wet Ignition System

One cause of a rough running engine on a single magneto can be a wet or moist
ignition system, especially on the No. 2 engine. If the aircraft was exposed to overnight
rain, the ignition harness and magnetos may be wet and can short circuit causing
miss-firing of the engine. If moisture is suspected, set the throttle to 1600 rpm for
several minutes for additional warmup and drying-out of the ignition components, then
recheck the magneto operation.

Fouled Spark Plugs

Another cause of excessive mag drop is fouled spark plugs. First, perform the OM-B
procedure SPARK PLUG CLEANING and re-check the magnetos and engine
operation.
If the check is still unsatisfactory it may be necessary to lean the mixture to burn off
any lead or foreign deposits which have formed on the spark plug electrodes.

Note:
Placing the mixture lever to the LEAN STOP does not lean the mixture at idle rpm.

Alternate Spark Plug Cleaning Procedure

1. Advance throttle to approximately 30” MAP
2. Lean mixture until an increase in EGT is observed
3. Maintain for 30 seconds
4. Return mixture lever to RICH and re-check the magnetos and engine operation
5. Repeat if required

If the magneto drop is still out of limits on a single magneto, use the EGT indication to
determine which cylinder number is not firing.

LARF (Left mag/ Aft plugs, Right mag/Front plugs) can be used to inform the
mechanic which plug is faulty. (Normally they will change both plugs.)

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Idle RPM Check

Retard throttle to the idle stop. The OM-B says idle should be 600-750 rpm.
Remember, the desired idle for engine start is 600 rpm and according to P&W an idle
speed as low as 450 rpm is acceptable. High idle rpm during landing roll-out is not
desirable as it will increase stopping distance.

Takeoff and Climb

Reduced Takeoff Power

If possible perform takeoff using reduced power.
This reduces the risk of cylinder head failure.

Cylinder Heads
The cylinders on the R-1340 were originally designed for 36.5” MAP.
With no changes to the cylinder or head design, Pratt & Whitney increased the
maximum MAP to 38”. The only restriction was that fuel with an octane rating of 91/96
had to be used to prevent detonation.
Currently, due to the age of the aluminum heads (spare parts production ended in the
mid 1960's) more and more cylinder head failures are occurring. The heads have no
serial number so their history cannot be tracked. At overhaul, unless you specifically
request that your heads stay with your engine, you never know whose heads you are
going to get!
They could be off of an Otter up in Alaska or from a cropduster down in Peru. Of
course Covington checks the heads for cracks etc. during overhaul, but what they
can't check is how much abuse they have had over the last 60 years.

The FAA introduced Airworthiness Directive (AD 99-11-02) to cope with this problem
and the cylinder head gets a visual inspection at regular intervals to check for signs of
cracks.

Cylinder Head Temperature

The main culprit of cylinder head failure is overheating.
Pratt & Whitney states that above temperatures of 232°C, serious weakening of the
aluminum head occurs. It is sound practice to hold the CHT 30°C below this limit to
keep the cylinder head materials at high operating strength.
Max Continuous operation is allowed up to 232°C
Operating 30° below this limit appears often:
- limit runup to as short as possible if CHT above 200°.
- cruise leaning when below 200°.
- engine shutdown below 200°.
This is all done to prevent weakening of the aluminum cylinder heads.

During climb, early flap retraction and acceleration will help in reducing the CHT and
keeping it below 200° C.
If the CHT for one engine remains steadily above 200° and is even approaching 232°,
there may be a problem with the mixture setting or linkage.
The engine might be operating at LEAN BEST POWER and this is not good.
Great for power, but bad for the cylinder head.

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Maximum CHT
The maximum cylinder head temperature is 260°C.
The OM-B does not mention a specific time limit for operating at this limit.
However there is a time limit at TAKEOFF POWER of 5-minutes.
Actually, the maximum CHT is 232°C (for continous operation) with 260°C as the
absolute maximum temperature allowed.
According to Pratt & Whitney Operating Instructions PWA OI-100, pg.21,
this maximum 260°C limit is for a restricted period of time. It is confined to takeoff,
maximum performance in climb and level flight, and to emergencies.
It is the “ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM FOR ONE HOUR ONLY”
This also applies to temperatures of 232°C to 260°C.

Cruise and Descent

Mixture
It should always be possible to observe a slight increase in EGT during cruise leaning.
A decrease in EGT when moving the mixture lever to LEAN indicates that the engine
already running at LEAN BEST POWER and the mixture setting and linkage should be
checked.

RPM
When the flight is based on time rather than distance, consider reducing power to
1650 rpm if gross weight allows. This will reduce piston miles and fuel flow.
Reduced rpm can also be used during an extended cruise descent.

Shutdown

CHT
Covington recommends that the CHT should be well below 200°C prior to shutdown.
Increasing the rpm to 1500 for 1 minute may help promote cooling.

Ignition Safety Check

Check for a rpm drop on each magneto and check that the engine actually begins to
shutdown (rpm drops below single magneto rpm) with the ignition switch in OFF.

Idle Mixture Strength Check

Starting problems may be caused by a lean idle mixture.
The idle mixture check should be performed in calm winds and stabilized idle CHT.

1. Prop control HIGH RPM

2. Throttle idle (450-600 rpm)
3. While observing rpm, slowly move mixture lever to IDLE CUTOFF
4. Return mixture to RICH before engine dies

If a momentary rise of not more than 20 rpm is observed before normal drop-off, the
mixture strength is correct.
If no rise in rpm or an immediate drop-off is noted, the mixture is too lean.
If the rise is greater than 20 rpm, the mixture is too rich.