Can the rear engine have issues with rain?

pwolfehagen · #1 01-10-23, 09:32 AM

Can heavy rain cause problems starting the rear engine? I have a T337F. Ran great two weeks ago. After heavy rain last week the rear engine would not start. Only one cylinder would fire. Have only owned the plane a couple months. Is this a coincidence or are there issues with water getting into the rear engine? Thanks.

edasmus · #2 01-10-23, 11:02 AM

Your question is rather general so not much to go on with what might be the problem. I can give a general answer about water, however. In my many years of ownership, water is what I fear the most when it comes to wreaking havoc on our airplanes. It gets everywhere and it will cause problems. In my mind, it’s a HUGE safety issue. I would not own an airplane if it had to live outside. I know not everyone can afford or even gain availability to a hangar, but at a minimum, you’re going to work a lot harder fighting to keep water, hot and cold cycles, snow, wind, hail, critters, and maybe even vandals from harming your aircraft. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying not to do it, I’m just saying be prepared for problems or you hopefully can figure out how to protect the aircraft even though it’s outside. For me personally, the effort required to mitigate these issues outside is more than I’d be willing take on. That’s just me though. If it’s possible, try to get it inside.

wslade2 · #3 01-10-23, 01:15 PM

magnetos are on the top and end of the engine close to the air intake on upper fuselage. "Heavy rain"? Hard enough to blow into that intake and get those electricals wet? They don't like water...

to start: spark, fuel, compression (and I'll add rotation speed).

Water in tank? be sure none. Shake the wing. Scupper drains at fuel filler are notorious for getting plugged, water pools and goes into tank. Once I wasted a month trying to start a jaguar that had horizontal fuel filler in a well on top fender by trunk lid. Looked at everything checking out ok. Turned out drain had stopped up and a heavy rain caused alot of water to get in the tank and fuel pump was sucking up water in the bottom with start attempts rather than fuel.

pwolfehagen · #4 01-12-23, 10:05 AM

Here is the update. Pulled all the plugs and found water in all cylinders. Cycled with WD40, cleaned and dried plugs, reinstalled and it fired right up. Is there any good reason that the air filter is wide open and facing up? It sure does a good job of catching water to be ingested by the engine. I can certainly come up with something on my own but is there an approved mod to fix this?

wslade2 · #5 01-14-23, 07:49 PM

Sounds like an easier solution if have you be outside is a plug or cover for the cowl intake.

rrolland · #6 02-09-23, 06:32 PM

The same thing happened to me a few summers ago when my plane was parked outside during a trip to northern Florida. I did not have a rear engine intake cover and the filter got wet.

I did manage to get the engine started in the end. Since then, I always cover the intake with a cover purchased from Bruce's Aircraft Covers. Never had the issue again.

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