Diagnosing PPG engine failure

Posted on August 16, 2022 by Ben

Towards the end of my 2022 summer trip, I had trouble starting my para motor, and on my last flight, the engine briefly went to idle before recovering a few seconds later period I decided to take apart the engine and figure out what was wrong.

As soon as I got the head off, I could tell that there was something wrong. Both the inside of the head and the top of the piston have these odd circular digits in them:

I took the top end off, and I could see that there were these troughs inside of the piston as well:

Continuing the tear-down, I found that a roller bearing had disintegrated, and the rollers had gotten between the top end and the piston wall, which caused the scarring on the side of the piston. They then got up beyond the piston into the combustion chamber, which is why there are round divots in the top of the piston and the inside of the head:

I ordered and replaced the roller bearing, top end, and piston. The engine runs like new now!

Summer 2022, Day 53: Back to NY

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Ben

I drove home today:

Another amazing summer trip! Highlights were five first-time states flown, the solar car race, and lots of amazing mountain biking. See you next summer!

See the trip map for today’s drive.

Summer 2022, Day 52: First Flight in Illinois, Lincoln Home NHS

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Ben

Dawn at FlyPPG in Fowler, Illinois:

Flight 143, first in Illinois:

The motor went lost power for a few seconds mid-flight. I thought I was going to land out, but power came back, so I came back and landed.

Admiring the crops:

I packed up and continued east to Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois:

The Lincolns purchased this home in 1844, two years after their marriage and sixteen years before Lincoln was elected president. It is the only home the Lincolns ever owned:

Touring the house:

I had arranged to fly with a group of pilots at Wilbur Wright’s birth home in Indiana, but winds were too strong, so I continued East to overnight at the Cracker Barrel of Sunbury, Ohio. See the trip map for today’s drive.

Summer 2022, Day 51: First Flight in Missouri

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Ben

Dawn at Carrollton Memorial Airport in Carrollton, Missouri:

Unfortunately, my starter failed. I took it apart and fixed the problem:

Fellow PPG pilot Tom came out to watch the flight:

By the time I fixed the starter, it was too late in the day to fly. I watched the crop duster come and go:

The plan was to do my first flight in Illinois tomorrow, so I drove east to Monroe City, Missouri. It’s hot today, so I worked in the library until late afternoon, then drove to the airport to try again to fly Missouri:

Pilot getting into this replica of a 1930s-era Pietenpol Air Camper:

I had a really hard time getting my engine started, so I only got to fly a short time before sunset forced me to land. Flight 142, first in Missouri:

I continued east to overnight at the FLYPPG paramotor school near Fowler, Illinois. See the trip map for today’s drive.

Summer 2022, Day 50: First Flight in Kansas

Posted on August 9, 2022 by Ben

Sunrise in Eastern Colorado:

I continued on to Gardiner, Kansas for my first flight in Kansas with the Kansas City pilots. We had a dozen pilots in the air for my flight 141. There were also three fixed-wing planes in the area, so it was good to have the aviation radio so I could hear what they were doing.

Flying low over corn: