Rough engine on run-up
Hi everybody,
So I'm a rookie-PPL getting my hours for a license conversion blabla...anyway: I was going to fly the club's 152 today. During the run-up, the engine was running quite rough and vibrated a lot. Doesn't feel like it should so I request a taxi back to the ramp. Turns out that two cylinders are out as it has been running too lean.
First I thought the whole thing was no big deal but now I have tons of questions.
1. What if I had attempted a take-off? Would I have made it into the air or into the woods at the end of the runway?
2. How do you notice in-flight that the engine is running too lean? One of our 152s doesn't have a EGT indicator. Is it only a power-loss? Does it run rough?
3. I have been taught to always lean out the engine on longer flights, more range, etc pp. But I'm getting more and more the impression that if I'm not going over 5000ft on a long x-c, I just shouldn't bother leaning.
4. How is the engine leaned properly anyway? Sure, turn the knob slowly until a slight RPM-drop, then turn it the other direction. But how is it really done?
Thanks in advance for your answers!
Alex