Any ex Percival Pembroke/Alvis Leonides engineers out there?

[stevef]

Hopefully someone out there has an answer to this problem. How do you remove the rear spark plugs? I can't use a standard socket because the cowling support ring gets in the way and there's no space for a crowsfoot due to the finning. Was there a special tool for this?
Thanks in advance,
Steve.

[Yoth]

I ground down the top of my deep socket so that it would clear the cowl ring support. Bit of a struggle to get on the spark plug, but it did the job. I also have a dumpy spanner that fitted a treat on the HT leads.
How crazy am I?
I'm guessing this message is from Bamaber Smirkwell, or was it Hilda Gazuntite?
PM me and I'll send you my contact details.:ok:

[stevef]

My cover is broken - it is indeed Bamber Smirkwell (Oscar Dagenite when the tax man's chasing)!
Thanks for the info, I'll send you a PM. If you're close enough, I'll use your socket to save grinding down mine.
Steve
:cool:

[Yoth]

Don't bother Bamber, I'll bring it over to the se7en tomorrow.:ok:

[On-MarkBob]

I remember having a short box spanner with a flat handle on it. It would fit over the plug with the top of the plug protruding out the top of the spanner when it was in position. You could possibly fabricate one quite easily.

[stevef]

Thanks for the tip, Bob. I can see that it would have to be very short to clear the support ring. Not designed with ease of maintenance in mind! On one of the engines, the inter-cylinder oil drain tubes stop the HT leads from coming out of the plug, so that means oil all over the floor unless you're smartish at getting the flex hose off and back on again.
:ok:
Steve

[Karl Bamforth]

I used to work Pembrokes on 60 sqdn.

Yep we had a special spanners and sockets, some locally produced.
Are flying or maintaining the aircraft ? Which one is it ?

A few years ago I worked at Duxford in UK and found both wing spars on a Pembroke cracked outboard of the engines. :eek: We had to do a big repair that was expensive but was the only alternative to grounding it.

[Yoth]

For Gods sake, Bamber/Hilda! I've never come across so much whingeing.....
That bottom lead comes off alright, you just have to put some effort in. First time for everything I suppose.:rolleyes:

[stevef]

It's a flyer, Karl. Well, it will be when the permit is renewed. You might know XL954. I thought there might be special tools, as On-Mark Bob said.
Yoth - let's see how good you are at Dak aileron rigging. :) Didn't see any oil under your nails yesterday, btw.

[Karl Bamforth]

Yep I worked on 954.

Make sure you look real close at the wing spar and bottom spar caps. The one we repaired (740 if I remember correctly) was cracked for well over 50% of the spar.

Send me a pic of the bottom surface of the wing and I will try to point out the area of concern. Its very difficult to see and took me 2 days to convince the boss it was not a pencil mark and needed more investigation. Both wings had identical damage not visible from the outside.

Pembrokes had a spar replacement program in (I think) the 70s. 740 had its spars replaced but had failed again when I saw it in the late 90s.

I know the last thing you want to find is major damage, but better to be safe than sorry.

Contact me at [email protected] i will do what I can to help.

[stevef]

Thanks for the information, Karl. I'll take a couple of photos next week and e-mail you.
Cheers,
Steve

[Yoth]

Dak aileron rigging? Doddle. Come on Bamber, give us a proper challenge. How about a number 9 cylinder change on the 6 with a force 10 hangover?
Now that's what I call maintenance!