1) Rudder pedal action vs. brakes 2) Fuel pressure reading low 3) Engine cranks poorly 4) Exhaust pipe slippage 5) Canopy hard to align and close
Rudder Pedal Adjustment - I installed the brake extensions and they work well. I can now do heel/toe with the rudder pedals and not drag the brakes on take-off.
Fuel pressure reading low - Removed the cowling and noticed that the fuel pressure manifold hose was discolored. I turned on the boost pump and the hose was leaking.
Engine cranks poorly - With a fully charged battery, the engine does not crank through the compression strokes of the cylinders. I did some voltage drop testing and isolated the problem. The starter switch terminals were loose and not providing sufficient current to pull the starter solenoid firmly in contact with the contact plate. I believe this lead to significant voltage drop to the starter, which pulled significant amps and caused a situation where the fuel pressure manifold hose became a partial ground and caused the discoloration and leaking of the hose. I ordered a replacement hose with Teflon and shortened the new hose length by 1 inch so that it does not rest along the firewall. I will also check the main engine ground to make sure there is a good electrical connection. I tested the starter after tightening the starter solenoid switch in the cabin and this seemed to resolve the problem.
Exhaust Pipe Slippage - Other general inspection showed that the right side tail pipe slipped a bit and started to burn through the aluminum heat shield. Fixed that and moved back up and tightened the clamp.
Canopy hard to align and close - I installed the Plastic glider blocks shown in an earlier builder log entry and in the process I needed to shorten the canopy Targa strip.
