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Question about prop governor

AX-O

Well Known Member
I did some searching around but did not find info on thesequestions. I am purchasing a PCU5000-X prop governor and there are some options that I need help figuring out. Specifically, the following for my RV-4 installation:

-Control Lever Angle. Default is 290 deg. Can I easily change the lever angle around after I figure out what works best?

-Control Lever Rotation. Do I need Clockwise or Counter-Clockwise?

-Pressure to Increase P-520, Yes for Non-Counterweighted prop. What does this mean?

-Pressure to Increase P-540, Yes for Counterweighted prop. What does this mean?

Thanks for any help you can provide.
 
One I bought

AC,
This is the one I put on my RV-4 O-360 (conical)/ Whirlwind RV-200
Jihostroj P-920-028
P-920-028/A High pressure Lycoming IO360IO-320 CW INCREASE 2700(0,867 to 1) 2340 475

Should be the same for you.
Good luck, really interested to see how you like the DynaFocal vs Conical.

Also here is an album with for my conversion.
https://goo.gl/photos/5YPo16WXXNfpUxANA
 
Last edited:
I did some searching around but did not find info on thesequestions. I am purchasing a PCU5000-X prop governor and there are some options that I need help figuring out. Specifically, the following for my RV-4 installation:

-Control Lever Angle. Default is 290 deg. Can I easily change the lever angle around after I figure out what works best?

-Control Lever Rotation. Do I need Clockwise or Counter-Clockwise?

-Pressure to Increase P-520, Yes for Non-Counterweighted prop. What does this mean?

-Pressure to Increase P-540, Yes for Counterweighted prop. What does this mean?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Yes
Clockwise to increase RPM
Yes (unless you bought a special aerobatic prop)
No
 
Just to be sure, Blake and I queried Jason at Aircraft Propeller. He offered these tidbits:

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION
Prepare new mounting gasket. Coat the gasket with a suitable release agent before installation.
a) Check that mounting studs project a minimum of 1.250? (31.75 mm) from face of engine pad.
b) Clean engine pad, studs and mounting hardware before installing the new mounting gasket.
c) Torque the 5/16-18 (Lycoming) mounting nuts to 110-150 in lbs (12-17 Nm) and the 5/16-24 (Continental) nuts to 180-220 in lbs. (21-25 Nm).
d) Reattach the propeller control using new mounting hardware and adjust the linkage per aircraft service information.

CONTROL LEVER POSITION FIELD ADJUSTMENT
-Control Lever Angle. Default is 290 deg. Can I easily change the lever angle around after I figure out what works best? Yes! Here are the instructions on how to do so:
control-lever-angle.png


Control lever position field adjustment

Use this procedure to accommodate unique prop control positions
a) Remove the cover flange retaining screw safety wire.
b) Loosen the six screws cover flange screws and gently turn the
control head to an appropriate position.
c) After establishing the desired control position, tighten and torque
the six screws to 16?1 in. lbs. (1.6-1.8 Nm.)
d) Re-safety the cover flange retention screws with new safety wire.
e) After run-up, check for oil leaks, none are permitted.

HIGH PROPELLER RPM FIELD ADJUSTMENT
a) Remove the safety wire from the high RPM stop screw and rotate
the control lever to the high RPM stop.
b) Loosen the high RPM jam nut and set high propeller RPM by
turning the stop screw. One full turn clockwise will reduce RPM by
approximately 25. One full turn counter-clockwise will increase
RPM by approximately 25. Tighten and re-torque jam nut
between 24.8 and 28.3 in. lbs (2.8-3.2 Nm)

Adjustment instructions apply to both CW and CCW levers.
Typical head and control lever assembly is shown.
Note: Adjust high RPM only. Do not adjust the low RPM stop. Minimum RPM is achieved prior to low stop contact.


-Control Lever Rotation. Do I need Clockwise or Counter-Clockwise?
Depends on where your control cable attaches to the lever. The lever rests against the high RPM/low pitch stop, therefore when trying to determine this, imagine how the lever would rotate as your pull the prop control toward a lower RPM. Whatever the answer is (clockwise or counter-clockwise) is what you would put on the form.

-Pressure to Increase P-520, Yes for Non-Counterweighted prop. What does this mean?
A non-counterweighted prop is a standard, non-aerobatic, non-feathering propeller that uses oil pressure to INCREASE the blade pitch angle.

-Pressure to Increase P-540, Yes for Counterweighted prop. What does this mean?
A counterweighted prop is one that uses oil pressure to DECREASE the blade pitch angle. This is typically found on feathering propellers or aerobatic propellers. Unless you have either of these, you probably don?t need this type of governor.


Either Blake or I can get one of these top notch governors for your aircraft.
Governors for experimentals

Governors for GA aircraft
 
Check that mounting studs project a minimum of 1.250? (31.75 mm) from face of engine

I went to install my PCU-5000X onto my newly received IO540 from BPE and found the studs were too short. Overall the studs on the motor were only about 1.75" and had to but new studs from Aircraft Spruce ( I went with the: 31C-19 LYCOMING STUD-.3125-18 X 2.38 LONG @ $13.65 each!)

May want to check yours before you receive the new governor. Not sure if the flange is thicker on the 5000x than other units or not.

Just a thought.

Ethan
 
Vince,
I have been talking to Blake to order one from you. Thanks for your post.
 
follow up.

I spoke with Blake. He is confident that the direction should be CCW based on the diagram i sent him.

"Based on your last email and diagram, it looks like the rotation should actually be CCW. I'm not sure where the recommendation came from. The rotation direction is referenced moving from high-RPM to low-RPM."

KCKpuG-t7FLu5IRkNLilYMguQPJ24-lo91xyndklGrLjbgtUqFWO72Mtsk8ZOI1gK7pZAAn5l78yejqN694CUs9LdBMz8BKbebUFowmry1mEm-K698cAHrp9ittReja2WzQ3LHQc7W2cWYzusB7kGI7BQew5crA6Ba1Q98ywrgN7yIgGo26LRGUwxdRceKjRbxQOq8nx628pAYYgxOjq_pZEKiesR1jxAuQk8YITaYDCDShdqTf1Fg092bmkBUCoqn5Jq9HKIuD1vDkMoZlK9B60f3kvgZHbxbva5cjs1Gw4ZuPU7Yu6dsWFI7xmuhKL3kJnq0DO9r-aCMVX-q5bgUBnA6amSkKJ6L8KW4sW7zfkPFrovIvWMCYKiWTU-3y1e9cJcFPuDCy6pmgOOP6wbnUeZXnFFD4gCEdJgXXDkJcqw0XNmZISCGNEsCx0H8-V7C_Ifw-djt1N3czbcRolXC-7E51SbsTm8RxTVPwn97TcntY5ffvhpT_Pd0L56HDqte0cuBoj7X3TO9JmlDJXRgfaR5xqyHx1MH84e0BkxFPaPcVeDLAJWamXZrwXVO8B0ZLq0ZdpavV0R-rQ8gJpB8_--VMb9iE-fgCrDsiRsx8BRAg5FLsFB2K7FPydXBQJ8BbZjVSrxIaSmXjc0g-hrkFjrd2cP9hA2umw06D9H_UWDblU9MYKQJdB=w1120-h628-no
 
I went to install my PCU-5000X onto my newly received IO540 from BPE and found the studs were too short. Overall the studs on the motor were only about 1.75" and had to but new studs from Aircraft Spruce ( I went with the: 31C-19 LYCOMING STUD-.3125-18 X 2.38 LONG @ $13.65 each!)

May want to check yours before you receive the new governor. Not sure if the flange is thicker on the 5000x than other units or not.

Just a thought.

Ethan

Thank you, will give it a check.
 
follow up.

I spoke with Blake. He is confident that the direction should be CCW based on the diagram i sent him.

"Based on your last email and diagram, it looks like the rotation should actually be CCW. I'm not sure where the recommendation came from. The rotation direction is referenced moving from high-RPM to low-RPM."

KCKpuG-t7FLu5IRkNLilYMguQPJ24-lo91xyndklGrLjbgtUqFWO72Mtsk8ZOI1gK7pZAAn5l78yejqN694CUs9LdBMz8BKbebUFowmry1mEm-K698cAHrp9ittReja2WzQ3LHQc7W2cWYzusB7kGI7BQew5crA6Ba1Q98ywrgN7yIgGo26LRGUwxdRceKjRbxQOq8nx628pAYYgxOjq_pZEKiesR1jxAuQk8YITaYDCDShdqTf1Fg092bmkBUCoqn5Jq9HKIuD1vDkMoZlK9B60f3kvgZHbxbva5cjs1Gw4ZuPU7Yu6dsWFI7xmuhKL3kJnq0DO9r-aCMVX-q5bgUBnA6amSkKJ6L8KW4sW7zfkPFrovIvWMCYKiWTU-3y1e9cJcFPuDCy6pmgOOP6wbnUeZXnFFD4gCEdJgXXDkJcqw0XNmZISCGNEsCx0H8-V7C_Ifw-djt1N3czbcRolXC-7E51SbsTm8RxTVPwn97TcntY5ffvhpT_Pd0L56HDqte0cuBoj7X3TO9JmlDJXRgfaR5xqyHx1MH84e0BkxFPaPcVeDLAJWamXZrwXVO8B0ZLq0ZdpavV0R-rQ8gJpB8_--VMb9iE-fgCrDsiRsx8BRAg5FLsFB2K7FPydXBQJ8BbZjVSrxIaSmXjc0g-hrkFjrd2cP9hA2umw06D9H_UWDblU9MYKQJdB=w1120-h628-no

That matches what I think I said - clockwise to increase RPM. I guess it all depends on what they define as happening for each direction, you do pull it against the spring counterclockwise- and that decreases RPM (when viewed from the back).
 
I just went thru this decision tree maybe 2 mos ago. I know you guys get a lot of specialized parts (like the white bracket shown in the above pic) that take some of the guessing out of things for you, but if youre off the beaten track, theres a few things you want to make sure of before you buy (not RV4 specific):

1) Dont buy the gov until youve bought your prop - the two go together, but def the prop is the driver
2) Dont buy until you know where all your actuating cables are going to run, and where your going to put your heater box, oil cooler on the firewall etc - things can get in the way of each other. Having the lever on the bottom vs the top ie CW vs CCW rotation may be better.
3) Dont be in a rush to buy the gov if there are other firewall things to do - it'll be hanging on the engine for a long time before first start, and that time is part of the warrantee.
 
Prop gov

The way I think about it is the prop should go full if cable breaks, which is CW. So you will be pulling against the spring as you pull the lever back CCW.
 
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