If you even remotely suspected fuel then hand propping seems to
be to be an invitation to the new name of Stumpy. Why take a
chance on a cylinder firing and removing an appendage??


"O. Sami Saydjari" wrote in message
...
In reading a booked called "Design for Safety", by David
Thurston, he
advises owners to "turn the propeller over by hand three or
four times
during preflight if the airplane has been standing for half a
day or
longer." [p169]

His rationale is as follows. "When an engine has been standing
for
awhile and has not been pulled through by hand prior to
starting, an
accident could result if fuel or oil has collected in the
cylinders.
When the engine fires, trapped fluids can cause bent piston
rods,
cracked cylinders, or a damaged crankshaft. Althouogh such
accidents
might not cause bodily injury, they surely can harm one's
budget and can
beavoided by proper preflight procedures. It is also possible
for
damage of this type to remain hidden until something fails in
flight"
[pp 147-148].

I am quite surprised that this is the first I have heard such
advice.

What do folks on this newsgroup think of that advice?

Does anyone out there do this routinely?

If so, what is the proper procedure? Do you just turn the prop
slowly
in the direction the prop normally turns?

Could fuel actually collect in the cylinders as suggested? Why
would
the fuel not just evaporate?

-Sami
M2057M, Piper Turbo Arrow III