Fuel mixture settings

[ozzy72]

I've been curious about the effect of changing the fuel mixture in FS2004.  Does it affect the fuel efficiency of a plane?  Does it affect the power?  Are there any potential side effects of running too lean or too rich?

Thx!

[TacitBlue]

You want to run full rich all the time unless you are at high altitude and your engine performance starts to drop. Listen to the engine, if it sounds like its straining in level flight, lean the mixture untill it starts to sound right. I'm sure others can tell you how to judge it according to the EGT guage, but I always go off of the engine sound.

[ozzy72]

Hi Zephyr well it is like this, the higher you go the thinner the atmosphere, so you have to thin out the fuel mixture as well or you'll flood the engine (don't think FS simulates this). The upshot is you get more range.
You should also adjust your prop settings as well.
You can monitor this as Tacit said by keeping an eye on your Exhaust Gas Temperature gauge(s), and your engine temperature.
Of course if you fly old kites like me you have to use Tacit "by ear" method

[RHeite]

Once you get used to going off the insturments, it gets much eaiser to tune your ear to when you need the changes.

Just be sure you have changed your settings around to allow manual control over the engine settings.

[Nav]

Piston engine controls are a study in themselves, DJ.

If you

[TacitBlue]

It's usually easy to find where the prop RPMs need to be. Most of the time (not always) just get the needle on the tachometer in the middle of the green arc. If your tach doesn't have a green arc, then consult the knee board. This is something else that you can do "by ear" once you get used to it.

Note: My real-world instructor is teaching me to do everything by ear so I won't be dependant on instruments, hence my constant recommendations for doing it that way.