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Sounds more like fuel contamination with water. To close the opening of a
side draft would be tough. Not saying its not possible, just not likely.
Scrappman

Ken Kennedy wrote:

> Mark Smith wrote:
>
> > I have heard of it but never seen it and I still believe that our carbs,
> > slide types, are not prone to internal icing, especially with the oily
> > mess we call fuel mix.
>
> Might other factors also be vibration and heat from engine (via proximity
> and/or blowback?)?
>
> > Also, most people think it occurs when it is cold.
>
> Conventional aviation engines are certainly prone to carb ice in warm humid
> conditions, but I am convinced it never happens to our Rotaxes in similar
> conditions.
> >
> > Ill bet all manner of two stroke ills have been missed and the
> > problem attributed to carb ice.
>
> No doubt this is so. However, I am also sure I have witnessed it.
>
> The conditions were just above freezing, with about a mile or two
> visibility in fog. After maybe twenty minutes of flight, there was a
> gradual loss of power. Limped back to base where engine barely ran.
> Shutdown. Then frost appeared on outside of carbs. Removing the air cleaner
> showed ice inside the carbs. Let it sit, then ice disappeared. Dropped
> bowls and found a little water (melted in carb, then drained down thru the
> jet?). Drained water and went again. (This was foolish, of course, > the initial flight>, but he had to go out and look for several trumpeter
> swans that had buggered off from his wing, and whom he couldnt chase down
> when the engine misbehaved). Twice more in the next hour, he had to make
> precautionary landings with the same results. For several months before
> these occurrences, the 503 had operated perfectly. During the next month on
> the actual migration, the engine also worked perfectly, altho we never
> flew in the same meteorological conditions again.
>
> Given the above, I am totally convinced that the 503 can experience carb
> icing in moist conditions near freezing. (Conditions in which, Rotax pilots
> rarely operate). Maybe Mark could do some research by making a few flights
> in similar conditions and reporting the results. This is an area where we
> could all benefit from a little research.
>
> BTW, we found the swans late that night in a nearby river, having been
> tipped off by a hiker who had seen them, then later heard our plea on the
> local radio station.
> kk

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