Interesting Occurance on the Way to Work Today .

[Bob_Roller]

I left the house at 0420 this morning. air temp 34 F, 1 C, humidity 96 %, dew point temperature 32 F .
I have about 2 miles of surface streets before I get on an urban expressway, Interstate 10 .
I made all the traffic lights when I got on the entrance ramp to the expressway, I tried to open the throttle, it was stuck, the engine started to run rough .
Had this happen about 25 years ago, same weather conditions, I turned the kill switch off momentarily I got the usual muffled boom when the switch was turned back on, the throttle was normal and the engine was running like it should .
Looks like I had carburetor ice .

[skippyc]

I can only imagine what those condition are like.

[dogshome]

04:20 is pretty scary by itself.

[Justin B.]

When I was stationed at Ft. Wainwright, AK, we had a 1981 Datsun Pickup that the carb would sometimes ice up.  When it was really super cold it was OK as there was no humidity but when it was warmer it happened a couple times.

[DeeG]

Looks like I had carburetor ice .

I have had that happen a few times on a couple of my bikes. As a pilot, you would think that I would know the symptoms. I just never occurred to me that it could happen on the ground. Usually got carb ice in the mighty Cessna 150 while trying to pretend its a Lear Jet.

[Tony Smith]

Deeg

My first experience with carb icing was an interesting commentary on the value of following procedure. At the time I lived in tropical North QLD and until shortly prior to the incident I held only a VFR license - hence carb icing was an entirely theoretical concept to me.

Shortly after I got my IFR ticket I was flying home on my own at night and for tailwind reasons I was as high as I could fly the poor little C-182 without supplimental oxygen - so basically 10,000ft.

When the engine started to cough and lose power I had no idea what was wrong, but I did follow the procedures - fuel to both, boost pump on, full rich and carb heat.

My, wasn't that last step a revelation - most of full power restored in an instant. Checklists/emergency procedures are good things.


Some other time I'll tell you about the first time I started picking up some ice.

[dogshome]

I've had ice on my leggings. Biking version of iced flying surfaces I guess? Both knees stuck to petrol tank. Pull up at red light and oh my! Very embarrassing falling off at a standstill and not being able to put a foot down. A local black hole must have formed as time went very slowly from vertical to horizontal. Luckily a 2 stroke twin road bike with cool exhausts mounted low down. Sidi boots, leather and belstaff on top. Police style heavy gloves. So I was the Michelin man in terms of protection. I clipped the pedestrian light pole on the way down, which saved the clutch lever. Some pedestrians extricated me off the bike.

I was doing judo at the time and rolled my back into it rather than putting my arm out and having it dislocated or something. I wouldn't have that reflex now.....

[jp9094]

Was leaving a friends house one winter night in 1970. The side street he lived on had not been plowed very well, but the main streets were clear. There was a stop sign at the end of the street, so I downshifted as I approached the sign and gently applied the brakes. You can imagine my surprise as the rear wheel swung out and I proceeded down the street sideways to come to a gentle stop at the sign! Dismounted and walked the bike the few feet to the, plowed and dry main road.

FWIW !

[dogshome]

LOL   

I still have the scar under my chin when I high-sided on ice and did a starfish impression face-down going in circles. I can count on the fingers of one family household how many 'offs' I had on ice. I never had a high-speed off. Which is why I'm still here I guess. I did jump off the back of a Suzuki 550 triple when the driver was being a pillock filtering at 60 in a 30 between slow cars and walked it the rest of the way. Saying hey, slow down and then punching him in the ribs didn't do it. I vividly remember the seat base was rusted through and I was attached via a bit of manky vinyl to the rest of the bike.

I don't remember him or his name, I think someone I knew heard he was passing the Yamaha place where I needed parts. Going home on the bus with helmet and leathers and a large YAMAHA bag full of pistons etc is quite embarrassing. No explanation necessary...