WEP Problems

[Noah17]

I'm having a heck of a time using my WEP.

When I'm fighting someone and I put my WEP on it won't stay on. Even if I have not used it at all until that point. I'll push the button again and it will go on again for a second and then shut off or; it seems to be confused and goes on, then off, then on and, then go off and stay off.......You can hear the engine rev up when on and then slow when it shuts off and, see manifold pressure go up when on and down when off or, jump around on the dial like crazy when it's confused with the engine revving and slowing, revving and slowing!!!

Again, this is even if I have not used WEP at all in my flight until that point. If I do use WEP while climbing out or, at any other time while not in a fight it stays on like nothing is wrong. This only seems to happen when I'm in a fight, I can't understand it.

This seems to happen regardless of the plane I fly however I normally fly the F4U and when accelerating in the F4U you really need all the help you can get.

I've tried to change the buttons that I have mapped WEP to and it has not helped, I have recalibrated several times but to no avail....... HELP!!!!!!!

[Ghosth]

Sounds to me like the problem is not your wep, but rather your throttle.

Throttle must be fully open to engage wep. If throttle pot is even slightly "iffy" or out of calibration you can have problems with it knocking your wep off.

Controls, map controls, select your throttle axis, and click the "calibrate axis" button at the top. This will let you calibrate the throttle separately. Once calibrated click "advanced" so you can see if that axis is spiking or doing something funny as you move it up and back.

Then go into someplace like the TA and give it a real work over to make sure its going to behave properly.

[ImADot]

With what Ghosth said...

You say it's fine when climbing out or not in a fight.  I'm guessing your views and/or flaps are mapped to the throttle?  You are probably inadvertantly moving the throttle when you hit your buttons on it, and don't need to touch it at all while climbing/cruising.

I have a CH throttle and used the Control Manager software to add a little extra scaling to it so I don't need to slide it all the way to the stop to have the throttle wide open.  I used to get kicked out of WEP now and then, but not since tweaking it in the CH software.

[groundfeeder]

it definitely is a stick issue, either your deadbands are not set as well as you think or you are bumping the throttle when engaged. regardless of which one it is the problem is originating in the throttle

[ML52]

The last few days I've been flying the KI84 and Niki, it seems that wep doesn't do anthing in them above 10k. I get increase in engine noise but no increase in manifold pressure. Is there something wrong?

[Noah17]

When I've calibrated my stick I've moved the throttle wheel all the way forward to the stop. Maybe I should roll it forward to just before it stops and then set the calibration? Maybe I'll accelerate faster as well because I'm actally at wide open throttle?

I use a CH Combat Stick and like it a lot. I have my views mapped to the one hat switch and trigger for up views. I have my flaps mapped to the 4 way hat switch on the lower left top of the stick. I don't normally fumble with it too much so, I shouldn't be hitting the WEP button on the low right top portion of the stick and my hands aren't normally near the throttle wheel on the left unless I'm working the throttle.

I'll try your suggestions and let you know how it goes.

Thanks!!!!
 

[FLS]

The last few days I've been flying the KI84 and Niki, it seems that wep doesn't do anthing in them above 10k. I get increase in engine noise but no increase in manifold pressure. Is there something wrong?

Right click the aircraft in the hanger list and look at the climb and speed charts. You'll see that WEP varies with altitude.

[uptown]

Sounds like you're using your wep up before you get to the fight. A lot of guys will tell you to wep up on climb out and all that does is heat the engine up so that when you get to the fight you engine is too hot. I always said to guys to save your wep for the fight. You're going to need that extra "umph" to get over the top or around the corner, so to speak.
I always climb out on "normal" power and keep a close eye on engine temps, manifold pressure and RPMs. In other words, keep a close watch on your gauges and learn where the power bands are for your chosen aircraft.
In a 51 i try to keep the fight between 8 and 12K or 18K to ....oh 25k or so. Why?, because i know the wep is no use to me at the alts between 13 and 18K in a 51, whether the engine is hot or not. It all has to do with the 2 stage super chargers ad where they produce power.
Anyhoo, i'm about half tight right now and probably ain't explaining this worth a watermelon right now so maybe someone who knows what i'm trying to say can explain it in a bit more detail.  

[Noah17]

Ha! It seems to have worked!

When I recalibrated this time I moved the throttle wheel from completely closed at the stop; to almost wide open just before my wheel stops turning. Then I set the calibration. I only got a chance to fly 2 sortie's but no problems so far! Thanks for the suggestion Ghosth! And thanks to the rest of you that tried to help. If I have any more issues or find anything else out I'll be back to post it.

Every time I get pissed off at trash that some "Nimrod" is talking to me on 200 I remember the help that decent people have given me here and I cool down a bit. AH has a lot of good people on it!
Thanks!