Tiger, is this something you think should be changed in the first posting? - Just asking, because I don't myself see a big difference from what I wrote there.

I'm getting the Hurricane started, warmed up and off the ground OK, it's after that that I keep blowing up the engine. What are some of the "no-nos" regarding engine management while flying? I already try to keep the temps from going too high and try to stay out of the high boost range with the throttle, but I'll still have the engine seize up nearly every flight.

If your temps (both oil and coolant) are OK then I can only think of the mixture as the factor making your engine seize up.

Should it be full rich most of the time? I've been leaning it out until I see the exhaust flame turn blue. How do I know when it's appropriate to lower the RPMs?

Ok, I'd need more experts fliers to chip in, but I think you should only start to lean it if you go really high, several kilometers. However, if you have the wrong mixture stetting the engine doesn't seize up immediately, it just starts to sputter badly and you can then save the situation by going full rich.

If you tell me that your engine seizes up irrevocably, then I'm thinking that you might have damaged it by taking off too early. Are you sure that you get both oil and coolant hot enough? I like to see them both edging up towards 80 or 90 degrees before I take up at radiator fully open. Only when I am in cruise and with coarse pitch do I start to take the radiator down from fully open.

Anyway, you should just know that it is indeed possible to fly the Hurri for as long as you want with no engine trouble. I basically never have trouble, even on more than half-hour long missions. I generally never have trouble with the engine, just leave it and forget it...

I do have a couple of Hurri missions up, among my movies, maybe you can see if I do anything dramatically diferrent from you?

Thanks for the tips, I did a brief test and found the engine seemed OK if I left her on full rich. How to you know when it's safe to lower the prop pitch (RPMs) using both the Rotol and DH props? Are there settings that should be avoided? So far I'm lowering the RPMs to about 2800- what's a good setting for cruise?
It's a good thing these are only virtual engines- I'd owe the crown a real pile of cash by now...

Murph, I think you should have a look at Flea's fantastic documents in the stickied thread at the top of this forum:

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3342810/UPDATE_7_OCT_2011_Aircraft_Ope.html#Post3342810

Thanks, I already have them downloaded and the pilot notes for the Hurricane are printed out and sitting right here next to me. I managed to blow up engines even with those.

How long is it before your engine gives up? If it is less than a minute after take off then it has to be your radiator. Did you know it is closed by default?