Thread: Low RPM at idle

We just had our 700-hour service performed, and the plane flew fine on the way back home to NC and during the first couple hours after service. However, while flying down to Florida over the weekend, our co-owner said that the idle was too low (1200-1600), and that the engine cut off while idling on the ground. Any ideas what might have caused this to happen within a few hours after being serviced? Seems like the rpm at idle was around 1800 when I first picked it up.

I can be affected by the difference in the elevation, humidity and OAT, but 1800 to 1300 is quite a jump. Or something slipped or is loose where they were working. It would be better to pull the cowl and warm it up and look at the rpm and at the carb throttle arm and connecting parts.
Especially look to see if the throttle stops are touching the stop screw. For the time being just don't pull the throttle to full back. Just up until you are at 1800 +/- and that should take care of the low idle shut down. That is why I'm not a believer in low idle rpm settings not to mention the extra hammering on the gearbox.

We found the problem to be that one of the spark plugs apparently hadn't been tightened. After flying it for a couple hours, it may have loosened. We tightened it a full turn and slightly tightened the others.