Category: Firewall Forward

Firewall forward, finish, cowling underway

I was happy with the behind-the-spinner nutplate installation until I realized that I put them on the top cowl when they belong on the bottom. Argh!! What an idiot!

I fixed them today and will flox those eight rivet holes sometime in the next few days.

I was happy with the behind-the-spinner nutplate installation until I realized that I put them on the top cowl when they belong on the bottom. Argh!! What an idiot!

I fixed them today and will flox those eight rivet holes sometime in the next few days.

Cowl inlet ramps with scribe lines highlighted for trimming.

Cowl inlet ramps with initial trim completed. The glass is fairly easy to cut with a combination of left & right tin snips.

Cowl inlet drilling to the upper cowl underway.

Cowl inlet drilling to the upper cowl complete. The four clecos securing each inlet to the cowling are drilled only through the honeycomb and NOT through the fiberglass, itself. Carefully, carefully…

Left cowl inlet with prop governor clearance hole cut out.

First test fitting of the cowl halves with the inlets in place. Everything went on like it should, so I was pleased if more than a little surprised.

Cowl inlets floxed in place.

Cowlings set in place overnight to permit inlet ramp flox to dry in its actual position.

Firewall forward, finish, cowling progress

Snorkel marked for initial trimming to air filter frame.

Snorkel marked for initial trimming to air filter frame.

Snorkel marked for initial trimming to fuel servo.

Snorkel being reformed (via heat gun and pressure (I used both the beer bottle and hammer handle)) to clear the Cylinder 2 intake tube.

Air filter frame and snorkel drilled together in final position.

Air filter frame and snorkel floxed together.

Upper cowling interior coated with epoxy resin.

Lower cowling interior coated with epoxy resin.

Empennage fairing interior coated with epoxy resin

Firewall forward component installation continued…

Threading one of the four baffle tension rods.

Two done, two to go.

All four ready for installation.

The left side rear nut was challenging to tighten, but a combination of socket, universal joint, and extension sufficed to get it done.

It’s amazing how much the curved, lower portions of the baffles tightened up against the cylinders when the rods achieved tension. Simple, but effective. Very cool.

Ah, the snorkel, at long last. I remember how much of a bear this job was on my last RV. Of course, I had an Airflow Performance fuel injection servo on that plane, which required some modifications and re-glassing to the lower end of the snorkel.

On this airplane, I’m using the stock FI system, but still anticipating some massaging of the snorkel before all is said and done. We shall see…

Initial snorkel fitting. Not great, but not as awful as it could have been. Onward!

Initial snorkel fitting. Not great, but not as awful as it could have been. Onward!