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Sam James Cowl on RV-10

vic syracuse

Well Known Member
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Does anyone out htere have any recent experience with the Sam James cowl, specifically on an RV-10? How does it compare to the fit and finish of Van's cowl, and how much extra work was it, if any? Have you had any problems with CHT or Oil temps? What engine/prop combination did you use? Is an extension required? Any comments or pictures would really be appreciated, along with the items you deleted out of the finish kit.
I already searched and couldn't find any info sepcific to the RV-10. I saw someone asked this same question last January (2008) with no responses.

Thanks!

Vic
 
My buddy did it on his.. I don't think it was any more work than stock cowl.. No extension required, but a different (14" spinner) was required instead.. they're a bit more expensive. He's got Barrett's cold air and he had to come up with his own airbox setup.. that took a little extra time.. but wasn't that bad. I don't think that's an issue with regular IO-540 setup ...

CHTs and oil temps are just fine.. as usual, they were slightly higher at first during breakin, but it got better now.. Don't believe they're any higher than stock setup..
 
My last inquiry

Vic:

My last inquiry concerning the James 10 cowl was about 6 months ago. At that time, several "prototypes" had been shipped, according to Liz James. Before taking any additional orders, they were awaiting feedback from those installations.
 
I am in the process of installing the James cowl on my RV-10. I have a Barrett engine with cold air induction, so there's a little difference in the cowl from the normal James RV-10 cowl from what I understand.

Quality of the cowl is excellent. Installation, in my opinion is somewhat harder just because the James instructions are no where near as detailed as Van's. I do seem to have gotten it to come together just fine so far.

The spinner is a challenge. If you're going with an Aero Composites prop like Deems, or the MT prop, I think you can order it with the 14" spinner. If you go with the Hartzell 2-blade, your options are limited. Hartzell sells a 14" spinner, but it's expensive. I paid $875 and it's only gone up from there. That said, it mounted right up and I was done in about 5 minutes, compared to the hours that the Van's spinner would take you to make and install.

I will have to come up with my own airbox setup because I don't want to cut into the cowl like the Rod Bower system requires.

PJ Seipel
RV-10 #40032
 
We had one of the early cowls & plenum. Barretts cold air induction & the MT 3 blade, 14" spinner. The plenum needed a bit of work. We put a slightly larger oil cooler in, and now temps are fine, inc on long 10,000' climbs at full power. The Forsling exhausts give it a lovely growl. I would like to have justified the extra cost of the Aerocomposite prop.
Next time I'd fit Rod's airbox. The elec ignition is a bit tight with the plenum.
Neil
ZK-RVT - 160 hrs.
 
I am in the process of installing the James cowl on my RV-10. I have a Barrett engine with cold air induction, so there's a little difference in the cowl from the normal James RV-10 cowl from what I understand.

Quality of the cowl is excellent. Installation, in my opinion is somewhat harder just because the James instructions are no where near as detailed as Van's. I do seem to have gotten it to come together just fine so far.

The spinner is a challenge. If you're going with an Aero Composites prop like Deems, or the MT prop, I think you can order it with the 14" spinner. If you go with the Hartzell 2-blade, your options are limited. Hartzell sells a 14" spinner, but it's expensive. I paid $875 and it's only gone up from there. That said, it mounted right up and I was done in about 5 minutes, compared to the hours that the Van's spinner would take you to make and install.

I will have to come up with my own airbox setup because I don't want to cut into the cowl like the Rod Bower system requires.

PJ Seipel
RV-10 #40032

PJ, I have been working on the RV-10 cowl and induction system for the last month. I can supply all the parts for either the RSA5 or the FM200 fuel meters and the lower cowl modification takes less than 22 min and is ready to glue in place. Call me on the cell 559-972-6291
 
Does anyone out htere have any recent experience with the Sam James cowl, specifically on an RV-10? How does it compare to the fit and finish of Van's cowl, and how much extra work was it, if any? Have you had any problems with CHT or Oil temps? What engine/prop combination did you use? Is an extension required? Any comments or pictures would really be appreciated, along with the items you deleted out of the finish kit.
I already searched and couldn't find any info sepcific to the RV-10. I saw someone asked this same question last January (2008) with no responses.

Thanks!

Vic

Vic, I have a complete system for the RV-10 ready to install. The fibergalss mod to the lower "stock cowl" takes 22 min and is ready to glue. The system is for fuel inj and I have the RSA5 and FM200 intall addressed.
Rod Bower
[email protected]
cell 559-972-6291
 
We had one of the early cowls & plenum. Barretts cold air induction & the MT 3 blade, 14" spinner. The plenum needed a bit of work. We put a slightly larger oil cooler in, and now temps are fine, inc on long 10,000' climbs at full power. The Forsling exhausts give it a lovely growl. I would like to have justified the extra cost of the Aerocomposite prop.
Next time I'd fit Rod's airbox. The elec ignition is a bit tight with the plenum.
Neil
ZK-RVT - 160 hrs.

Neil, fitting my ramair system got alot simpler over Xmas. The new system I developed takes 22 min to modify the stock van's cowl and an eazy morning to install the supplied parts.
Thanks for the reference on this site.
I will have a new RV-10 video in a few weeks on this site(www.ramairforhomebuilts.com)

Rod
 
Rod,

Do you have any pictures you can post? I'm using a James Cowl that was built for the Barrett cold air induction and I'm using a FM-200 fuel controller. If you have a system that works without cutting up the cowl then I am definitely interested.

PJ Seipel
RV-10 #40032
 
Rod,

Do you have any pictures you can post? I'm using a James Cowl that was built for the Barrett cold air induction and I'm using a FM-200 fuel controller. If you have a system that works without cutting up the cowl then I am definitely interested.

PJ Seipel
RV-10 #40032

PJ, the only way a SJ cowl will work without modification is to use SJ induction system. This cowl is the one that Deems Davis used and I have that fiberglass inlet pattern made from Deems installation. Deems has a large selection of pictures on his web site showing the install and the final package. I sent Deems a new upgrade that replaced the older fiberglass unit with the new aluminum system.

Rod
 
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