Baffle and Horizontal Induction Snorkel Questions

[rvbuilder2002]

The baffles have to be done to fit the cowl correctly, and then you fit the snorkel to the baffles.
The inlet ramp has to have the bend to match up to the cowl inlet properly.
If you unpackage the air filter you will see that you can twist it.
That flexibility will allow the filter to have a bend from the fwd inboard corner, to the aft outboard corner.
If the snorkel is trimmed to match the shape of the inlet ramp (with the appropriate gap for the filter thickness) it will hold the filter tight to the bottom of the bent ramp.

[pilotkms]

For what its worth, i first did mine with no bend, but it didnt end up fitting the cowling. Studied my predicament and the instructions more and added back the fibreglas i had cut off the top of the snorkel and then bent the front ramp. It fits really nice and the filter conforms to the bend as stated above. I think it states in the instructions that the end result is more important than the process. I think that was a warning, that i had ignored.
Keep at it - you will get it.

[rzbill]

Don't bend the #2 ramp, just twist until leading edge fits the cowl opening. Build rest of structure to fit the twist. Makes for a really nice fit with no kinks to challenge the filter fit. The filter will easily conform to a smooth twist.

You can bend the #1 ramp just like the carb engines do.

[rvbuilder2002]

Lots of opinions (it is experimental after all....)

The filters I have worked with have stiffeners in the edges and they will not let the filter easily bend in a curve along the edge, but they will let the filter bend / twist at the corners.
If you bend the inlet ramp as designed, the filter will locate in such a way that two of the corners will lay just about directly on the bend line and it will easily conform to the shape of the inlet ramp.
The prototype RV-8A and RV-7A at Van's both have them installed this way.

[sglynn]

Originally Posted by UnPossible

Hey - I am working on the ever-so-fun baffles and am running into some issues with figuring out when to stop working on the left front baffle and shift towards the horizontal induction snorkel installation.

What I am struggling with is do I bend up the left front ramp to match with the cowling before I fit the snorkel?

One of the first instructions for the snorkel is to measure down 3/8" from the left front ramp and draw a line that you trim the snorkel to. If I bend this ramp to match up with the cowel inlet, the cut on the snorkel will not be straight. I also am struggling a bit with seeing how the filter will lay flat on top of the bent ramp.... it may be the correct way to go, but wanted to check with those that have gone before me before I screw up yet another part.

Thanks,
Jason

Is there a work around if I trimmed the outboard edge of the left ramp too much to encircle the snorkle entry? Jason your photo looks like you may have had a similar issue. I'd be interested in your solution. My snorkle fits fine on the right and in the rear. But I trimmed too much material off the left ramp such that there is none in the front nor on the out board (left) side. I do still have the fold under flap of the vertical baffle on the left side so it seems like that could be used to support the snorkle. But I don't want the installation too weak. So does anybody have a solution to accommodating thus situation? I could buy a new ramp and start over but perhaps there is way to use the outboard vertical baffle.

Thanks for photos and ideas.

[rv8ch]

Originally Posted by sglynn

Is there a work around if I trimmed the outboard edge of the left ramp too much to encircle the snorkle entry?

I did exactly the same thing. I didn't see this thread unfortunately before I started on this part of the baffles. I thought I had read everything I could on baffles, but apparently not.

I bought a new inlet ramp after spending hours trying to make the other one work. It's really cheap and took about 5 mins to get it ready. Funny how the second time I do something it's sooo much faster than the first!

[MikeyDale]

The biggest regret I have with my 7 is not making the gap larger between the baffle ramps and the edge of the cowl! I cant remember what the planes call for but it isn't enough! A simple piece of the rubber or silicone material cover this gap so another .25-.5 inch would have been no issue. It makes removing the bottom of the cowl a real pain when the ramp and the edge of the cowl is too close.

[rv8ch]

Originally Posted by MikeyDale

The biggest regret I have with my 7 is not making the gap larger between the baffle ramps and the edge of the cowl!

Thanks for the tip. I'm working on this right now. Could you carefully cut the intake of the lower cowl now to provide more space? It seems like the air filter limits that amount that you could cut off the intake ramp.

[sglynn]

Originally Posted by MikeyDale

The biggest regret I have with my 7 is not making the gap larger between the baffle ramps and the edge of the cowl! I cant remember what the planes call for but it isn't enough! A simple piece of the rubber or silicone material cover this gap so another .25-.5 inch would have been no issue. It makes removing the bottom of the cowl a real pain when the ramp and the edge of the cowl is too close.

Mike
How would you enlarge the gap? Would you cut back more of the pink fiberglass cowl? The snorkle I'm installing now on my 7 fits where it fits and without modifying it, it is already way forward with hardly any gap between the forward edge of the filter and the fiberglass cowl. I cut away all the aluminum ramp in the front already, which was a mistake, but I'm thinking I don't need to try and replace it because there is not much gap here, like you are saying.

[MikeyDale]

Easy to cut the cowl I guess. I could do that then fill the present screw holes and make some new screw holes. Now that my memory has been jogged, it does seem like the filter left no room to shorten the ramp. I hate to have to touch up the paint on the cowl but I may do it. You guys have a chance to avoid that now. Just try to leave all the gap you can by trimming the cowl.