VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics


Go Back   VAF Forums > Main > RV General Discussion/News
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-02-2019, 03:37 PM
Stockmanreef Stockmanreef is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Midland, mi
Posts: 962
Default New Engine while building Question

I don't know how I would search my question so I figure I would ask.

I am about to put on the prop and so now it is time to start rotating the prop. Obviously this means that you have to take out the plastic caps where the top spark plugs go. I have dehydrator plugs and I am in the winter months up here in Michigan and I am keeping the garage warm--thus low humidity. But still every time you rotate the prop, you have to take out the dehydrator plugs.

I would prefer to not have to put in and take out the dehydrator plugs.

Has anyone made a system that hooks all the cylinders together through the spark plug holes? Then connect the dehydrator plugs to that system? Then when you rotate the prop all the pressure is equalized through the tubing that connects all the cylinders. This way you don't have to remove anything to rotate the prop since two cylinders are 180 degrees from the other two and therefore the pressure is equalized.

The problem is that I don't know how to transition from the spark plug holes (whether aviation or auto sized) to anything that I can adapt to tubing. The threaded holes are straight and not NPT. Does anyone know how to adapt spark plug holes to NPT? Where can I buy such fittings?

I also plan to suck any oil out of the cylinders prior to rotating the prop, so I can put the oil back into the cylinders when I don't plan to rotate the prop for a while. I will just put the prop back to where it is now, which I assume is at a point where all the cylinders are somewhere mid stroke.

Maybe I am too worried about this, but I did spend a lot of money on the engine so I would like to make sure it is fine when I crank it up the first time.

Thanks
__________________
Ken Stockman
Midland, MI
EAA Chapter 1093 member

FaceBook Page: Ken's RV-14
RV-14a (serial number 140073)
N73XP

Plane at hangar and the wings ON.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-02-2019, 04:13 PM
cderk's Avatar
cderk cderk is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Park Ridge, NJ
Posts: 637
Default

How close are you to first flight? It was suggested to me by Lycoming to NOT drain the preservative oil out until the last possible minute before flying for the first time. I?ve left my prop off... will put it on soon, but I dont see any reason to put it on as early as van?s tells you to. I have a spacer that i borrowed from another builder that simulates the prop for purposes of fitting the cowl on.
__________________
RV10
http://n688cd.wordpress.com
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-02-2019, 04:34 PM
Stockmanreef Stockmanreef is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Midland, mi
Posts: 962
Default

I have the avionics done and will have everything wired FWF this week. I just put on the FM-150. I need to do exhaust, baffling, cowling, spinner, oil cooler, snorkle (which requires the cowling in place), put on the wings and a few other things. I have been trying to do everything I can before rotating the prop. I even have the wheel pants and fairings done.

I could put in the exhaust now, but I am not sure if that will get in the way of doing something else. I think that is probably not a good idea to put on the oil cooler prior to cowling. It might be hard to rivet on the piano hinge.

I did not think that I could put on the cowling without putting on the prop and spinner. I don't have a spacer to simulate putting on the spinner. That would be nice. How close can you get the fitting when putting on the cowling without the spinner?

I just figured that if I could pull the oil out of the cylinders and put it back in then it would be OK in conjunction with the dehydrator plugs.
__________________
Ken Stockman
Midland, MI
EAA Chapter 1093 member

FaceBook Page: Ken's RV-14
RV-14a (serial number 140073)
N73XP

Plane at hangar and the wings ON.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-02-2019, 04:40 PM
ty1295 ty1295 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Jeffersonville, IN
Posts: 393
Default

I would probably find a way to mount the spinner and not rotate if you don't plan to start it for awhile. All thread with nuts, washers, just a stack of washers, etc.

I was able to do all my cowl work with just the spinner, luckily for me the spinner mounted behind the prop so no custom spacers were needed just shorter bolts.

Another option you may be able to rotate it slowly and let the compression escape thru rings without removing anything.
__________________
Jeff Scott
RV9A First Flight 9/30/19
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-02-2019, 05:16 PM
Bavafa Bavafa is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 3,351
Default

Ken,
You sound like you know what you are doing and you are on the good path to flying soon, so congrats.

By riveting the hinges, I assume you mean the portion that goes on the fuse and if that is what you mean, you can go ahead and finish that. You do not need the cowl fitted in order to do that part. The mating section on the cowl will be adjusted to the part that is on the fuse.
Then you can do the oil cooler, all other plumbing if not finished, exhaust and what ever FWF that is left to do minus the snorkel and cowl. BTW, there is a good likelihood that you would need to disconnect the nose gear parts in order to fit the exhaust tail portion, so I would recommend to finish that as well.
To simulate a mocked spinner in order to do the cowl is a bit risky, in my opinion unless you are not aiming for awesome fit.
So, if you really don't have anything else that you could work on, then I see no reason to prolong this. If you are really worried about humidity, perhaps you can build or buy a desiccant dehumidifier and continuously run it thru the engine to keep it extra dry.
BTW, I assume you have already made your back spinner plate and ready to go. Once the spinner is fitted, there is very little need for rotating the prop.
__________________
Mehrdad
N825SM RV7A - IO360M1B - SOLD
N825MS RV14A - IO390 - Flying
Dues paid

Last edited by Bavafa : 12-02-2019 at 05:20 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-02-2019, 05:25 PM
upperdeck upperdeck is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Menomonee Falls, WI
Posts: 145
Default What prop?

If you have a whirlwind prop, whirlwind has a device that simulates the spinner location that allows you to do everything needed without installing the prop or spinner? Or, maybe you can buy one from them?
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-02-2019, 05:35 PM
Stockmanreef Stockmanreef is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Midland, mi
Posts: 962
Default

I had a bit of a brain fart. The piano hinges are on the fuselage on the sides. I need to rivet on the top skin, so those hinges need to be put in place. So I should be able to do the oil cooler now.

When I put on the nose gear, I tried to put the exhaust tail in place and found it was impossible to get in place with the nose gear assembles. I planned ahead for the exhaust and disassemble the nose gear without the engine in place and put in the Y portion of the exhaust. Then I put on the engine. I did just realize that there is one issue with this. I just put in an ASA oil separator, but I now have to drill a hole in the exhaust, which I think means I have to have that bloody exhaust piece out from where it is.

BTW--how much oil would be in each cylinder when pickled?
__________________
Ken Stockman
Midland, MI
EAA Chapter 1093 member

FaceBook Page: Ken's RV-14
RV-14a (serial number 140073)
N73XP

Plane at hangar and the wings ON.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-02-2019, 08:40 PM
Ironflight's Avatar
Ironflight Ironflight is offline
VAF Moderator / Line Boy
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, NV
Posts: 12,256
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stockmanreef View Post
BTW--how much oil would be in each cylinder when pickled?
Depends on who pickled it - I have seen cylinders with just a coating of heavy oil (nothing drains out) and I have seen cylinders that folks completely filled with oil. My limited experience with engines built by pro shops (3 engines) was that there wasn?t really enough to drain.

Paul
__________________
Paul F. Dye
Editor at Large - KITPLANES Magazine
RV-8 - N188PD - "Valkyrie"
RV-6 (By Marriage) - N164MS - "Mikey"
RV-3B - N13PL - "Tsamsiyu"
A&P, EAA Tech Counselor/Flight Advisor
Dayton Valley Airpark (A34)
http://Ironflight.com
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-02-2019, 09:05 PM
PaulvS's Avatar
PaulvS PaulvS is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 333
Exclamation Avoid rotating

I would find a way to avoid rotating the engine as long as possible because apart from what's already been discussed, turning the crank will also wipe off the preservative oil from the camshaft lobes and there is no easy way to replace that without running the engine (as far as I know).
__________________
Paul vS (yes I'm also a Van)
Building RV-6A #22320 O-320 FP. Wings and tail complete, working on fuselage
Flying my low-n-slow Aeroprakt A-22 and the aero club's RV-9A while I build
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-02-2019, 09:29 PM
jcarne's Avatar
jcarne jcarne is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Worland, Wyoming
Posts: 1,365
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulvS View Post
I would find a way to avoid rotating the engine as long as possible because apart from what's already been discussed, turning the crank will also wipe off the preservative oil from the camshaft lobes and there is no easy way to replace that without running the engine (as far as I know).
Mike Busch outlines a method before starting an engine here on an EAA webinar. I plan on following this method. Seems like a good way to get some lubricant back on the internals (cam in particular). I just purchased the spray bottle he recommends, it seems to do a really good job atomizing things.

But I do agree it is probably best to wait on rotating parts.
__________________
Jereme Carne
PPL
RV-7A Emp. done
Wings done
Fuselage done
Finish kit almost done
Exempt but gladly paying!
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:29 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.