|
-
POSTING RULES

-
Donate yearly (please).
-
Advertise in here!
-
Today's Posts
|
Insert Pics
|

08-24-2008, 09:26 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Sedro Wooley, WA
Posts: 147
|
|
oil door popped open in flight
Just a heads up and a question for those who have the camlock oil doors.
Has your oil door ever opened in flight? If so what did you do to correct the problem?
Yesterday at about 150 mph the oil door on the 9 popped open in flight. The good news is that it stayed with the plane and still works. I have it installed with only one push button cam lock in the center and will now probably add some quarter turn camlocks on in the outer edge corners.
Mike Ice
RV-9
30 hours and still having fun.
Last edited by Mike Ice : 08-24-2008 at 09:27 AM.
Reason: spelled word wrong
|

08-24-2008, 12:25 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Lake St. Louis, MO.
Posts: 2,346
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Ice
Just a heads up and a question for those who have the camlock oil doors.
Has your oil door ever opened in flight? If so what did you do to correct the problem?
Yesterday at about 150 mph the oil door on the 9 popped open in flight. The good news is that it stayed with the plane and still works. I have it installed with only one push button cam lock in the center and will now probably add some quarter turn camlocks on in the outer edge corners.
Mike Ice
RV-9
30 hours and still having fun.
|
The oil door on my -6A has never popped open in flight and I have to ask if you reinforced the oil door to make it more rigid. Typically I use the waste cut from the cowl for the oil access door opening and bond that material to the backside of the door. Doing so stiffens the door considerably. Even though Van's calls out two camloc wing nut type fasteners to secure the oil door, many builders seeking a cleaner look elect to install only one latch centered on the door typically a Hartwell or Camloc. The pressure on that door in flight is significant and some builders have reported it to actually bow outward in flight. To my mind, only one latch securing an unreinforced door is less than a satisfactory arrangement.
__________________
Rick Galati
RV6A N307R"Darla!"
RV-8 N308R "LuLu"
EAA Technical Counselor
Last edited by Rick6a : 08-24-2008 at 12:32 PM.
|

08-24-2008, 01:54 PM
|
 |
VAF Moderator / Line Boy
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, NV
Posts: 12,256
|
|
Two Hartwells....
I have two Hartwells mounted horizontally( aligned fore and aft), and they hold the door with no bowing or movement at all. I'd be nervous with just one as well.....
__________________
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
|

08-24-2008, 01:59 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 2,904
|
|
It was the Pmags
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Ice
Has your oil door ever opened in flight? If so what did you do to correct the problem?
Mike Ice
RV-9
30 hours and still having fun.
|
Hey Mike,
It had to be the Pmags........ 
__________________
Darwin N. Barrie
Chandler AZ
www.JDair.com
RV-7 N717EE-Flying (Sold)
RV-7 N717AZ Flying, in paint
EMS Bell 407,
Eurocopter 350 A-Star Driver
|

08-24-2008, 02:59 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Corpus Christi,Texas
Posts: 396
|
|
awww
Thats Just Mean..
__________________
Flying! RV9A
50 hours
working on
new ifr pannel
|

08-24-2008, 04:21 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Roy, Utah
Posts: 1,144
|
|
I put a single curved rib under my oil door to keep it from flexing and opening in flight. Works great. I have a single spring latch on the door.
It's the low pressure on the topside of the door causing it to bend upwards in flight. I may still make a door from aluminum this winter, tho.
Steve
|

08-24-2008, 06:32 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Mtns of N.E. Georgia
Posts: 1,322
|
|
Oil Door
I used a piece of .032 aluminum from the forward baggage cutout to make the Oil Door on my -8. It is unreinforced with a hidden upper hinge and a single Hartwell Latch in the center of the bottom. No problems after 200+ hours and at least one trip to red line speed.
For you -8 builders this is an easy way to make the Oil Door. Just find a section of the cutout that matches the cowl then there's no need to bend it to the proper contour. (And no steeenkin fiberglass!!!!!!!!)
__________________
LAUS DEO
Mannan J.Thomason, MSGT. USAF (RET)
VAF788
"Bucket List" checkoff in progress!
|

08-24-2008, 06:48 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Victoria, Canada
Posts: 2,251
|
|
Had my Camloc door open in flight. Redid the strike plate properly and now it's stong, like bull!
Vern
__________________
===========
V e r n. ====
=======
RV-9A complete
Harmon Rocket complete
S-21 wings complete
Victoria, BC (Summer)
Chandler, Az (Winter)
|

08-24-2008, 08:09 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironflight
I have two Hartwells mounted horizontally( aligned fore and aft), and they hold the door with no bowing or movement at all. I'd be nervous with just one as well.....
|
Ditto for me and even with the duel P-mags it has stayed closed. 
__________________
Bill R.
RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
O-360 w/ dual P-mags
Build the plane you want, not the plane others want you to build!
SC86 - Easley, SC
www.repucci.com/bill/baf.html
|

08-25-2008, 08:15 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Sedro Wooley, WA
Posts: 147
|
|
oil door flying open
Rick,
I reinforced the .032 aluminum oil door with two strips of aluminum angle bent to follow the curve of the door. But I only used one of those Camlock fasteners, like the ones shown in your picture, located in the center of the door. Your right it is less than satisfactory. Funny how all those great ideas that worked so well in the shop start to vibrate and come undone when you start flying around.
Ironflight,
Yep, I am nervous with just the one and yesterday I taped it down while flying and will do so until I get busy and make a new one with two latches.
Darwin,
Hmm! I never thought it could be the Pmags but now that you mention it....
Mannanj,
I think the hartwell latches provide a little better latching mechanism. I wanted to use them but the Camlocks were available locally.
Vern,
It was your idea for the door I liked so tried to copy. I suspect I will have to go back and see what you did with the stronger strike plate.
Bill,
I think with the 2 Hartwells the door will never pop open.
Thanks for the ideas and suggestions.
Mike Ice
37.6 hours and loving it.
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
| Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:54 AM.
|