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11-02-2008, 09:00 PM
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Mandeville, Louisiana
Posts: 179
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Crack in engine baffling
I found that the baffeling has cracked behind #4 cyl where the engine baffle turns outward and the oil cooler is attached. Obvoisly the weight of the oil cooler shaking around on the back of the baffeling is a bit much for the aluminum. This is the second side by side RV I have seen this happen to.
This is a standard Van's setup using Vans FF kit for the O360. The airplane only has 130 hours TTSN.
Is is common? Anybody have experiece with a successful repair?
Regards,
__________________
Dale Lambert
RV-6 Flying, XPIO360 Catto 3bld AFS3500EE
'68' C177
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11-02-2008, 09:09 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Huskerland, USA
Posts: 5,862
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Pretty common. You can stop drill the crack and add doubler plate. Look at where the crack is originating from. Is there a washer missing or screw head setting up stress on the baffling?
__________________
RV-7 : In the hangar
RV-10 : In the hangar
RV-12 : Built and sold
RV-44 : 4 place helicopter on order.
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11-02-2008, 09:12 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
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Dale,
That is common and there are a few solutions.
1. Relocate the oil cooler to the firewall.
2. Add a rectangular cap where the baffles joggles to go around the cylinder head and the oil cooler is. This also makes installing the baffles easier as you only need a straight piece to span the entire back baffle.
3. Add a support/stiffener.
My solution was #3. Here's are two pictures:

Note, this is an O-290 and the screws to hold the baffles in place on the cylinder heads are in different locations than on an O-320 & O-360 so you may notice some other changes required to make the Van’s baffle kit work with this engine.
__________________
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
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11-02-2008, 09:16 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: KSLC
Posts: 4,021
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The solution.....
This is a former aileron push rod.
L.Adamson
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11-03-2008, 04:28 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Lake St. Louis, MO.
Posts: 2,346
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Dale,
The failure is typical of the OLDER style baffle kit that used aluminum for the oil cooler area. You can repair the damage conventionally using a variety of options including reinforcing the area with doublers, angles, stop drilling, installing a brace, etc. I beefed up that area considerably when I assembled the baffling because I read so many reports of cracking. With 230 hours on my O-320 now, the older baffle kit area includes a steel brace and still appears very secure. That is not to say it won't fail sometime in the future.
You may also want to consider purchasing three key pieces of baffling NOW improved using a much harder T6 alloy. Of course the repair will be more expensive and take longer because of the rework involved but only you can decide if it is worth it or not.

__________________
Rick Galati
RV6A N307R"Darla!"
RV-8 N308R "LuLu"
EAA Technical Counselor
Last edited by Rick6a : 11-03-2008 at 12:55 PM.
Reason: correct for errors
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11-03-2008, 07:21 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Cedar Park, TX
Posts: 264
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Part Numbers
Rick - do you have the part numbers for those steel pieces handy ?
__________________
Ron Walker - 40XS
RV7a - Flying
RV10 - Flying !
FFI Flight Lead - www.FalconFlight.aero
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11-03-2008, 07:54 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Lake St. Louis, MO.
Posts: 2,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N520TX
Rick - do you have the part numbers for those steel pieces handy ?
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__________________
Rick Galati
RV6A N307R"Darla!"
RV-8 N308R "LuLu"
EAA Technical Counselor
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11-03-2008, 09:35 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newport, TN
Posts: 7,496
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Rick,
Are you sure those three parts are stainless?
I have the new baffle kit and although those parts look like different material from the rest of the kit, they do not look or feel like stainless.
Anyway to tell for sure?
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11-03-2008, 10:08 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Lake St. Louis, MO.
Posts: 2,346
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Brian,
Well, to answer your question as best I can, let me say this. I would decline to testify in court as a metallurgist but when the time comes for you to cut, snip, drill or even try to file or sand an edge on that hard material, it will become abundantly clear you are not dealing with aluminum. It machines and works like you would expect of thin steel sheet. The only thing I can see it has in common with aluminum is its non-attraction to your average magnet. 
__________________
Rick Galati
RV6A N307R"Darla!"
RV-8 N308R "LuLu"
EAA Technical Counselor
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11-03-2008, 10:50 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newport, TN
Posts: 7,496
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I hear you Rick,
I know it is different but not sure what it is.
Paul Merems and I had this same question with each other last night on the phone.
Maybe Joe or Bruce from the factory could clear this up for us???? 
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