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Boot cowl seal

129 views and no one has any ideas? I?ve tried using thin foam tape, tried using RTV as well. Both still leaked with any significant amount of rain. Only thing that keeps all the water out is the custom cover from Bruce?s. It?s great but not practical a lot of times.
 
On Sea Planes, normally access panels get RTV silicone, between the panel and the doubler.

You can clean , and then spray either wax/ no stick something on one side and then apply clear RTV silicone. This forms a bonded re useable gasket on one side and allows quick access.

Or else you can make a light duty plenum top to hide underneath to run the water off and away from your avionics.

Some guys that travel a lot use a strip of clear 100 mph tape or clear hockey tape
over the screws and panel seam on the outside.
 
I tried the silicone seal. Looked great but still leaked enough that I don?t feel comfortable leaving the cover off if there is any rain threat. I?m in the middle of a complete panel overhaul/update so I?d like to take care of this while I have everything apart.
 
I gave up trying to seal mine and now use clear tape over the seams and screws when I am worried about rain.
 
At first I closed the gaps at the corners from inside with epoxy and glass and filler to get a continuous lip. Then I glued 2 mm thick epdm foam strips with thin double-sided tape, punched in correspondence with the screws. The screws must be tightened progressively the first time to compress the foam parallel to the cowl.
The foam compresses to form a sufficiently thin gasket without deforming the cover and remains elastic enough to seal the joint after several openings. the joints of the foam are just a bit superposed.
I never encountered heavy rain.
Not a drop of water entered in half an hour of light rain at 180Kn.

Claudio
 
I-TERA said:
At first I closed the gaps at the corners from inside with epoxy and glass and filler to get a continuous lip. Then I glued 2 mm thick epdm foam strips with thin double-sided tape, punched in correspondence with the screws. The screws must be tightened progressively the first time to compress the foam parallel to the cowl.
The foam compresses to form a sufficiently thin gasket without deforming the cover and remains elastic enough to seal the joint after several openings. the joints of the foam are just a bit superposed.
I never encountered heavy rain.
Not a drop of water entered in half an hour of light rain at 180Kn.

Claudio
Click to expand...

Cool and thanks for the info. I?ll try your method.
 
My RTV seal has not leaked in 13 years. Note that the plane is in a hangar except sun and fun and Oshkosh.
Prep fuselage flanges by cleaning with solvent. Then lightly scuff flags to provide a mechanical bond. Clean with solvent again. Apply even bead RTV along middle of flange. Circle each nut plate with enough that the rtv will be squished into the nut plate when secured.
Wax bottom contact edges of panel then apply strips of household stretch wrap over RTV. Wax screws and screw panel in place. Next time you open it remove stretch wrap
 
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