The dreaded baffle/Oil Cooler Crack

[gfb]

Just documenting here for those thinking they don't need to strengthen this area I'm on Condition Inspection #2, 592hrs and found this ugly crack through almost the entire baffle flange.

Talked to vans on the phone and we agreed that cutting the flange and adding a piece of 0.125x1x1 angle would be a good fix. So today I drilled out the rivets.

[gfb]

Yes, I know those bolts are threaded too far. I'll be taking care of that with the repair as well.

[OZCleco]

Same issue, pretty much the same repair.

Adding to the thread as a show of solidarity, knowing what a pain in the backside it was, start to finish.

[Scott Hersha]

When I made my baffles, I made a reinforcing angle out of mild steel from Home Depot. The angle underlapped the side reinforcing angle on the side baffle, and the attach screw on the cylinder. No cracks. Mild steel is much less susceptible to cracking. A few ounces heavier though.

[drill_and_buck]

GB, Nice clean install. One option you might want to consider is to place a washer between the oil cooler flange and the aluminum spacer (as seen in Carl's pictures). There have been reports of cracking in the area where the spacer meets the flange. Placing a washer there will distribute the clamping force over a wider area.

[fixnflyguy]

When your all fixed up, as others have said, make sure you put some type of support to keep the cooler from flexing the baffle. I made mine from SS tubing attached to the case through bolts.

[vic syracuse]

Behind jamnuts and throttle/mixture travel, the cracking baffling due to the oil cooler is the next most common finding. For those of you building, you should just add the stiffener from the start, as they all will crack around 200-300 hours.

I recommended for the plans to be changed reflecting this need.

Vic

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by fixnflyguy

When your all fixed up, as others have said, make sure you put some type of support to keep the cooler from flexing the baffle. I made mine from SS tubing attached to the case through bolts.

I saved that picture of Casper. A fine example of how baffles should look like. Thanks Bill.

[beechrv9a]

Oil Cooler Attach to Baffle Crack

History – Absolutely wonderful 2016 RV9A, 200+ hours, IO-360, Whirlwind 200RV CS Prop. Flew from snowbird hanger with all my tools and materials at X35 Dunnellon Fl. To 0W3 Harford County Md on July 1st. As is normal before a cross country flight, I removed the cowling for a good look see before the flight and oil change that was due. All was well and I had no issues on the flight which included a normal one stop gas and go at KFLO Florence, SC and subsequent dodging and diverting for TS along the route near Richmond VA., then up the Eastern Shore of Maryland for a 6.5 hour flight. After several other local flights and a round-trip Beach Day Flight to 26N Ocean City NJ, I decided to pull the cowling as I will be flying back to Florida soon. To my surprise, I discovered the infamous oil cooler baffle attach crack. The point is this happened after ~ 9 hours of flight since the previous inspection, so if you haven’t done so, reinforce the oil cooler baffle attach point. Many thanks to the staff at 0W3 Harford Air Services for tools, and materials to make repairs.







And the Fix in progress

[johnbright]

Originally Posted by beechrv9a

Oil Cooler Attach to Baffle Crack

...The point is this happened after ~ 9 hours of flight, so if you haven’t done so, reinforce the oil cooler baffle attach point...

https://www.smugmug.com/app/photos?imageKey=sZvK2V8
https://www.smugmug.com/app/photos?imageKey=R5Pdz5N
https://www.smugmug.com/app/photos?imageKey=M7PxqG5
https://www.smugmug.com/app/photos?imageKey=6V9FnPf

Wish I could see rhe photos.