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03-13-2017, 09:28 AM
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Tuttle, Oklahoma
Posts: 2,563
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Oil Cooler baffle cracks
Just thought I would post a pic of something found during my Condition Inspection. I have 475 hours on my 9A. Everything looked really good this go around. Well until this past Saturday when we had our monthly EAA chapter meeting at my hangar. I felt the meeting would be a good time to have some other eyes looking over my airplane. As always, someone else is going to see things you don't. This time no exception. Thanks to one of our members (thanks Harold) he saw some very fine hairline cracks on the bolt flange that holds the oil cooler to the baffle behind the #4 cylinder. Below is a pic of what those cracks ended up doing after I had made attempts to stop drill them. In the process of stop drilling a little more pressure was applied to the flange. You can just see the drill hole just below the top nut plate holes. Well, as you can see, the cracks stopped being hairlines at that point. Consequently, so did my simple temporary fix. Now I am waiting for Vans to open their doors so I can call and see if they sell these individual baffle plates outside of buying the complete kit. If not, well, I guess I will get to fabricating a new one.
This go around I think I will reinforce the flange with another piece of aluminum on the front face of the flange. This will sandwich the baffle flange in between that piece and the oil cooler reinforcement plate on the back side. I also am going to forego the nut plates and use a regular washer and nut to secure the bolts.
Get your buddies to look over everything they can whenever possible. Even non-aviators can be useful when inspecting.
Live Long and Prosper!  |
03-13-2017, 10:24 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 2,788
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what about something to prevent oil cooler vibration like a stiffening bar? actually it's an alum tube. no other modifications except the bar, no cracks yet.
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Steve Melton
Cincinnati, OH
RV-9A, Tip-up, Superior O-320, roller lifters, 160HP, WW 200RV, dual impulse slick mags, oil pressure = 65 psi, EGT = 1300F, flight hours = 800+ for all
Simplicity is the art in design.
My Artwork is freely given and published and cannot be patented.
www.rvplasticparts.com
Last edited by Steve Melton : 03-13-2017 at 10:32 AM.
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03-13-2017, 11:00 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central IL
Posts: 5,514
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+1 for Steve's brace, and I added a .063 angle to reinforce that corner too.
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Bill
RV-7
Lord Kelvin:
“I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about,
and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you
cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge
is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind.”
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03-13-2017, 11:22 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: LSGY
Posts: 3,173
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baffle parts
Quote:
Originally Posted by RVbySDI
.... Now I am waiting for Vans to open their doors so I can call and see if they sell these individual baffle plates outside of buying the complete kit. ...
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Don't worry, they do. Don't ask me how I know.  |
03-13-2017, 11:47 AM
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Tuttle, Oklahoma
Posts: 2,563
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Yep, ordered the part. It will be here in 3 days. I am pretty sure I have some angle aluminum I can use to reinforce that flange. I like both Steve Melton and Bill's ideas I will have to incorporate something to help brace the oil cooler.
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03-13-2017, 04:54 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
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Yep, cracks happen. Below is a picture of my fix and with well over 650 hours on this fix, there isn?t any sign of cracking.
One thing I did when I replaced the cracked baffles was to widen the platenuts by an 1/8" so there would be no stress added by a tight fitting oil cooler.
__________________
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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