What to do prior to hanging the engine?

[crabandy]

I finally purchased my engine for my 7!! It will take a while to replenish my savings enough to purchase the firewall foward kit, therefore I was looking for items/tasks to do before I hang the engine without the firewall foward kit. If I buy the mounts separately and hang the engine so I can fit the cowling is there anything else I should do prior to hanging the engine.

Thanks,
Andy

[Bavafa]

Depending of what type of engine/accossories. If C/S and the governer mounts to the back, then you would want to mount that before hanging the engine. Also some of the Firewall access holes for cables/battery etc can be done prior to installing the engine.

Good luck

[RV7ator]

You can piecemeal the FWF stuff as budget allows. Actually, if you want to take the time to study and ask questions, I think you can do better price and performance-wise not using Van's FWF kit. But that's another subject.

There's lots of stuff hung on the firewall and you will really not want the engine in the way. A very smart purchase would be an engine hoist (crane) from a car parts store. You'll find multiple uses for it other than the engine, and having one on hand will make you less likely to try and work around an engine in the way. Dismounting the engine and rehanging isn't that big a deal. So, long way around the barn, hanging the engine and fitting the cowling (you'll need the spinner backplate) is a good idea pending FWF details.

You have completed the canopy and at least fitted the windshield, right?

John Siebold

[Flying Scotsman]

Off the top of my head...

The oil pressure fitting on the back of the engine (although there are now two ports for this, and one just goes straight out the back so this is not a big deal anymore, but I didn't know that and put in the 45 degree fitting near the mount...doh!)

There's a big honkin' -8 fitting on the back for the oil cooler line...on mine, it was oriented just about as not correct for my installation of oil cooler as possible, which meant taking off the right mag and the oil filter (including mounting bracket), which meant also taking off the left mag. This may have been a non-issue prior to mounting the engine, I don't know...if you can get a wrench on it, maybe a crow's-foot.

Starter and Master relays weren't too bad to deal with, just a bit awkward...let's see, what else? Pretty much everything *on* the firewall (battery, fuel line fitting, various platenuts to hold Adel clamps, etc. Eyeballs for control cables would have been easier to do prior to engine mounting, but still weren't tough.

That's all I can think of at the moment...

[scsmith]

Most crucial already mentioned - the oil pressure fitting on the engine.

If you are even remotely thinking of putting a cooling shroud around your fuel pump, do it with the engine off - its way easier to install the fuel pump with the engine off. You will need to be able to turn the engine over though. Lots of people don't think the fuel pump cooling shroud is necessary - and indeed even on some pretty hot days I have not had a problem. Still, its a simple thing that removes a potential problem, and it is cheap. It is just hard to install with the engine hung on the airplane.

Everything on the firewall is easier, but some things may need to wait for the engine mount or even the engine to decide on location, like the oil breather.
But Van's gives good enough guidance for the battery mount (if it is firewall mounted, which is most likely on a -7), control cable pass-throughs, starter relay and master relay, and the pressure sensor mount manifold. I have a double-row of adel clamps across the middle of the firewall that support the oil pressure line, the manifold pressure line, and a bundle of 2 CHT and 2 EGT thermocouples, alternator field wire, other wires, all bundled in a shrink-tube conduit to get them across to the other side of the engine from the side they came through the firewall.

I put my oil cooler on the firewall with a combination plenum/mount bracket, sort of like the RV-10 install, but made to fit the angles near my engine mount. I'm really happy with the firewall-mounted cooler.

[N941WR]

Install plate nuts for:
1. The oil pressure line, above the cutout
2. The oil breather line, down the left side of the cutout

Install the bracket for the Gascolater (If you will have a crab.)
Drill the hole under the battery and above and to the left of the contactors for the wires to enter the fuselage

Those are the things that I can remember that weren’t called out for early in the plans.

PS. You didn't say what you were building so there might be something specific to your model.

[crabandy]

Thanks for all of the replies!

It is an RV-7, I've finished everything finish kit wise including canopy, brakes interior paint etc. except I just drilled and fitted the wind screen/top fwd skin to leave access for avionics installation. The engine is a experimental O-360 solid crank, Dyn1 mounts, single dual bendix mag, vertical induct carb, spin on oil filter, lightwieght alt, starter, everything minus the ring-gear. I plan on going with the catto, but i have the spinner kit for the sensi from vans.

Thanks for the tips,
Andy

[jjconstant]

If you are thinking of soundproofing or radiant heat protection on the firewall, I would recommend doing it on the engine side, before installing the engine mount. It is easier to find appropriate materials if off-gassing is not an issue. It won't be an issue on the engine side but will be a huge issue on the cockpit side.

Jeremy Constant
RV 7A 100hrs