Prop governor hits firewall!!!!

GEM930 · #1 03-27-2012, 10:36 PM

Ughhh!!!!

I knew my 320 to 360 swap was going too smooth..... Any ideas?

Carr · #2 03-27-2012, 11:06 PM

Get one of the smaller governors.

Van sells one that is quite a bit shorter. (Jastrox?)

Carr

131RB · #3 03-28-2012, 03:06 AM

Depending on the room on the backside of the firewall it would be pretty easy to remove the pan extend the opening and either build a new pan or make an extension for the existing one. Its hard to tell from the picture what kind of room you have.
Ryan

ronschreck · #4 03-28-2012, 04:46 AM

Ryan is right. Make sure the new box is deep enough to allow removal of the governor without taking the engine off the mounts. I learned this the hard way. Looks like a big Hartzel governor. They are great governors but BIG.

rocketbob · #5 03-28-2012, 05:44 AM

Looks like the governor is interfering with the corner of the firewall recess. The RV-6 firewall recess has a structural vertical piece of angle behind the flange so it would be impossible to widen it. Your only answer is going to be a shorter governor.

robertahegy · #6 03-28-2012, 06:24 AM

Here is a shot of the other side of the firewall on a 7A. The horizontal angle bracing along the bottom of the recess makes extending the recess very difficult. I would think the shorter gov. would be the best solution.

Roberta

rocketbob · #7 03-28-2012, 07:33 AM

Actually I was thinking the photo was oriented sideways. So one could fabricate a longer box (vertically) that would accomodate the governor, and the short piece of angle would be placed lower on the firewall. All depends on what your time/$$ is worth.

az_gila · #8 03-28-2012, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertahegy

Here is a shot of the other side of the firewall on a 7A. The horizontal angle bracing along the bottom of the recess makes extending the recess very difficult. I would think the shorter gov. would be the best solution.

Roberta

<snip pic>

Roberta's picture is for the later RV-6x firewall with the single cross diagonal angles per side.

The original F-601 design has an "X" in angles on each side and NO cross angle under the firewall recess. Looks a lot more like the original picture.

The firewall recess was also a later developed part by Vans, so the one installed might actually be home fabricated and undersize. IIRC some of the early models used a round kitchen SS bowl as a firewall recess.

If you can still get to the area, cut out the bottom portion of the recess structure and fabricate an extension piece. The angle RocketBob mentions isn't actually on your plans, I bet...

GEM930 · #9 03-28-2012, 09:22 AM

I do not believe mine has the bottom angle. And I know it does have the "x" bracing on both sides. Making a lower extension seems like an easy way or what about removing the recess box, cutting another 1.5" off the bottom and sliding the box down. Then all I would have to fabricate would be a 1.5 " top plate.

robertahegy · #10 03-28-2012, 02:32 PM

Obviously there are a few variants in the area. If you have a clear path below the existing recess, what about cutting a notch into the area where the gov. bumps and form some sheet metal patch you can rivet in and seal up? If you haven't bolted the engine to the mounts yet, that should be fairly easy. I guess I would also prefer to keep that Hartzel Gov., too.

Roberta