LettersFromFlyoverCountry

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

Well Known Member
For you 7A builders, do you have any advice on what should be installed on the firewall BEFORE hanging the engine? (or for that matter, what should be installed on the engine before hanging the engine?)

Currently the battery box is there, the starter and master contactor, the forest of ground tabs and, of course, I'll rivet on the recess before I add the engine. Oh, and the heater box is installed.

Is there something that I'm leaving out here that MUST be done before losing access by handing the engine on the mount?
 
Restrictor fitting for oil pressure line.

If your going to fool around with the fuel pump, now is the time. (Like putting on a cooling shroud).

Put in the oil cooler line fittings now while the area is wide open.

Put in any nutplates that you will want on the firewall for stuff like the clamps holding the oil sender line and the breather tube to the firewall.
 
Bob,

Somewhere in the plans they tell you to drill a hole below the battery box, above one contactor and to the right of the other. This allows you to feed wires through the firewall at that location. Unfortunately, that didn't show up until after the engine was hung for me.

You can see where the wires pass through the firewall in this picture:
 
Hmmmm... I dn't recall seeing that measurement (it's not on DWG 19, is it?). I bought a pair of those SafeAir passthroughs from Averty, but haven't put them on yet because I wasn't sure where to locate them. I don't have the oil cooler and such yet so I'd be flying blind trying to locate the spots for clamps for it.

At the same time, I'm ging to try to get the electrics going. My first plan is to mount the control unit for the VP-50. I'll have to check some of the blogs for the best way to locate that. Then, I'm going to have an auxiliary buss (fuseblock) and run wires to the firewall. I have a need this winter to see something light up. :)
 
Bob Collins said:
Hmmmm... I dn't recall seeing that measurement (it's not on DWG 19, is it?)...
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No, it's not on DWG 19. It was either on the electrical or FWF drawings, I can't remember which and those drawings are down in my shop.

The location isn't critical, just don't hit a stiffener. I ended up using a snap bushing there and covered with fireblock. As you probably noticed, there were a few wires that ran through that hole.

Also, check out the 3rd engine page on my site. I posted a bunch of pictures on there to show I ran a good number of my wires using adel clamps. It made for a very clean installation.

Big news on hanging the engine, you are actually getting close!
 
This is probably a stupid question but why doesn't the engine come with the oil pressure fitting already on? The only reason I even *know* that I need to put an oil fitting AN on there is via the various VAF threads.
 
oil hoses

Try putting the outbound oil hose on. Wouldn't have to be permanent, just for fit. I have an IO-360-B1B with constant speed prop. I found that the prop governor bracket prevented me putting on the oil hose. In the end, I modified the prop governor bracket as other builders had also done.

It would have been infinitely easier to iterate through the modification before the engine was hung.

Most other things that I thought would be really hard to do with the engine in place, such as poking holes in the firewall and such, were actually not so bad.

Don
 
mine did

Bob Collins said:
This is probably a stupid question but why doesn't the engine come with the oil pressure fitting already on? The only reason I even *know* that I need to put an oil fitting AN on there is via the various VAF threads.
Click to expand...

My engine from Aerosport did come with the restrictor fitting in place, along with most of the other fittings for oil and such. Aerosport and some of the other shops run the engine before you get it.

Don
 
Did you put the manifold on the firewall for oil/fuel pressure senders?

Bob,

Did you put the manifold on the firewall for the oil and fuel pressure senders? Sounds like you got most everything else. The three port model that Van's sells in their FF kit.
 
My new Superior O-360 has two oil ports close to each other, so you have your choice of the 45deg fitting that must be installed before the engine is bolted to the mount...or you can use a straight fitting in the other port and install it after the engine is in the mount. Either way, the unused port needs a plug installed.

Before the engine (and mount) go on, it would be a great time to punch the holes for the throttle, mixture, and carb heat (if used). These are all located in the cluster of motor mount tubes toward the bottom center of the firewall. Also, if an "A" model, you can be sure the nose gear leg attach bolt will clear the drilled firewall hole and you have a correct size metal plug to fill the hole.
 
Bob,

These posts reminded me of this, from the engine page of my web site:

The oil line running between the engine and the transducer is held in place by two Adel clamps that bolt through the firewall using AN3 sized plate nuts (MS21051 - L3). I highly recommend installing these plate nuts prior to riveting the firewall recess in place. There is limited space available for the rivet gun once the engine is hung but you can easily squeeze their rivets prior to installing the recess and engine. (9/6/06)
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Bob Collins said:
Your site has been very helpful to me. in fact, i was looking at your instrument panel planning page last night and it gave me some good ideas for n614EF.
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Good to hear that site is helpful. Go for the throttle quadrant, you will really like it! Just ask Roberta.
 
A better way

DickDe said:
Install the oil pressure AN fitting on the aft of the engine BEFORE hanging the engine...unless you want to mount the engine twice...because you can't tighten it with the engine mounted!!!http://www.vansairforce.com/community/images/smilies/eek.gif

Dick DeCramer
RV6 N500DD
RV8 unregistered Fuselage
Northfield, MN
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Is to not use the 45 degree fitting as its impossible (almost) to turn with a wrench witht he engine in place.

A better way is to go down to your local hydraulics emporium and buy the same thing but as a straight fitting. If you want the restrictor part, then braze up the middle of the fitting and drill a small hole thru the resulting plug.

The straight fitting can now be installed with a half inch deep socket...WAAAY easier.

Frank
 
My new Lycoming experimental IO-320 has two oil pressure ports as well. I went on an used the 45 degree port since I had the restrictor prior to mounting the engine and if at some point in the future I need to use the second port, it will be easier to get to.

I don't remember which engine you are using, but I just hung mine two days ago and am busy adding the hoses and found out that Van's has no drawings for an IO-320. I was getting totally confused looking at the IO-360 drawing they supplied, which showed the throttle body mounted to the front of the oil pan and a fuel inlet hose with a 90 degree fitting. I did not have that hose and the only place it looked like the body would mount to was under the oil pan. Called up Vans and they said, oh yeah, we don't have drawings for the IO-320 configuration, but treat the throttle body like a carb. Tom patiently explained what to do and the only problem I had was removing the cover plate from the pan and a fair amount of oil came out and got everything. Since the throttle body in the -320 is mounted 90 degrees relative to the -360, the angled hose is not needed.

The thing I just found out about this evening is that I failed to install a nut plate for the breather tube. Ugh. At least it isn't too bad to install at this stage with pop rivets.
 
Fuel Pump Shroud

Some have opted to put a shroud around the engine driven fuel pump to help keep it cool. The Pump has to be removed and reinstalled. It would have been a whole lot easier to do this prior to installing the engine.
 
So, what is the best source to figure out what has to be done once the basic engine is hung? Oil coolers, oil cooler shrouds, fuel pumps, hoses etc? Does Van's FWF kit put it in writing somewhere what sorts of things need to be attached and in what sort of order?
 
Holes to hold the vent line

Bob,

There are two other holes and plate nuts you need to install before hanging the engine.

These are the plate nuts that run down the left side of the recess and are used to hold the oil vent line.

I didn't use these, thus you don't see them on my engine installation. This is due to the location of the vent line on my O-290 being on the front of the engine.
 
Prop Governor

Can you get the prop governor (MT) on without taking the engine off again
on an ECI IO-360.

Thanks
 
Another consideration for builders prior to installing their engines (particularly for 'A' models) is to complete their gear leg fairing and wheels spat installation first. To install these items the weight needs to be off the gear and fuselage leveled. This is far easier (and safer) to do without the engine installed. Ask me how I know?

One for consideration.

Greg (RV-7A)
 
Curious

BigglesRV7A said:
Another consideration for builders prior to installing their engines (particularly for 'A' models) is to complete their gear leg fairing and wheels spat installation first. To install these items the weight needs to be off the gear and fuselage leveled. This is far easier (and safer) to do without the engine installed. Ask me how I know?
Greg (RV-7A)
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OK, I'll bite: "How do you know?" :D
 
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