[Bayou Bert]

I need some advise on how to adjust cowling alignment.
The cowling I have was bought in 2007 and sat in an un conditioned
hanger till now.
When I put the top cowling on the plane and let the back lay natural
with the contour of the fuselage the front is off center to the pilots side.
If I MAKE the front sit centered and parallel to the fake spinner bulkhead
the pilots side, at the fuselage has a gap of almost two inches on the side.

Here is when the front is centered and parallel



Here is when the back is laying natural with contours of the fuselage,
you can see the gap on the pilots side. The plate is sitting on 2 1/4"
spacers and I measured from the disc to the rig gear and is the same.
Don't see anything else to measure to for further check. The metal tabs
on the back of the disc are 1/4" per Van's for spacing. So cowl should
butt against them for proper alignment.



Is the cowling warped, surely not the engine/fuselage warped?

All direction and help greatly appreciated.

 

[Dbro172]

I don't quite follow what you mean by a two inch gap on the pilot side... Does that mean the cowling stands off the side if the fuse two inch, or its two inch short of reaching the firewall? Or??? Neither of which I would believe would be possible unless the cowl was seriously warped...

On the other hand, in the photo, the gap behind the spinner, although not square to the spinner, is not too different from many that I've seen, at the starting point. It does get better as you trim, sand and fit the cowl. The aft end of the cowl needs to be trimmed about two inches all the way around. You pretty much need to work the cowl by establishing the correct position at the spinner backplate and work back from there, trimming the aft end of the cowl at the firewall.

The front of the cowl fit to the spinner gets a little better as you work it. Some people have filled (built up) the front of the cowl to match the back of the spinner. Some have cut off the nose and re-glassed it on in the desired relationship to the spinner.

 

[Bayou Bert]

Yep

Derck, yes it stands off from the side of the fuselage.
I can put two fingers between the cowl side and the skin.

 

[rzbill]

Bert,

If you have not done so yet, I highly recommend review of the following thread, especially where it talks about matching the cowl nose halves before putting them on the plane.

Cowl Thread Go in about 3 pages.

That process may shed some light and help with your decision making.

Your pictures show nose distortion. Many have it. Some worse than others.