T

tturner

Well Known Member
I am considering purchasing a RV-6 project that has been in storage for the last 6 years in a hanger in FL only 2 miles from the ocean.

History: Project started in 1993 and builder died in 2003. New O-360 and Hartzell CS purchased in 2002 from Van's and has never been run. Aircraft is primed and the engine and prop are hung but it has been sitting in this hanger for 6 years. Engine is pickled and I pulled one spark plug and found not visable sign of rust. Lycomning recommends pulling a cylinder to check cam and lifters. Hartzell recommends replacing seals in prop. Does not appear to be any SB's issues.

Here are my questions:

1. Any of you have any experience with new engines and props that have been stored this long?

2. The fuselage attach point for the rear spar does not have enough edge distance from center of hole to outside edge, is .531 should be .625. Vans said to replace attach point. How many hours should this take?

3. The wing spar is the early kit design and not the factory built unit. The surfaces of the spar material show no signs of pitting or corosion but when you rub your hands across them there is a light gritty substance which wipes off. This may just be sand dust from the environment. The inside of the wings and fuselage look good. There are about 50 clecos holding panels on and they are all rusted. Not being one who has lived in a ocean front environment is a more detail analysis needed?

Thanks
 
tturner said:
3. The wing spar is the early kit design and not the factory built unit.
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There was never a design change on the -6 spar. You simply had the option of building it yourself or having Flogistion do it. The customer built spar is the same without being anodized.
 
Hi Tommy...

....Lycoming gave you good advice and the prop seals are probably hard from the 100 degree plus temps that hangars run in the summer. There's a good A&P at new Smyrna beach, Helio joe on here.

If you'll PM me, I'll give you his contact info.

I checked with another multi time RV builder A@P/IA and he estimates 10 hours or more to drill the rear spar attach bracket out. The floorboards and luggage area boards are pop-rivetted and they'll need to come out first.

Regards,
 
Spar Material

Unless there is pitting, no worries. The 6 spar is a laminated assembly and extremely strong, perhaps over-built.

If Pierre's buddy says 10 hours on the rear spar attach brackets, I believe him. However, it will be ackward, backbreaking work. A 90deg. drill will come in handy if not be essential.

If the builder messed up his clearances on something as important as the wings rear spar attachment, pay close attention to the Vertical Stab and HS attach points, especially the two bolts on the rear of the VS that attach it to an angle on the rear deck. It was very common for builders to line these holes up with the rivets in the VS spar, violating the edge distance. There is no easy fix for this. The HS Spar has similar issues where it attaches through the deck to the hidden longerons, but this can typically be fixed with doublers.

Steel Cleco's rust easily and I would not consider that a total sign of the condition of the airframe. I would look very carefull at the Engine Mounting Bolts and Fuselage interface. These are Steel supports in the corners of the fuselage. Corrosion can hide under the bolt heads if the brackets where not primed well, and they where typically not primed well from the factory. Same with the Tail Wheel Weldment. You can easily pull the Tail Wheel Spring and inspect the Socket. Pulling the Engine Mount bolts is not a big deal either, just ackward.

There will be some SB's like the Fuel Pick up Tube and Tank Attach bracket fixes. I doubt those would have been done considering the date of the kit. Pretty easy fixes.

These are a few of the most common 6 issues. Get a good AP for your prop and engine inspections.
 
I'd have the prop resealed, and just run the engine. Even if there is some minor surface rust on the cam... you aren't gonna want to replace it. Run it 100 hours and see how the lift is doing after that.
 
osxuser said:
I'd have the prop resealed, and just run the engine. Even if there is some minor surface rust on the cam... you aren't gonna want to replace it. Run it 100 hours and see how the lift is doing after that.
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Oil analysis would help you a lot in this case------establish a base line, and show whatever trend is developing. If there is rust, you will probably see high iron at first, but dropping off with time.

Unless the rust is really bad, that is:eek:

In way less than a hundred hours you should have a good idea if there is a problem.

Make the first oil change fairly early, and 25 hours afterward is a pretty good way to go.

Good luck, hope all works out for you.
 
Don't forget to check...

...that the hanging rudder pedals SB has been done.

There should be some welded reinforcing tabs at the joint where the hanging U-shaped loops meet the cross tube.
 
osxuser said:
I'd have the prop resealed, and just run the engine. Even if there is some minor surface rust on the cam... you aren't gonna want to replace it. Run it 100 hours and see how the lift is doing after that.
Click to expand...

How would check the lift on the cam? .........:eek:

Thanks........
 
az_gila said:
...that the hanging rudder pedals SB has been done.

There should be some welded reinforcing tabs at the joint where the hanging U-shaped loops meet the cross tube.
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If this is a 1993 kit, it may not have the "hanging" rudder pedals. I don't remember when they came out. If it does not have them, it would be good to install them. I finished my airplane in 1993 and have the floor mounted pedals. The hanging pedals are far superior.
 
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