LW-10303
Sorry, reviving an ancient thread here.
I'm finishing the assembly of my parallel valve IO-360, and started to put the accessories back together. Our plane is all-electric, so we do not have a vacuum pump. We have not settled on double-alternators, so we are not installing a standby alternator on the vacuum pump pad at this time. I have the square pad cover, as well as the block that used to serve as the vacuum pump drive gear housing. Looking at the parts manual and the overhaul manual, Lycoimg wants part LW-10303 to replace the gear drive. I'd be fine with that, except the silly plug retails for $150. Being a cheapskate, I don't want to do that. So, is the correct thing to do:
A) pay the money for the LW-10303, install the pump drive housing with the plug, then cap it with the square cover.
B) throw the pump drive housing in the spare parts bin, put the square pad cover directly onto the accessory housing, using shorter studs or spacer tubes, and forget all about the LW-10303 plug.
Keep in mind an SD-8 alternator is a possibility later, but I thin neither of my proposed solutions precludes this.