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cowling deforming

S

stamper

Well Known Member
I have almost 8 hrs on my plane after today. I pulled the top cowl off this afternoon after the engine cooled and noticed that where my bottom and top cowl meet with the side hinges they no longer line up. My bottom cowl as sucked in about a 1/2" in the center. This is going to make it really hard to get the pins back in. It did this on both sides but the left is worse then the right.
Has this happened to anyone else and what did you do to correct the problem. I do have the inside of the cowling painted and the outside is not painted yet if that makes any difference.
 
Off hand it sounds like you have significant "exhaust pipes heating the cowl" issues.
- Do you see discolored areas on the bottom cowl?
- Did you paint the inside of the cowl white to reflect heat?
- Did you put in the reflected heat shield on the inside of the cowl?

Carl
 
cowl

I did paint the inside of the cowl white and I also put the heat shield on but just under the pipes. I didn't heat shield the whole inside.
 
Try re-installing the top after the engine returns to roam temperature and see how it goes on.
 
I did wait to put it the top on the next day and it was still the same. I might have to take the hinge off and do the quarter turns.
 
Sorry to say if it is that bad you have to do a repair or replace.

You could try a hot air gun on the area and try to form it back into shape. If that does not work, go ahead and replace the cowl now before you paint.

Whatever you do, make sure you install the foil heat shield on the inside of the cowl. If you have an exhaust pipe that is close to the glass, add one or more of these: http://vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/sto...2-410-162&browse=engines&product=heat-shields


Carl
 
Get technical.

Get a FLIR camera for your phone and look at the cowl after landing. See if that is the hot spot. I have a 10 friend and his cowl is primed, but fully lined with heat reflector and after 60 hrs (with hinges) goes on just fine. All built by the book.

You might want to call Vans and ask about the cowl resin formulation and possible issues.
 
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