To-Do before engine?

[hydroguy2]

Going to pick up my engine Friday, so need to get ready to hang it. SO:

Here's what my firewall looked like last night.

Today, As I put the engine mount back on, I started wondering about hinge shims or camlock strips....and what else am I forgetting?

what should do I need done prior to hanging it?

 

[Jamie Aust]

DWG , OP-27. Dont forget the breather tube nutplate. I also put the holes in for the throttle/mixture at the vans recommended places. Lastly I also drilled the hole for the "A" model nose gear bolt. ( I guess its not needed for you )

 

[DakotaHawk]

Electrical safety

Take a look at your electrical gear. How will you cover or protect all electrical equipment from accidental shorting to ground? Now would be a good time to fabricate covers, make a heat-shrink protection, etc on all of your 12V+ gear!

 

[nucleus]

Thots

Brian, don't forget to dimple the firewall for the nosegear bolt. Also, you want your battery box to be positioned so that you can remove the battery to the side if possible. Mine needs to be about one inch lower to do this and it is a real pain to have to take it out behind the engine instead of up and lateral.

 

[hydroguy2]

I taking notes.

I'll skip the nose gear dimple/hole, than you very much. I put the little wheel on the other end since I need the work.

I put the engine mount back on today and it appears getting the battery out should be ok

Concerning the electrical gear. I'll have boots on the big cables, heat shrink on the buss bars and might put a shield of baffle material over the whole area. I haven't seen anyone else with "short guards" installed, let's see some pics showing "sparky protection"

thanks all

 

[Radomir]

I know it's not the best picture up there.. but is that actuator arm on the heater box pointing in wrong direction? or am I just seeing things?

 

[hydroguy2]

I know it's not the best picture up there.. but is that actuator arm on the heater box pointing in wrong direction? or am I just seeing things?

Depends on what you think is the wrong direction. For the box I have it is the right direction. I picked up 2 boxes from a RV-10 project. The other one I am reserving for installation on the pax side later if need be.

 

[EricB]

Looks good

Brian,

You mentioned it so you might have it covered. I am planning on using camlocks on the horizontal section of the lower cowl. Before final install of the engine mount I fab'd up 2 aluminum strips for the camlocks. The engine mount makes riveting this near impossible. Note that the James cowl is exhaust exit is not centered so the strips are not equal length.

Good luck hanging the engine. It?s not too bad. Helped a buddy hang an engine a year ago, took three of us a about an hour and a half. Hung mine a few months ago, took 20 minutes by myself. Give me a call if you need some pointers.

Eric
RV-7 Cowl/Finishing

 

[Sparky]

Other than the hinge shims (or camloc strips/shims) you mentioned, and the breather tube nutplate mentioned by Jamie, you look good to go.

Some of the fuselage to firewall rivets will be a little hard to set with the engine & mount installed. You may want to rivet the 11 or so center bottom rivets (above the exhaust exit) now, as none of them will rivet to the hinges or camloc strips and they will be easier to set now. You can tell which ones you can set now by measuring your bottom cowl.

Also, if you haven't already, fabricate your brake lines that will go from the firewall down the gear legs now, especially the right one. It's easier than trying to fit them later after the engine is installed.

 

[RV7ator]

Make sure the oil pressure pick-off nipple is installed under the upper starboard mounting boss. Assure it's tight enough and oriented properly.

Temporarily mount all your accessories to check for interferences, orientations, routings, etc., particularly among the governor, cable bracket, and oil cooler nipples.

Don't mount the engine until you really, really must or for lack of anything else to do elsewhere. It's a big clunky thing to walk around, and its weight makes lifting the fuse for any purpose (like fitting the wheel fairings) a major PITA. Then, don't be hesitant about dismounting should the desire arise. These things go on and off pretty quickly compared to hours of frustration working around it or the mount.

John Siebold

 

[yakdriver]

When you hang the engine just put the top two bolts in and let it rest on the lower rubbers and go about doing your fuel lines and electrical. You will probably take it back off a time or two so why go through the agravation of getting all four bolts through. Also it is way easier to build up the baffles when it is on the engine stand. When you get everything done then bolt it in permanently and fit the cowl. Don