Monday, July 27, 2020

43 - Engine Installation (misc. install.); 44 - Spinner & Propeller (installed prop.); 45 - Cowling (installing Skybolt camlocs)

This is my 100th blog entry, and it has a lot of small tasks related to the Finish and FWF kits.  Specifically:

- installed fuel servo; loosely installed a lot of adel clamps to engine and mount; attached starter cables to starter; worked with Steve from Aircraft Specialty to install VA-102 hose (needed to clock the fitting on the fuel pump differently than Van’s instructions); installed fuel flow red cube and hoses/connections that lead from fuel pump to fuel servo to fuel spider; installed VA-139 only to fuel pump (needs to be loose now, so I can install exhaust system later)
- installed throttle cable bracket; installed alternator and belt; installed a few more adel clamps
installed spinner plate assembly to propeller; installed propeller to engine (final-torqued and safety-wired); installed forward spinner bulkhead
- filed spinner openings to fit prop blades; sanded areas that contact the spinner bulkheads, and then brushed on thin layer of epoxy
- Prepped cowling; attached upper cowl to fuselage to measure distances for Camloks; started figuring out how Camlocs are installed
- trimmed camlocs, remeasured camloc distances, and match-drilled one half of them to fuselage
- match-drilled remaining camlocs, and removed, deburred, countersunk, and riveted them to upper fuselage; bent camlocs so upper cowl sits flush; started fitting of upper cowl to fuselage, including measuring and trimming of aft edge (lots of remove & reinstall steps)
- finished filing aft edge of top cowl (tight fit of 0.001-0.032”, per painter, so his crew can finish down to spec); match-drilled #30 holes into camloc drill guides using Mark A.’s “3 line” technique; upsized holes to 15/32”, sanded w/ dremel to just fit the grommets; attached temp o-ring retainers to grommets; riveted receptacles to flanges and temp. screwed all camlocs with the pins still engaged (i.e. “unlocked”) - all top cowl camlocs seem to work well!
- installed camloc flanges on the sides and lower part of fuselage

Installed fuel servo, and Aircraft Specialty Fuel lines with integrated fire sleeves:

"red cube" fuel flow installed, with fuel lines attached:


Installing Adel clamps using a special tool - a bunch needed to be installed to the engine mount and the engine proper:


Installed power wires to starter:


Plane power primary (60A) alternator:


VA-102 from Aircraft Specialty is a little shorter than the stock Van's part, so make sure to clock the fitting on the fuel pump ~45deg from top center (Van's has you clock it 5deg left of top center):


Installed primary alternator and belt:


Closeup of alternator/belt:


Propeller!


Engine hoist came in very handy to install rear spinner bulkhead:


Also, I used hoist to help install prop to engine - a one man job, if planned well:


Prop installed:


Six 3/4" nuts/bolts torqued to spec using special crow foot:


Front spinner bulkhead, temporarily installed:


Another view of the prop:


Spinner temporarily fitted to check for clearance:


Parts as supplied by Skybolt to install their Camlocs, which I am using instead of Van's dastardly hinges:


Temporary positioning of the flanges for the top cowl:


Match-drilled and clecoed top flanges:


I used the "3 line" method (thanks Mark A.!) to locate the center of each hole - one insert is shown here, with three lines drawn on the fuselage that bisect its 1/8" hole:


A little out of order - riveted top flanges:


Example of how to extend the 3 lines onto the cowl - drill the intersection:


Completed top camlocs (out of order pic):


Back to the drilling - drill #30 holes at the 3 line intersection, then trace a circle around each cleco.  Upsize the hole to 15/32" using a Unibit-1, then file so the grommets just fit. Secure using the temporary o-rings:


Positioned and drilled side and bottom Camlocs:


Riveted side and bottom camlocs (left side):


Example of camloc retainer, adjusted and locked into place:


Side and bottom flanges installed to the right side:


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