Nov 29, 2022
Baffle seals
- (4.9 hours)
Category: Firewall Forward
My goal for this evening was to get the entire set of baffle seals clecoed in place, with both cowls also fully fastened in place. I pretty much got there, but not without a LOT of effort.
1. Attached the four front seals behind the prop flange.
2. Test-fit the cowl and, as expected, it couldn't be fully pressed down into position. I removed the cowl and began a series of corrective actions that included trimming parts of various seals, scoring some of the seals with a McFarlane scoring tool so they were more flexible, trimming small parts of the baffle itself, re-organizing the seal overlaps, cutting relief slits, and removing and reinstalling the seals and cowls numerous times. I totally lost track of how many times I did this. Along the way, I also removed all the seals and punched the screw holes to their final size, cleaned up all the Sharpie marks, and trimmed some ragged edges smooth.
The interface between the seals and the top cowl near the inlets is a huge puzzle that I think I'm slowly figuring out. It's like trying to solve a Rubik's cube inside a bag, behind your back. You just can't see what you're doing, and making certain moves doesn't always accomplish what you think it will.
3. In the end, I was able to get the cowl pressed down and I installed all but 3 of the Skybolt fasteners. The top cowl is still sitting a tiny bit forward of its proper position, which is the reason I couldn't get three of the Skybolts latched. I'll leave the cowl secured overnight, and see if the baffle seals have begun to relent. If not, I'll do a bit more trimming, here and there.