Mar 17, 2024     This and that.       Category: Various

Finished installing the wooden "shims" that put the Aveo nav/strobe lights at the tight angle.

Updated the Dynon SkyView software and database.

Configuring the Garmin data link for ADSB Out has been harder.

The engine hasn't run in months, so I pulled the plugs and ran it with the starter but no compression till the oil pressure came up into the green arc. Reinstalled the plugs.

Verified the timing marks so I can shoot them with a timing light to adjust the ignition timing.

  Jan 19, 2024     Riding the struggle bus       Category: Various

I broke the windshield, replaced it with some detail improvements to reduce stress concentrations, and finished wiring up the SDS ignition.

  Nov 19, 2023     The last 3 weeks... Category: Various

...have involved an EPIC struggle with the panel and the fuel gauge. The newly installed brand new fuel level measuring probe leaked, quite a lot. This meant draining the fuel, pulling the probe, taking extreme measures to seal the new probe and the OLD probe I thought I had killed by mistakenly disassembling it when removing it. After taking measures to seal EVERY POSSIBLE LEAK PATH on both probes, I installed, set the Zero at the Princeton/RED electronics box, and performed the calibration procedure for the Third time at the Dynon. Two days later, the probe sense wire is still bone dry. So I've started putting the front of the airplane back together.

  Sep 02, 2023     Pushing       Category: Various

I've resolved to remove the added glare shield extension and reattach it with nut plates so I can access the back of the panel. So I drilled as many of the rivets as I could reach, and started to remove the windscreen which is a two man job.

I also bought some hole plugs and filled some unused holes in the turtledeck.

I installed the Peter Anson flap up-stop on the right wing.

I cleaned up some more of the firewall forward wiring.

I drained the fuel tank so I can replace the fuel level probe that I ruined.

And I connected the flaps to their torque tube.

  Aug 06, 2023     Weekend work       Category: Various

The heat slowed work this weekend plus I flew with an airport buddy. Pealed the last (?) Of the 20 year old protective film off the fwd side of the flaps and built a towbar from an old crutch and some scraps to make it easier to move the airplane.

  Jul 30, 2023     A little progress in the last few weeks Category: Various

The fuel gauge is on the fritz. I have calls in to try and troubleshoot it.

Work on wiring up the SDS ignition proceeds slowly.

I discovered an error in the wing walk installation. Somehow, I managed to miss a rib when I riveted it up. Corrected that today. Drilling SS rivets is a PITA, and the ATS pop rivet tool makes it only slightly easier - the teeth that are supposed to hold the rivet head have a hard time getting traction on the SS dome heads.

  May 20, 2023     Cleanup, starting ignition bracket fab       Category: Various

Lots of parts and materials arrived this week. Plugged some holes in the panel. Figured out the fastener for the threaded hole by the prop bearing I'll use to secure the lower end of the ignition bracket. Did a test bend with my new press brake, after dulling the sharp edge of the punch, put a little radius on it. Chewed the flat blank out of 14 gauge Stainless, overkill, but it needs to be stiff.

  Apr 24, 2023     More engine start preps       Category: Various

Built wheel chocks, added an extension to the oil breather, pulled the plane out and secured it, ran the starter till it showed about 35 lbs oil pressure.

Flecks in oil drained earlier turned out to be Lubriplate assembly lube from about 20 years ago.

  Apr 22, 2023     Preparing for engine start       Category: Various

Changed the oil, replaced the battery which I'd flattened by leaving the Master on, tailored the cooling hood to fit.

  Apr 09, 2023     More progress       Category: Various

Brakes still clear of air, so removed the temporary reservoir. Reconnected fuel lines.figured out a minor Dynon glitch. Put the glare shield back on, but haven't riveted it in.

  Apr 08, 2023     Brakes finally bled?       Category: Various

Reverse bled from the bottom up, using a syringe and a temporary reservoir.

  Mar 25, 2023     Brakes, heat shielding       Category: Various

Another frustrating session trying to bleed the brakes. I have concluded the pressure bleeder I borrowed introduces air bubbles into the line, so I'm going to try a different setup tomorrow.

I wanted to have some success so I used the last of my small roll of header wrap to insulate one cylinder exhaust, and I fabricated a heat shield for the Starboard side slip joint which is close to the fuel line inlet to the carb.

  Mar 19, 2023     Brakes, carb and controls       Category: Various

Finished the revisions to the braking system by mounting the new master cylinder, plumbing the lines, and the parking brake valve, bleeding. I like the new setup and it's much more maintenance friendly than the toe brakes.

Also changed the carb needle to a 2.5 and the air filter to a K&N at Jeff Schultz's suggestion, and reconnected the mixture and throttle controls, and cleaned up some cable routings ahead of the firewall. I love stainless steel ty wraps! Oh, and wired the carb to the intake manifold in case the rubber boot fails. Somehow the kill switch wire from the lower mag got disconnected and it was a Bee-yatch getting it back on.