Engine And Engine Controls




In anticipation of wanting to temporarily hang and then remove the engine from the airframe several times before covering the fuselage, I built this stand out of plywood and 2x3 lumber. It makes installing and/or removing the engine an easy one-person job that takes about two minutes. This has made planning and installing the fuel, starting, electrical, and control systems very simple to do. You just push down on the back of the fuselage frame to lower the root tube between the angles of the engine mount and install one of the engine mounting bolts. Then you pivot the engine up until the second bolt can be slipped into place. Removal is the opposite. The fuselage can then be rolled forward leaving the engine on the stand. This stand also provides a convenient work surface on either side of the engine when working on the carbs or other accessories.







This photo shows the engine 'compartment' and firewall ready for engine installation. At 'A' are cable splitters for the throttle and enricher circuit cables. These were from CPS and their quality control is really bad. It took three returned orders to get parts that actually fit together. Next time, I'll use Bob Robertsons cables. 'B' are the EGT and CHT sensor leads and the engine ground cable. At 'C' are the mag and tach connections. 'D' is a Racor fuel filter/water seperator. Fuel lines for two parallel circuits, one fed from the electric pump and the other feeding the impulse pump, connect to each side of the filter. The filter is rated for pressure and suction operation. There will be check valves in each line to prevent back feeding through the filter. A drain fitting in the bottom of the filter connects to a hose that exits through the belly of the plane. 'E' is the bat+ cable to the starter. And 'F' is an inspection plate mounted in the engine deck. When it's heater time, I'll mount a flange to this opening for secure attachment of the collector and hose.






Up front, this quadrant for throttle and choke was installed on the left side of the cockpit on a piece of sheet aluminum riveted to the cockpit side rails. The cables running back to the splitters on the firewall were routed through grommeted holes in the cockpit side rail support ribs 'A'. Rubber grommets in the holes provide chafe protection to the cables. Cable adjusters were installed on the quadrant frame with aluminum brackets where the cables enter the quadrant in order to facilitate connecting and disconnecting the rear cable ends at the splitters and for cable length adjustment.







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