Hello Paul-
I got the custom pan back today, built per the V5 drawings you sent
earlier this week. It doesn't seem to have solved my ducting
interference issues unfortunately. Sure wish I'd gone out the hangar
and measured against the rad in the desired position before sending the
plans off to be fabbed. My fault -- I calculated the clearances based
on the rear depth, but didn't do the math at the midpoint -- had I done
so I would have caught the problem. While the V4 pan would have
required modifying the oil pickup tube, I think it would have been a
better solution for me, since the long angle would have exactly matched
the diffuser angle.
To make a long story short, the new pan is still in the way for the back
1/2 of the rad. The gap beneath at midpoint it is only 1.5", which I
presume is unacceptable, especially when 1/4" of it would be consumed by
the fiberglass ducting itself. A couple of photos are attached. At the
mid-point, 2.5" was the target height for a smooth wedge shaped
diffuser. I suppose I could lower the whole rad, but I'm beginning to
think I'm going to have a somewhat goofy looking airplane with
essentially the entire rad sticking beneath the bottom of the normal
cowling position.
Mark Supinski
Not to worry Mark. A little pouch in the wedged shaped diffuser
will be hardly noticed. The duct can be as little as one layer of
ten oz glass cloth or carbon fiber. (0.010 thick) Shape it up and
around the sloping sides of the oil pan. Carve two Styrofoam blocks
one fit in from each side. Glue them together on center line with Bondo.
Cover them with duct tape and a layer of garbage bag material. Lay up the
wedged shape diffuser over that using Googen Brothers Epoxy from the
boat shop.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Oh forget to mention one thing. Cover the rad with garbage bag material
and mount the Styrofoam blocks on the rad. Continue the layup down
along side the rad and around the intake and outlet pipes for good
sealing area. Very important.
------------------------------------------------------------------
One other thing drop the rad down at the back about an inch and have the
diffuser go UNDER the motor mount tubes. NO LEAKS ALLOWED.
Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.
The Rotary Engine NewsLetter. Powered by Linux.
ACRE NL web site.
http://www.rotaryeng.net
Copyright 1998-2006 All world wide rights reserved.