Tom Baker Posted January 10, 2021 Report Share Posted January 10, 2021 7 minutes ago, AGLyme said: 3) unplug a black plug electrical plug near the battery. I believe it is a sensor for the air intake... I forget. It will be obvious that it needs to be unplugged... and the balance of the wire stays with the bottom cowling. This step is the absolute hardest step for me because getting the plug unplugged is a pain. Get your iPhone in there and take a photo of it. You need to depress a plastic tab to get the plug unplugged. I use needle nose pliers and it now takes seconds. The CTLSi that I work on doesn't have a plug by the battery that needs unplugged. This must be something on the newer airplanes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGLyme Posted January 11, 2021 Report Share Posted January 11, 2021 I’ll take a pic Tom... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted January 11, 2021 Report Share Posted January 11, 2021 2 hours ago, Tom Baker said: The bottom cowling should come off fairly easy. For the CTLSi there is a hose to disconnect from the throttle body. Likely an orange duct on the right side of the cowling towards the rear. The landing light wire will need disconnected on the left front. There are 6 fasteners to be undone, 3 on each side on the rear of the cowling. With all of that undone you should be able to get the fasteners to come loose. Lower the cowling to clear the exhaust pipe, and you may have to tilt it a little. If you have the Frankenstein bolts on the landing gear you might have to pull the cowling to one side to clear the bolt, then to the other side. Also it looks like you might be a little tight on the spinner. Just be patient, and not to rough. It will come off. Also that grey duct on the cowling goes inside the tan colored duct for the air cooling. You might need to reach inside the hole in the front of the cowling to help line it up. How can I stay less off the spiner? Should it not be touching it? I ask this because at the back firewall the cowling does not seem all the way back.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted January 11, 2021 Report Share Posted January 11, 2021 2 hours ago, Tom Baker said: The CTLSi that I work on doesn't have a plug by the battery that needs unplugged. This must be something on the newer airplanes. Mine has the black connection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted January 11, 2021 Report Share Posted January 11, 2021 If the cowling isn't going all the way back you might not have the round air inlet lined up with tan duct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted January 11, 2021 Report Share Posted January 11, 2021 11 hours ago, Tom Baker said: If the cowling isn't going all the way back you might not have the round air inlet lined up with tan duct. Well it definitely isn't lined up as my photo shows, glad to know once I get passed that issue the rest of it will go further back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGLyme Posted January 11, 2021 Report Share Posted January 11, 2021 Anim, That's why I suggest you have another person hold the bottom cowling underneath for the first time... it's like moving a couch through a thin doorway... there are angles that work and then you are home free when you find the magic angle. I watched Arian do it, and when I did it the first time by myself it was hard to impossible. The three areas to watch while putting it on are: getting the muffler through the hole, and getting the air intake lined up with the duct... that's why another set of eyes is best because the two most critical areas to watch are on the top, and the bottom and both kinda have to be done in synch. For me, it is the muffler, then the air intake. Fortunately it is carbon fiber and therefore a tad flexible... note, not "bendable"... just flexible... you don't want cracking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted January 11, 2021 Report Share Posted January 11, 2021 I have one of my mechanics at the dealership I run coming to my hangar after work to look at it with me. I'm sure he can get it done. One of the benefits of running a car dealership is I've got many talented employees. Should the cowling press against the back side of the spinner plate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGLyme Posted January 11, 2021 Report Share Posted January 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Animosity2k said: Should the cowling press against the back side of the spinner plate? Mine does not. Like the "moving" spinner plate? I forgot to mention, in mine anyway, when you put it on, make certain the rubber flap isn't blocking the coolant tank(s)... in the nose of the airplane. My coolant inlet is the "smile" out front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted January 11, 2021 Report Share Posted January 11, 2021 What rubber flap? Theres no rubber flap anywhere near my coolant fill tank (thats back against the firewall) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted January 11, 2021 Report Share Posted January 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Animosity2k said: What rubber flap? Theres no rubber flap anywhere near my coolant fill tank (thats back against the firewall) I think he meant the radiator, and also the air inlet for the cabin heat. Oh, and no the spinner should not be touching the cowling if everything is installed properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 Put back together today, found that the hoses on each side of my radiator were leaking, I hope it was just the clamp, the 7mm nuts were fairly loose. Tightened them up. It was dripping on both sides, then down the lower cowling and out the rear. I ran into some other complications which I'll post a photo of tomorrow (they can be fixed with the bottom cowling on so I and a friend put the bottom back on). I forgot to verify the rubber flap wasn't in the way. Can I verify this afterward now that my cowlings on? Thanks ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGLyme Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 Yes you can verify afterwards. Radiator is the correct word thx Tom . basically look at the smile cutout and make sure that the rubber flap, which is attached to the lower cowling, is not covering the radiator. When you Pre flight, look through the bottom of the plane, with a flashlight and up towards the clamps you tightened. check the area where the rubber hose meets the metal pipe and see if there are drops of coolant. It happens during the cold spells. If you have drops get a second clamp on there (the non cut kind). Rotax/ FD should work on this cold / leak issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Lee Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 Mechanic's should always check wormdrive clamps at every inspection for tightness. That said during cold weather the metal shrinks and so does the rubber just a tad. This may cause the clamp to be a tad loser than normal, but after the engine starts and begins to warm up they expand a bit and the leak stops. This is fairly normal when different materials are joined together because they shrink and expand at different rates. p.s. Don't get carried away and over tighten clamps and then end up causing them to stripout and then fail to secure the hose under pressure. This is another reason to use Wurth Zebra worm drive raised rib clamps vs the old style serrated wormdrive clamps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 11 minutes ago, Roger Lee said: Mechanic's should always check wormdrive clamps at every inspection for tightness. That said during cold weather the metal shrinks and so does the rubber just a tad. This may cause the clamp to be a tad loser than normal, but after the engine starts and begins to warm up they expand a bit and the leak stops. This is fairly normal when different materials are joined together because they shrink and expand at different rates. p.s. Don't get carried away and over tighten clamps and then end up causing them to stripout and then fail to secure the hose under pressure. This is another reason to use Wurth Zebra worm drive raised rib clamps vs the old style serrated wormdrive clamps. Where can I order these Wurth clamps? Is there a certain size? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 Upon fixing the leak (or assuming I did) we noticed that the orange ribbed duct line that runs from the cowling to the intake on the top of the engine was torn pretty bad. It appears the clamps have pushed through the duct (maybe they were over tightened) again a little wierd this wasn't picked up by my AP on my annual a month ago (I've only flown it 4 times since with no issues) so perhaps it wasn't his fault and maybe me trying to take the cowling off without it being disconnected tore them (probably the more likely scenario). FDUsa said I can cut the damaged part back and reuse it however I feel like based on the hose length someone has already done that before and it is now to short to attempt again. Is this standard air duct that any airplane mechanic shop should have on hand for specific to Flight design? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 It is a standard duct. It depends on the shop whether they will have the correct size. IIRC the size is 2.5 inches or -10. If the fraying is under the clamp and it is not allowing unfiltered air in it would be safe to fly, and simply a cosmetic issue. Over the years I have seen many ducts in much worse shape that had just come out of inspections. here is a link to the ducting from Aircraft Spruce, https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/sceet.php . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 18 minutes ago, Tom Baker said: It is a standard duct. It depends on the shop whether they will have the correct size. IIRC the size is 2.5 inches or -10. If the fraying is under the clamp and it is not allowing unfiltered air in it would be safe to fly, and simply a cosmetic issue. Over the years I have seen many ducts in much worse shape that had just come out of inspections. here is a link to the ducting from Aircraft Spruce, https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/sceet.php . If you have enough spare length, you can also cut the tube shorter and then have a good hose section at the connection to work with. Just don't make it too taut or kinked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Tom Baker said: It is a standard duct. It depends on the shop whether they will have the correct size. IIRC the size is 2.5 inches or -10. If the fraying is under the clamp and it is not allowing unfiltered air in it would be safe to fly, and simply a cosmetic issue. Over the years I have seen many ducts in much worse shape that had just come out of inspections. here is a link to the ducting from Aircraft Spruce, https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/sceet.php . It is definitely not under the clamp, its completely visible. Unsure of if I've been flying on it like this or if I damaged it taking cowling off but it looks bad on both sides with neither holes covered w/ the clamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGLyme Posted January 17, 2021 Report Share Posted January 17, 2021 Tom Baker... please find a pic of the "black plug" that is attached to the air cleaner part of the bottom cowling. The pic reveals the male end which is attached to the plane, the female end is attached to the bottom cowling. Note, I included a pic of my needle nose pliers on the plug... Arian taught me this trick of gently clamping down on the plug tab to release the male/female ends. The plug is difficult to get one's hand into, the pliers are an easy to grab and press solution... It took me forever to figure out how to get the plug separated and the fact that I cannot see it to study it made it worse. Anyway, hope this helps someone when they pull up this string. Note to all, I have the 'iS" injected motor, I think the plug is only present on the "iS". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGLyme Posted January 17, 2021 Report Share Posted January 17, 2021 I took off my bottom cowling this AM to attend to a potential abrasion issue. I included a pic of the heater hose rubbing against the plane's (corner of) main battery shield. This pic is the "before fix" pic. I separated the hose from the shield using a simple plastic tie, adding some silicone tape I had on hand in between the tie and the hose. Suggest that all check this area. Note, I have the injected motor, it may be different in your plane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGLyme Posted January 17, 2021 Report Share Posted January 17, 2021 Finally, while I had the bottom cowling off, I attached a pic of the 2nd metal clamp added to stem the coolant drip (on cold nights). The Rotax factory (I am guessing Rotax factory) "spring" clip is a poor first line of defense holding the rubber hose fast against the metal pipe. Note, I tightened the worm drive clamp up while I had the cowling off. The clamp did loosen a bit after about 40 hours of flying. I checked the other worm clamp (I have a total of 2) and it did not need tightening. Just adding all of this information to the great CTFlier.com knowledge base... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.