Cowling installation problems

[Nick]

Ok everyone, I followed the instructions for my installation on A model Waiex with Jabiru 3300. I installed the right first got all the hinges installed except bottom. Then did the left side. My problem now is that I have a gap of about one inch or so all the way down to the firewall. The two sides are touching the engine mount and lined up with the edge of the fuselage as shown in the pictures. Has anyone run into this problem and does anyone have a solution or suggestions. I have pictures but don’t know how to post them. Instructions on posting pictures would help also. Thanks to all!

[Bryan Cotton]

Nick,
Are the pictures on your phone? A common issue is the pictures are too big. What I do is to take a screenshot of the pictures and post the screenshot. Then go down to the "upload attachment" tab below.

I didn't install any hinges on the fiberglass cowl until trimming was done. Sounds like you may have tried something else. You can always add onto fiberglass. I had to do it in a couple of spots.

[Nick]

Thanks Bryan I'll try that and post pictures. Also thats what I thought I would have to do. I also thought of taking a couple pieces of aluminum long enough to cover openings and attaching the hinge to them then riveting them to the cowling. I need to find someone that does fibreglass work around here. I don't do fibreglass. Your thoughts on the aluminum approach?

[BobDz]

Fiberglass is pretty easy. Don't be afraid to try it. If you can build an airplane, you can easily do fiberglass. Professor YouTube is a good source for tutorials.

[Nick]

Here are a couple pictures of my problem. SO CLOSE YET FAR AWAY

[Bryan Cotton]

Nick,
Pictures tell a story, but of course it is not the same as being there. I assume you are taking about the bottom gap as shown in the picture. What it looks like to me is the back edge is not pinned to the bottom of the firewall. That pin makes the cowl flat across the bottom and it looks like yours is hanging down. Before I put the bottom firewall pin, and the bottom pin that goes up the middle, my cowl looks like yours. To put the bottom middle pin in, I lay on my back with my head under the firewall and my feet under the prop. I use my foot to push that part of the cowl up so the edges meet before I push in the bottom pin.

If you do need to untrim, the fiberglass work is easy. I'd tape a piece of flashing onto the cowl and lay up a strip from the cowl to the flashing. Then you pop the flashing off. PM me an email address and I'll send pictures.

The aluminum idea can be made to work, but may not look great.

[Nick]

Yep That’s what I figured at first but then I tried squeezing them together and the sides won’t let them come together. I will try to email you so you have mine.

[Area 51%]

It's probably no fault of your own.

I had both vertical and horizontal split cowls at my disposal. The horizontal cowl that was supplied in the kit had such a bad bow to one side, I elected to search out a vertical cowl, figuring it would be easier to install than repair the horizontal. I was wrong.

When set in place, it was clear the vertical had been over-trimmed by the supplier. My two options were to either "fix" the vertical or "fix" the horizontal. Hell of a deal at only $900.

To see just how far off the vertical was, I nested the two cowls together knowing the horizontal was a good fit side-to-side in spite of it's flaw.

The pictures tell the story.

.

[pappas]

I have had both the A and B models. The A with the vertical split and the B with the horizontal. The horizontal split is sooooo much easier to work with and to take off and replace when the plane is done.

The fiberglass is a giant pain, but it is not difficult to do. The lay-up process is fast. The finish sanding is torture for me, but I do it because it is much easier on the wallet than buying a new cowl that you will surely have to do some glasswork on anyway.

Install the cowl as best you can, screw in a few scrap aluminum strips that bridge the gap across the bottom to hold the cowl together. Place the strips on the inside. Sand 2-3 inches outboard of the seam, and lay up 2-3 long strips of glass and resin across the seam from the firewall to the front of the cowl. After it sets up, usually the next day, mark your centerline and cut the cowl apart along that centerline. The fit will be perfect. Then you need to sand and finish the repair. Most of us have done it. Plus you will have a new skill that you didn't want!

Frankly, after having both cowls, if I had the vertical cowl on a new build, I would glass the whole thing together and remake it with a horizontal split.

[Bryan Cotton]

Sometimes I feel like the only one who likes my vertical split cowl. Was not bad to set up, and not bad to remove and replace.

Nick it looks like gmail may have dropped the embedded pictures. I'll pdf those emails and resend when I can. My pics show what Lou is describing.