Still plodding towards engine start, trying to make sure everything is just right before we risk setting the airport on fire. We were able to test the oil pressure sensor by attaching a battery to the starter and watching the oil pressure gauge on the panel. I liked watching the propeller spin around so I took a little video.
You can also see that the rpm indicator is working (well it is showing a value anyway). We were also able to verify the fuel flow meter by running the electric fuel pump. It read 8.9 Gph but something makes me think that when I was talking to MGL last summer he said to halve the value that is on the screen. I will have to confirm that. The oil temp and coolant temp still read 32F which I am sure is not correct. The fact that they are both the same kind of sensor makes me think I either have them wired wrong or setup in the panel wrong.
Speaking of MGL, I’ve had to send my panel back for repair – the card reader just won’t work. Hopefully it will be back soon as there isn’t much that can be done without it.
Even more speaking of MGL I ordered a fuel pressure sensor from them during the week. No pictures were taken but it has been mounted to the firewall and already plumbed into the RDAC unit. What hasn’t been done though is route any hose to the pressure sensor port on the engine. Mostly because I don’t see how to do it. There appears to be a port for it but what it is I have no idea – looks hexagonal, not even sure there are threads inside.
Last week’s ‘phew no fuel leak’ leak was back, big stain on the paper left underneath the drain plug. So we sadly had to cut a hole in the baggage area to get at it.
We drained the fuel and removed the drain, slathered it with goop and re-assembled. The fact that it is leaking through the washer under the drain makes us think that is the most likely source of the leak, and it is the easiest to fix so we shall see how dry the paper is next weekend when I am back.
With a big hole in the metal I decided to use the nutplates that weren’t used for the cowling to make a removable access panel. First I cut out a piece to go into the hole and cut out the middle for the access cover. After that I cut out a second piece to go into the hole and this time cut a hole in the middle that had an overlap for the access cover to sit on.
I drilled some holes and riveted on the nutplates
If I had been planning ahead I would have drilled the rivet holes that go through the baggage floor before putting on the nutplates so I could use it as a template but I didn’t so I had to clamp it all up.
After all the holes were drilled, I could rivet it inside the hole
and then screw in the cover on top
Once the red marks are removed I think that is actually a pretty tidy job I did there.
The remaining arm rest was split in the same fashion as before and clecoed in place
I riveted all the floor rivets and most of the ones at the front towards the console. Will just need to do the seat floor rivets once it is in place, but that isn’t going to get done until after the panel returns and I am sure the transponder and everything else in that area is working. I am definitely curious how many rivets I will be able to get in. It is a very tight fit.
And finally, just because I could, I clecoed the arm rest covers in place to remind me of what it all looks like.
They won’t be riveted on until I am sure the control cables are good to go, there is a nice access point underneath the covers.
Also during the week I inquired of Rogger Dubbert at Zenith as to the hows and hows muches of having him do my first flight if that once incredibly unlikely day comes. He sent a very enthusiastic reply with a very reasonable rate so hopefully we will have him come over for that. Now I need to start looking at some transition training for later in the year.
Yes, looking ahead somewhat, but don’t want to find this thing finished and then stalled for lack of forward planning!