Time to update the builders log. Started on the engine kit. Have spent three days so far. WOW, a lot to cover.
Section 45 of the plans has you mount the battery, the master relay, the starter relay, the fuel pressure sensor, the manifold pressure sensor, and the rectifier/regulator to the firewall. All went well. Had to drill out the nutplates for the F-1201S battery channel and re-rivet with the correct nutplates. The plans have changed here. Different size nutplates are required. An adapter plate is required to mount the starter relay. Ensure you follow the plans, with respect to the adapter plate. It can be attached two different ways. If you mount the adapter plate and starter relay to far right the P154 wire is NOT long enough. (Learned the hard way!!)
I am missing the firewall forward wiring harness (backorder), so I was not able to complete this section. Will complete the section after I receive the back ordered parts. It is amazing how many steps have to skipped without this one wiring harness.
IF the missing harness was received, I would have been able to fire up the ENTIRE panel and make the required adjustments to the level potentiometers for the intercom, etc. Sigh!~!
Then started Section 46, Engine Installation.
I have to compliment Van's. The plans for the engine installation are Excellent. Follow them to the T and are will be OK. The plans have you to partially disassemble the engine. The ignition modules are removed, the spark plug wires are removed, a clamp is removed (that allows for installation of the motor mount), and the cooling hose/expansion tank assembly is removed. The plans then call for cutting one of the lugs on the starter motor. Again, that allows for installation of the motor mount.
Then it was time for more fiberglass work. The cooling shroud has to be fitted to the engine. This took quite a bit of time. One has to attach the cooling shroud and then make the required adjustments. Used the Dremel here and ended up with a gap of less than 1/16" between the engine and the shroud. Think I attached and removed the cooling shroud about 50 times. There IS a scribe line on the inner surface. Think if I removed the material to the scribe line or near it, fitting and re-fitting would of taken much less time. I do not know why the plans don't tell you to trim to the line on the onset.
With the cooling shroud fitted, it was time for the engine mount. See the photos. Was able to support the engine and attach the engine mount using the engine lift and ideas from John Bender. Used the shipping bracket (reversed) to stabilize the front of the engine. This again took a bit of time. The sequence shown in the plans does work!! Now, have to find a torque wrench that goes to 350 in-lbs before I can glue the cooling shroud down. It covers one of the engine attach bolts. Will use grey RTV here, it is also high temperature, is sensor safe and good to 650 degF (just like the red stuff). It will look much better.
Time Over the Past 3 Days - 18 hours
