Cowl Heat Shielding

How much heat shielding is required on the RV8 engine cowl? Would also like some ideas on methods used. Van's sells that thin cowl heat shield material, but Vetterman recommends using .025 aluminum boded on with high heat silicone around the edges leaving it lifted off the cowl and air tight so the dead air acts as a insulation.

Is the thin heat shielding from Van's enough, or is there something better. Thanks, Tom

I've had that stuff on my lower cowl since first flight in 2003 and it has been great. I did the entire inside of the lower cowl just to be safe. It helps make clean-up after oil leaks real easy.

Karl

Whatever you do, paint or otherwise seal the cowling interior first in order to make it oil-resistant.

I did both... the Vetterman approach near the exhaust pipes and aluminum tape elsewhere.

V