Installing engine cowls

I'm advised by Van's, that the spinner plates are not available at this time. I'm as far as I can go without the engine and spinner plates mounted. I'm aware that I can purchase the elastomerics and engine mount bolts (already have the IO-390) but not much point of mounting the engine if I cannot install the engine cowls due to no spinner.
Has anyone found an alternative to a spinner for a reference for getting the cowls mounted. I would really like to get the cowl mounted so I can get started on painting the fuselage. I know if I paint the fuselage and then try to install the cowl I will scratch up the paint.
If I don't come up with an alternate plan I will move on to the landing gear fairings and wheel pants to keep busy.
Anyone heard any rumors on FWF kit delivery dates? Weeks, months maybe years???

You should get the engine on the mounts asap. If you install it and immediately fit the cowls you will find in a couple of months the rubbers will have compressed and the spinner will have dropped 1/4 - 1/2". I'd use a ply disc if you have no spinner.

sblack said:

You should get the engine on the mounts asap. If you install it and immediately fit the cowls you will find in a couple of months the rubbers will have compressed and the spinner will have dropped 1/4 - 1/2". I'd use a ply disc if you have no spinner.

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IMHO You can use this approach but if the rv14 is like my rv6a you will have to factor in the lip on the spinner backing plate. This is the lip that attaches the spinner at the rear. The lip doesn't face forward, it faces to the rear. Without this being factored in your cowling will not fit. Best to wait for the spinner unless you can get the dimensions of the spinner back plate.

Bill

sblack said:

You should get the engine on the mounts asap. If you install it and immediately fit the cowls you will find in a couple of months the rubbers will have compressed and the spinner will have dropped 1/4 - 1/2". I'd use a ply disc if you have no spinner.

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Not sure that is true with all mounts, I've seem almost no sag using LORD mounts.

Ron B. said:

I'm advised by Van's, that the spinner plates are not available at this time. I'm as far as I can go without the engine and spinner plates mounted. I'm aware that I can purchase the elastomerics and engine mount bolts (already have the IO-390) but not much point of mounting the engine if I cannot install the engine cowls due to no spinner.
Has anyone found an alternative to a spinner for a reference for getting the cowls mounted. I would really like to get the cowl mounted so I can get started on painting the fuselage. I know if I paint the fuselage and then try to install the cowl I will scratch up the paint.
If I don't come up with an alternate plan I will move on to the landing gear fairings and wheel pants to keep busy.
Anyone heard any rumors on FWF kit delivery dates? Weeks, months maybe years???

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I'd have thought there were a thousand things you could do regardless of a spinner backplate. Mount baffles, route engine controls, install the exhaust, install the alternator, plumb the fuel lines, install the engine sensors, yada, yada, yada...

Kyle Boatright said:

I'd have thought there were a thousand things you could do regardless of a spinner backplate. Mount baffles, route engine controls, install the exhaust, install the alternator, plumb the fuel lines, install the engine sensors, yada, yada, yada...

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Yes Kyle if we had the FWF kit all those items would be in there but so would the spinner. I realize I could purchase these items individually like one did on the RV-6's but we get a package deal from Van's and everything fits when purchased this way. This is the new way, I plan on waiting.

You said you could work on gear fairings. I would recommend this simply because they need to be done in flight position with the fuselage lifted off the ground. On my 7A, I found this to be easier before the engine was mounted simply because of the weights involved.

A couple of observations:
As others said, you can fabricate a disc to substitute as a spinner backplate, but you must account for the rearward flange. I was not aware of that and had a horrible discovery once I saw the actual spinner plate. Luckily, with the assistance of Sam at Saber, I was able to get a custom prop extension to deal with the 1/2" error In my cowl install. Regardless, there is still some risk in making final cuts on the cowl until you have the spinner and parts.

Were it me, I would wait for wheel pant and gear fairing installation until I had the engine hung. That significant fwd-mounted weight will cause the gear to squat somewhat. YMMV.

I mounted my cowl 3/8" low to allow for the advertised engine/spinner sag over time. It never happened. My spinner still sets more than 1/4" higher than the upper cowl. Oh well ... The best made plans ....

Rupester said:

Were it me, I would wait for wheel pant and gear fairing installation until I had the engine hung. That significant fwd-mounted weight will cause the gear to squat somewhat.

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Wheel pants and gear leg fairings should always be installed with the airplane jacked up and all weight off the wheels (per the construction manual) so that they will be aligned properly when the airplane is in flight (when it counts).

Experience with a lot of different RV's has shown that actual engine sag amounts (if the engine is installed using brand new isolators) averages between 1/8" - 3/16". The RV-14 cowl install process detailed in the construction manual takes this into account (assume a builder follows the process as described).