Sam James carb air inlet to Vans FAB - Photos?

Has anybody got photos of how they transitioned from the Sam James carb air inlet to the standard Vans FAB? I have read the meager instructions and I just don't get it.

I have an 0-320 with a Vans FAB feeding a standard updraft carb. The cowl is a 'Shorty'

I know people will say "ring the factory" but in this instance a picture would be worth several thousand words. Apparently, the factory only does words and has provided just 260 of them relevant to the Vans FAB installation scenario.

Air box to Sam James ring

Do an advanced search with my name "kitfoxbill ". A couple of pics .

This is a o360 standard carb with vans air box. First mod was a new mounting plate with the intake moved forward one inch. Which moves the air box back. Second mod was a ring one inch wide to accept the material from the Sam James ring, attached to the front .


William
RV8A flying for sale
RV7 finishing

Been there, done that.
Check out this thread.

Still not quite getting it

Kitfoxbill said:

This is a o360 standard carb with vans air box. First mod was a new mounting plate with the intake moved forward one inch. Which moves the air box back. Second mod was a ring one inch wide to accept the material from the Sam James ring, attached to the front .

Click to expand...

Thanks Bill, I found your thread with the photo of the modified air box

So, I'm assuming you made a neoprene tube that presumably comes back far enough to let the cowl drop vertically. On the James cowl, that tube would have to extend back about 2 inches from the aft edge of the intake ring plus whatever overlap you have onto the snout of the air box. It would be quite floppy at that length. The part that bothers me is replacing the cowl, which can only move vertically because of the spinner. What I can't work out is how that tube gets itself around the ring at the front of your air box as it moves up into position. Do you have to reach in to 'help' it? Also, is the neoprene strong enough to retain the ram air pressure without leaking?

N941WR said:

Been ther, done that.
Check out this thread.

Click to expand...

Bill, I am getting 404 Not Found errors on those photo links. It would be really great to see them. Is there anything you can do?

Loman said:

Thanks Bill, I found your thread with the photo of the modified air box

So, I'm assuming you made a neoprene tube that presumably comes back far enough to let the cowl drop vertically. On the James cowl, that tube would have to extend back about 2 inches from the aft edge of the intake ring plus whatever overlap you have onto the snout of the air box. It would be quite floppy at that length. The part that bothers me is replacing the cowl, which can only move vertically because of the spinner. What I can't work out is how that tube gets itself around the ring at the front of your air box as it moves up into position. Do you have to reach in to 'help' it? Also, is the neoprene strong enough to retain the ram air pressure without leaking?

Click to expand...

There is about an 1/8" distance between the ring and the FAB opening. This does allow the cowl to drop straight down and you can work the neoprene into position with your fingers as you raise the cowl.

On my installation, there wasn't a lot of room laterly, so figuring out how to do the carb heat installation was a challenge. It seems to work well but at cruise speed it will blow open. At pattern speeds, it will stay closed, which is when it is most likely to be needed. However, if you find yourself inadvertently flying in ice, you can hold it closed until you get out of your bad situation. That coupled with the carb heat muff I used really does give a good RPM drop.

The other little detail is that with our tightly cowled airplanes, the carb temp goes up when we slow down so there is very little chance of getting carb ice.

Loman said:

Bill, I am getting 404 Not Found errors on those photo links. It would be really great to see them. Is there anything you can do?

Click to expand...

That link is fixed. It looks like all my PicsaWeb links don't work. Google might have changed something on their end.

PS. Starting in the August 2011 issue of KitPlanes there is a three part series on my engine installation.

On my set up the front of the air box is one inch from the end of the intake. I'm using a pice of baffle material with a hose clamp on the inlet . When I install the cowling I fold it into the inlet. No problem.


William

One other small detail. ..

My cowl is a short one. Because of this, you cannot reach your hand inside the cowl to the air intake to secure any type of ducting.

Between William's and my posts you should have what you need to fabricate / modify your FAB.

Thanks

Great information from both Bill and William.

Seems like I have a lot of (re-)fabrication in my future. Good thing this is fun, right?

I will try to document my process here eventually to add a further data point

Loman said:

Great information from both Bill and William.
...
I will try to document my process here eventually to add a further data point

Click to expand...

That would be outstanding!

Posting on here is my way to give forward to those that helped me with my build.

It's safe to say that nobody who has taken the time to make their cowl scoop removable has ever regretted it.

The Rocketmen do it right:

http://www.teamrocketaircraft.com/gallery/albums/album38/IMG_3786_Large.jpg

http://www.teamrocketaircraft.com/gallery/albums/album37/12_22_2008_027_2.jpg

http://www.teamrocketaircraft.com/gallery/albums/album19/Paint09.jpg

http://www.teamrocketaircraft.com/gallery/albums/album03/IMG_2419.jpg

Tom took a slightly different path on an early version...an access to hook up the intake as needed:

http://www.teamrocketaircraft.com/gallery/albums/album03/cowling_025.jpg

DanH said:

It's safe to say that nobody who has taken the time to make their cowl scoop removable has ever regretted it.

The Rocketmen do it right:
...

Click to expand...

Dan, you are right on the money, this would be a great modification to make!