Showplanes cowl/intake interference

All,

Working on the install of the Showplanes air intake for my BPE-IO540. I have trimmed as much as seems reasonable from the back of the intake plenum. Yet, I still have interference with the lower cowl.

As far as I can tell, the engine and cowling are placed correctly. Must be missing something? Or, do I have to cut a clearance hole on the cowl and fabricate a bump for clearance.

I only get to work on this weekends, so a call to Bryan at Showplanes will have to wait until tomorrow. In the meantime, any thoughts or ideas appreciated.

Thanks for any help.

Mark Russell
303-four seven five-9557

Show planes

I don't have a Barrett, but I did just fit the cowl and intake on a IO 540. I had to cut as much as I could of the the end that fits the servo. I had to cut so much off that I had to reglass and strengthen up that area. It is a close fit to the lower cowl when done. I ended up with a 1/4" clearance. Also I did not use a hose clamp but I drilled and tapped (3) 8-32 screws into the servo adaptor for attachment. The hose clamp just didn't seem very secure with the amount I had to trim off.

Interesting

Are you running a standard FI system? I am using the flyefii system, consequently, I had to make an extension for the lower plenum to reach the throttle body.

You may also note that there may be a clearance issue on the #1 exhaust pipe, depending on the exhaust you picked. I have the Custom Aircraft exhaust and I had to modify the right plenum to provide clearance on the pipe...

It was a challenge to install but it looks great. Not flying yet so I don?t know how well it works...

Using Airflow Performance FM-200

My fuel system appears to match photos on the Showplanes website. So, I would think it is standard.

Will have to wait until I can talk to Showplanes to figure out anything else.

Thanks for the replies.

Mark

Show planes

FWIW I also had to pie cut the tube going up to the inlet to reclock it to be level in the cowl inlet opening. It took some fab and reglass work but was worth it in the end.

Cold Air Induction?

I assume you have the cold air induction? What fuel servo? FM300?
I have the cold air intake, I had the FM300 in that combination I had similar issues and trimmed the induction tube going to the FM300 plus trimmed the fwd edge of the tube for cowling, put a bump out in the cowling and had to modify the tube for the exhaust pipe of #1 cyl.
Now that I run SDS fuel injection I had to extend the air induction tube since the FM300 was removed and provided lots more room. Had I gone with this in the first place then I would have not needed the bump out of the cowling.
Overall it is a very good cowling and some builders have installed it with minimal modifications but it does get tight when you have a large fuel servo and the cold air induction.

Showplanes cowl

I have the showplanes cowl with a BPE IO-540 setup with the Airflow FM-300. Don?t forget about the spacer between the cold air induction and the fuel servo. Airflow will cut a spacer with a slight up angle to provide a little more clearance. With that particular servo you only need about 3/8? spacer, and 4 degree angle makes a huge difference.

Keep working it. It?s tight but I don?t see a need to add a bump.

ShowPlanes Cowl

The angled spacer would have certainly helped! Mine was just a normal spacer.

Angled spacer did the trick

All,

Status update on this issue.

Received a 4 degree angled spacer from Airflow Products last week. Finally got a chance to install it yesterday and it did the trick. I now have about 1/2-inch of clearance to the lower cowl.

Thanks to Bryan at Showplanes and Ron at Airflow for their help.

Now, on to getting the induction system fitted and installed.

Cheers,

Mark

fun

Oh, the fun you are going to have!

Do you have your exhaust installed?

If you are using the Custom Aircraft exhaust, you will most probably find that you will need to modify the passenger side intake plenum, as it probably will not have any clearance from the #1 exhaust pipe...

...and just wait till you start on the upper cowl ramps...yeehaw!

Looks really good when finished but I would suggest setting up a Cuss Jar in the shop. Put a dollar in for every Cuss word you say, then use that money to buy your avionics!