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Vans lower cowl louvers

stneki

Well Known Member
Patron
Has anybody installed the new Vans louvre kit? How was the installation and what affect on airspeed and temps?
 
I just got done installing them, My plane is not quite flying yet, but close. I was doing the final paint prep on the cowl so I figured what the heck.

One big thing I did to speed to speed the process up as my cowl had honeycomb in the install area, I got some G10/FR4 .062 fiberglass(very cheap and local supplier) to use an inserts rather than hand laying up fiberglass. This also allow me to rivet the vents on on the bench then outline the inset the on the cowl and cut the holes for the insets. Only took me a about 6 hours to do all this including fiberglass work to clean everything up. Actually looks better than I thought it would.

Steve
 
Done it

Has anybody installed the new Vans louvre kit? How was the installation and what affect on airspeed and temps?

Ordered quickly, was prepping to do a vinyl wrap when the new louvers were announced. Have been flying 2+ yrs with gray primer and enjoying it so much the paint/wrap/decals process was low priority. Timing was perfect to do it immediately so I could 'finish the plane' (as though there is such a 'condition').

Easy to follow instructions, layout, and process to follow. A friend loaned me his 'oscillating multi-tool' to cut the slots, after drilling the ends with a unibit. Loved the tool so much I had to buy my own later!!

The basic installation took 5-6 hrs, but the finish work and prep for wrapping added another 15 hrs, only because the cowl was not finished well enough at the outset.

http://mykitlog.com/users/category.php?user=garyc&project=757&category=5203

Have flown several times and would recommend the louvers. Need to formalize the analysis more but the first review dropped the CHT and oil temp by about 10*F. [We're talking Arizona summer and even early morning can be 85-95*F at T.O. Returning mid-morning can be 100-110*F. Example KFFZ is elevation 1400, but DA was almost 4000 by sunrise, and 90*F]
 
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Easy to follow instructions, layout, and process to follow. A friend loaned me his 'oscillating multi-tool' to cut the slots, after drilling the ends with a unibit. Loved the tool so much I had to buy my own later!!

I also used an Oscillating multi-tool to do my fiberglass work. I also cut my canopy with it, as have a number of other people. A much lower stress process than the cutting wheel. I would be interesting to know if anyone had a failure based on using it vs the cutting wheel.

I was sitting near VanGrunsven at an EAA breakfast once when A guy was telling me he had he cut his canopy this way. VanGrunsven just shook his head. Find of funny.
 
I used a belt sander with 80 grit to remove the aluminum honeycomb, a unibit for the holes, an osscilating tool to remove the part between the holes, 4 plys of fiberglass cloth, and pop rivets to hold the aluminum part in place. I don't keep written records but feel like things are about 10 degrees cooler. I have not noticed any reduction in flying speeds.
 
Not too big for the job ?

I have a oscillating tool and dremel tool....I see several used the oscillating tool. Question, you did not find it a rather large tool to handle for such a relatively small cut ? My louvers have yet to arrive , but seems that the cut between the holes is only a couple inches. Great tool, have used for many projects, just that at about 10? + , bit big I would think ... guess not since several have used.
 
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