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Lycoming Aft baffles

R

rvator4twa

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Am close to final assembly of O360 baffle kit. Aft left side with oil cooler piece clecoed to cylinder 4 plate and the inner piece, also clecoed makes the entire assembly nearly impossible to install. Has anyone assembled any of these pieces with screws and nuts rather than rivets?
 
When you learn . . .

there is no spoon, it will fit.

Practice.

Don't try with the oil cooler mounted.
 
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I should clarify that I DO rivet the #4cylinder side panel to the oil cooler mount panel per plans, but reinforce this area with an .063 doubler because the side panel tends to crack from stresses caused by the weight of the oil cooler.
 
Installing Aft Baffles

Please could others clarify more about installing the aft baffle especially the one that holds the oil cooler. Do I need to remove the engine to get this one on? Should I screw parts of it together instead of rivet. I'm working on it, trying to locate the cooler, and it seems like once it is all assembled it will be difficult to install on engine. is it just a matter of wiggle it.

thanks
 
Do yourself a favor and install a brace from engine centerline to the aft left baffle. If you don't you will become an expert in repairing the baffle. Check online for examples. Ours, unbraced , cracked twice in 200 hours. No issues in the last 700 with a brace.

Kevin
 
s24789 said:
Do yourself a favor and install a brace from engine centerline to the aft left baffle. If you don't you will become an expert in repairing the baffle. Check online for examples. Ours, unbraced , cracked twice in 200 hours. No issues in the last 700 with a brace.

Kevin
Click to expand...

That is certainly one way. An alternative is to rivet a piece of light angle (like J channel) across the top of the rear baffle from engine centerline to the outer corner of the oil cooler corner. The structural problem that causes the corner cracks is the flexibility inherent in the "joggle" joint at the inboard side of the oil cooler. Reinforcing the outer corner (where the cracks occur) by itself is less effective from a weight standpoint.
If one stabilizes the inboard side of the oil cooler by an engine brace (noted by others) or the baffle beam I used, the problem is eliminated without reinforcing the outer corner.
Image of described item above
600 hrs. No cracks.
 
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I went with a triangulation brace. and lots O reinforcements on the baffle kit.

20160506_185618_zps5g1duhxp.jpg
 
just to clarify the pic, those angles are mounted on the case center and head inner ear and tied to that angle piece on the baffle oil cooler mount under this plenum....:cool:
 
wiggle it

It can be tricky, but if you wiggle the baffle it will go on. I struggled with this too, until I realized that I was not going to scratch the paint off the engine, and the baffles will bend a lot more than you realize. After putting them on and taking them off 1000 times, it's a no-brainer.

I have some pictures of mine here, not sure if this is helpful or not. As others have said, there are a lot of details on doing the baffles on the net.

http://www.rv8.ch/more-baffle-work-rivets-and-silicone-baffle-seals/
 
And here is another way to strengthen the baffle. (I don't recommend bracing it to the engine because the cylinder moves independent of the engine case, and that can cause cracking.)

With well over 500 hours on this fix, there isn’t any sign of cracking:
2012-01-27_21-53-53_700.jpg
 
Overkill maybe but 300+ hrs, no cracks so far...

1/8 T6 plate and hardware store angle. Plate got cut down a bit and got some lightning holes before final install.




Extra .063 doubler behind cooler. Cooler got 6 bolts vs 4 with 3 x 1/8 doublers on flanges each side.


hardware store angle in front tied to engine and plate
 
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rzbill said:
That is certainly one way. An alternative is to rivet a piece of light angle (like J channel) across the top of the rear baffle from engine centerline to the outer corner of the oil cooler corner. The structural problem that causes the corner cracks is the flexibility inherent in the "joggle" joint at the inboard side of the oil cooler. Reinforcing the outer corner (where the cracks occur) by itself is less effective from a weight standpoint.
If one stabilizes the inboard side of the oil cooler by an engine brace (noted by others) or the baffle beam I used, the problem is eliminated without reinforcing the outer corner.
Image of described item above
600 hrs. No cracks.
Click to expand...

I did the something similar but completely closed the top of the "joggle" making the left rear baffle material one piece. 400+ hours and no cracks.

4-vYMg5oDxmBanPiQPznA096Sn0APx_C0-QNBLt-MHgoR2bfIBQ4MJaxeRagdcuCM1ekGgRxXCMl1_zs8CTw9Lj5wp4Are06iRSQqlyI5wM5Brt0lK2YYsueQNyaw3FQdjaxlIuEUORl5ZjuckQXxslyYlo4vExkh7n3g4BwFhvJmJKwjetPSkteR-QFMmMBt8w-wtojEQN5d9vBpTSGzFcBgN0NlQvGI8t48hblTsz76iecIijORwEuxhHz_YrR5EHpwwbgVe_DQgfWOS_CDtdyXDtuRTa0_i-UnjPv1WXb-3aN71qcxXtbAT7qK7zLNQ_OLHt4za2mGqeRqyqWxadds8pZzuQOC58nHg8RCcYrw4h7-83UWCbHFd15wopf15_pAp-WlnzW8bOXIvcUUwKjVowhIXmoTpu8mIysfdqM1Gw_k_oYNXv7wfKLjQCjiMOBX88i235cjGZ2Q_cL9mgW4sTpaSZHcB3o0AKQbBMf10u8SABZhdLS8BPsppI1WY1ljK5P1TTc0EiysxmSd6EycTDkEHfE1EaRgCp36BQr7gb2JErhjzdNwnX_fJgR9cDyAEturAi6Ce8KpYwcFB1Oo7fwoV4IIc5u4hYMtnXnQm1-1htHnGaHaxZC2J2CjLlrwS48XkaHA9OhnZEPvj2vz4j1rivpWeqOTH7mcA=w600-no
 
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