Flying the 8 is Great

Have been packing and getting ready for a big change around here but took a break from that unpleasant task to install an oil cooler block and then FLY.
What an uplifting endeavor!
Oil temp was up a lot from last flight and the 8 performed like the little fighter it is.
We maybe down sizing to a condo but they 8 is a keeper!!

Cold weather and cowl pins

I've been doing this for a while but this was the first time to pull the cowl pins with a cold soaked airplane. They were difficult to remove and I thought getting them reinstalled after the oil cooler is covered will be no fun.

As it turned out they went in easy. Each pin was cleaned with a scotch pad and lubed with Boelub, the white solid stuff in a small container, I've had it for years, it is not petroleum based but something else, perhaps silicone.

It worked very well.

IMHO never use oil on cowl pins. It attracts dirt and makes them more difficult to remove. Keeping the pins clean and dry is best - with just a little Boelub.

The last time I flew on 11/21 the max oil temp was 114F. The flight yesterday was short because it was getting dark fast and I have no panel lights but the oil temp was rising nicely, over 130 in just 5 minutes. I will get it up more on next flight to get rid of moisture in the engine.

Also installed some P strip on the inside of the canopy skirt, the previous hurricane breeze through the **** pit is reduced substantially and Now feel the heat coming in. The aft end of the canopy is sealed nicely and that sure improves the situation.

Nothing new here for those flying for a while but perhaps useful for those new to the operation.

My canopy fiberglass fits very well and on some flights I get zero draft...while the next flight I get a huge draft. Still struggling with why that is. May try some trim like yours since it's getting cold.

The C-word

David-aviator said:

Also installed some P strip on the inside of the canopy skirt, the previous hurricane breeze through the **** pit is reduced substantially and Now feel the heat coming in.

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I had to laugh. Is cockpit going to become the aviators C-word, just because of a similarity in a syllable?

I would have loved to have been present, when the first aviators decided to name it the cockpit. I'll bet they really new how to enjoy life without hesitation.

?bummer? i just looked up it's origin, and it came from nautical use. Might have known that sailors swearing was involved. But it isn't clear on if the first syllable came from the rooster (I had always assumed), or to tilt, given that is was a room on a ship. If the later, that means it has no negative connotation at all, so I'm sticking with the rooster reference.

But in the future, to get the software to not asterisk out your word, it is a single word, not two.

Ok, go back to building and flying now...

Oil temp up to 180...

...got rid of some crank case moisture.

Saw 180 today, actually highest oil temp ever in this young -8. Closing the aft end of the cooler does indeed make a difference. I may leave it installed as this engine oil temp runs low, like 160, in the summer.

Yes, I have calibrated it with water around 200 degrees, the indicator is OK.

Other than that good news, it was a great flight once again. I do enjoy sitting on the center line and letting this thing move out...not like you racing guys but respectable compared to Cessna's, Piper's and similar inferior aircraft.

RV-8

Just 3 flights in our new -8 after 13 yrs building. It's superb, and like yours, ran too cool. Thanks for your posts!

Back seat ride

Of all things great, I had a ride in the back seat of my 8 this morning.

I flew the airplane to St. Charles County (KSET) for fuel (and fun) and my friend Frank Baldwin flew it back. Frank was my tail wheel instructor in the 6 last summer, all I know he showed me. He was pleased with the landing, no bounce!!

Frank likes the 8 a lot. Plus the 0360 vrs 0320 in the 6 makes a difference.

The heat system is working fine (even in the back). The P strip on the inside of the skirt makes the difference. I do have to fix the cabin heat valve, it keeps closing by itself. The cable/knob is very free and has to be firmed up somehow, maybe crimp it just a bit or put something on the shaft to make it less free.

It was a great flight, 2 seniors enjoying the heck out of it.

Second first flight

This doesn't warrant a post of it's own;
I just made the first flight of my RV-8 after removing my turbo rotary engine project, and installing a parallel valve IO-360 with a CATTO 68x75 3 blade prop.
I flew it with the rotary engine for 16 hours over the course of about 5 months.
I flew it twice for 1 hour total today, without having to work on it! WOO HOO!
The 8 IS great!
Empty weight is now 1034. I removed over 70 pounds in the conversion, including 3.1 pounds of battery cable when the battery was moved forward to the firewall.
39 degree F on the surface, chilly @ 5,000ft, which took nil time to reach, then some preliminary checks (needs a touch of right rudder trim).
It was bumpy & I was having the time of my life! Airspeed numbers are a WAG, but it seems very fast to me.
Cylinder head temp was about 300, cooler when powered back for descent. Oil temp ran about 150F. I'll probably need an oil cooler cover, I'm not running a Vernatherm.
No first flight jitters, it just took right off and I went with it. I still had my mojo after 7+ months of getting it ready to fly again, the landings were sweet.
The Seattle FSDO was great with the documentation too.
Like VAN says, build it light. Full throttle + 5 seconds = flight!

Excellent news Scott! I flew a couple of hours today too taking passenger hops in the 8. If you can stand the cold at least you get a week of clear days! Enjoy the flying.

SHIPCHIEF said:

This doesn't warrant a post of it's own;
I just made the first flight of my RV-8 after removing my turbo rotary engine project, and installing a parallel valve IO-360 with a CATTO 68x75 3 blade prop.
I flew it with the rotary engine for 16 hours over the course of about 5 months.
I flew it twice for 1 hour total today, without having to work on it!

Click to expand...

Congratulations Scott. You should know that I admired your rotary work, just because you built whatever necessary, and did a nice job of it.

Go have some fun!

Scott I had the same experience removing the Subby from the 7A.
What a waste of time and money that adventure was.
About all one can say is it was not boring.

Thank you Andy Dan and David for the observations and encouragement.
Yes, the rotary project was fun. I changed my plans for the RV-8. Flying it changed my view of, well...flying it!
Today I flew it 2.6 hours, now 3.6 hours with the cowl still on, something I never did with the rotary. I took shorter flights and removed the cowl after nearly every one. That's the cost of safe operation with an auto engine project.
Now N89SE is a 'stock' VANS RV-8 with some patches on the cowl. Today I got a glimpse of cross country (inside my 60 mile Phase 1 radius) and a touch of mountain flying. Marilyn has big plans for this summer!
I may have to re-think my commitment to lightness. It was cold up there today, I might install a heater..

David-aviator said:

Scott I had the same experience removing the Subby from the 7A.
What a waste of time and money that adventure was.
About all one can say is it was not boring.

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David,

I am near the end of my new firewall forward install of an IO375 and WWRV200 prop to replace my Subaru with MT on my 7A. Can't wait to go fly and not feel like a test pilot all the time.

An interesting side note, the IO375 installation has proven to be much more difficult and labor intensive than any of the 4 Subie installations.. especially the baffling. Maybe this perception is partially because I got so familiar with the Subie installs, but still...

I went through 4 Subaru installations and it certainly cost me alot of money to do all that experimenting, but I still do not think of it as a waste of time. I learned plenty all along through the process, and as they say, "you pay to learn"

BTW, I went with your recommendation, using 4" scat to feed air to an 8432r mounted on the firewall via RV10 bracket etc., and the 4" butterfly valve to control that air flow... Trying to be ready for Airzona summer weather!

Randall in Sedona

Randy said:

David,

I am near the end of my new firewall forward install of an IO375 and WWRV200 prop to replace my Subaru with MT on my 7A. Can't wait to go fly and not feel like a test pilot all the time.

An interesting side note, the IO375 installation has proven to be much more difficult and labor intensive than any of the 4 Subie installations.. especially the baffling. Maybe this perception is partially because I got so familiar with the Subie installs, but still...

I went through 4 Subaru installations and it certainly cost me alot of money to do all that experimenting, but I still do not think of it as a waste of time. I learned plenty all along through the process, and as they say, "you pay to learn"

BTW, I went with your recommendation, using 4" scat to feed air to an 8432r mounted on the firewall via RV10 bracket etc., and the 4" butterfly valve to control that air flow... Trying to be ready for Airzona summer weather!

Randall in Sedona

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I had that system with 7A and could regulate OT, it worked well.
With 8 it is a baffle mount cooler as per the plan, so far it is ok but I have not been Arizona temps.

Just to reiterate flying the 8 is great.
Had a great flight this afternoon first since June 28.
Sure beats anything else I do.