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So I just hung my engine. Now what???

rv6ehguy

Well Known Member
I would like to pick the brains of all the esteemed builders out there.
I just installed my new engine on my RV6A project with the new and improved engine mount/nose gear and I couldn?t be more thrilled. The engine hanging couldn?t have been smoother. Now I have a lot more items to accomplish in the months to come. Where do I start??
My thinking is to install all the big stuff first, like the exhaust system and the baffles. Should I do this before installing all the control cables and plumbing?
Point me in the right direction please. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
John Van Lieshout
RV6A+
AeroSport Power IO-375M1S
G3X 2 screen suite
 
Use the RV-14a plans

I learned a lot by looking at the RV-14 plans, and I built an RV-8. My guess is that if you use those it might give you some useful hints. They are really well-done, and are available on a USB stick from the Van's Aircraft store.
 
It's not the size of the stuff, but how movable it is. I did my cowlings last on the RV-6A but I think I will do them first on the -10. After that, baffling followed by exhaust, but don't torque anything down. Next, controls and the alternator and starter wiring. Then hoses, ignition wires, and a good time to position things like pressure senders. And, finally, any sender wiring, including CHTs and EGTs, routed especially away from anything carrying power. No wires should bundle with hoses, either fluid or pneumatic. And allow slack for anything that bridges the engine with either the engine mount or the firewall. Don't forget to do a final torque check on all fasteners (you'll have removed or altered the baffling for ignition wiring and probably the exhaust and intake tubes for routing some wiring). Be prepared to be flexible. For instance, you may have to adjust the exhaust mounting to accomodate the mixture and throttle controls. For me, this was a fun part of the build because each system installed was a milestone and the milestones came fast compared to the airframe.
 
So I?m expecting my emp kit next week so I am not even new to building yet so forgive the question. Do the instructions not give you the next step? I have zero engine knowledge and was/am expecting instructions as to the next steps. Do the vans instructions stop with the airframe??
 
So I?m expecting my emp kit next week so I am not even new to building yet so forgive the question. Do the instructions not give you the next step? I have zero engine knowledge and was/am expecting instructions as to the next steps. Do the vans instructions stop with the airframe??

Depending on the kit you're building, Van's instructions go from "Have fun installing the engine and systems" (mostly applies to the older models such as the -3, -4, and -6) to "Tab A into Slot B" in the -12 and -14. The intermediate models are somewhere in-between.

The best suggestion is to buy the RV-14 preview plans and use them as a go-by. They are the most complete "directions" available, but unless you're building a -14, you'll need to adapt the instructions to your particular situation/aircraft.
 
Also, the choice of engine and instruments is up to you, so there is no way that Vans Aircraft can give you exact directions. They do make Firewall Forward kits for particular model/engine combinations and they have fair instructions. But they also allow you to delete parts you don't need or exchange for others depending on your situation. Similarly, they offer a basic electrical kit but your panel needs may necessitate changing, which is why you often see posts here about people's planned electrical layout.

The good news is that it's all fairly easy to deal with and you will find lots of help at your airport, especially if you stick to the recommended powerplants and reasonable electronics. Also, good resources for basic knowledge are the Tony Bingelis books and the Aero Electric Connection. By the time you close your first component, you should have probably already been in contact with a Tech Counselor or at least a local builder, who can offer you guidance (and confidence, which everyone needs at the beginning). And then there's always this forum as a broader pool of advice.

I see you listed the -10 as your plane of interest. Assuming that is the kit you will be building, it's FWF instructions are pretty good, but most builders modify it because they want something different. In my case, a full glass panel, A/C, dual electronic ignition on my injected lycoming, built-in Oxy, etc. has required some minor changes even to the airframe. Because of the complexity, I hire Aerotronics to build a 'plug and play' panel for me (Stein is another highly recommended shop) but I do all the peripheral wiring and hookups myself. But I'm deliberately going over the top; if I were to build another, it would be much more basic, because it doesn't really need all the 'bells and whistles'. Anyway, never fear, you will have plenty of time and opportunity to learn the things you need. In fact, learning is the best (and my original reason) for building a kit plane in the first place.
 
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I am in the process of doing firewall forward. Just finished baffles. I put my prop on and fit the cowl first after hanging the engine. I am glad I did! The baffles depend on the cowl, the FAB depends on the baffles/cowl, etc. After the cowl I did FAB and baffles. I also intermixed some things like starter cable, wire routing and the like. If you would like to see pics of what I did here is the link to my build log starting with engine hanging. I am still waiting on my exhaust but I am glad I did not have it in the way for a lot of this stuff.
 
As mentioned above, now is the time to do the cowling while there is minimal interferences.
Next - Find a similar RV-6 ,7 or 9 that you can take a good look at. 10 minutes looking at something is worth 50 pictures or 2000 words trying to describe it! Look for examples that have same equipment choices as your project such as horiz or vert FI, ignition, engine sensor packages, oil cooler mounting/plumbing, etc. Ask lots of questions about what the builder would do first or change if he did it again.
You will quickly determine your game plan based on "what has easiest access first', 'what is going to block what' & 'what interferes with what'. Also you should get ideas for best practices for running cables, wires, lines & tubing.
 
So I hung my engine. Now what?

Looks like the I?m on to the cowling. Thanks everyone for your guidance.
John Van Lieshout
RV6A+ 85%
AeroSport Power IO-375M1S (195hp)
Garmin G3X touch 2 screen suite
 
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