Brief Description: Cable rigging and cowling fitting
Today’s session focused on tasks forward of the firewall as I close in on first engine start. I accomplished a bunch of odds and ends, to include:
• Installed the throttle & mixture cables and adjusted all of the fittings to ensure that actuation of the cockpit controls allowed each to reach the fore and aft stops. Once this was done I torqued the fittings down and installed cotter pins. • Clamped the firesleeve with hose clamps to secure it where the throttle cable passes over the exhaust pipe. • Torqued all fuel fittings and added torque lacquer for verification. • Installed the snorkel, which turned out to be a big chore. The whole assembly had previously been fitted and therefore I knew it would go back in place, but for some reason the four bolts holding the snorkel to the throttle body would not thread without a bit of persuasion. I finally got it to go in place, but needed a clamp to add some pressure and hold the whole thing while I wrestled with it. Add in the typical lack of access in that area and it turned into a chore well beyond what it should have been. I finally got it done and then reinstalled the air filter and all of the associated brackets. • Installed the bottom cowl to start working on final finishing. I was gratified to see that my previous work with the temporary spinner bracket and spacers was accurate, as there is only about 3/8” between the front of the cowl and the aft of the spinner…should look good once the whole thing is done.
With that, I am 90% finished with the mechanical stuff forward of the firewall, and after some tweaking to get the cowling adjusted, I will officially start fiberglass work to finish the cowling and windshield fairing.
