Friday Progress

OK friends and neighbors, here are the basic components in the mount for the Bendix/King AV80R GPS. The aluminum is the overlay that fits just below the transponder. Right above it is the holder for the GPS provided in the box. To the right are the fasterners, a 6-32 x 1/2" screw, a #6 washer, a #6 lockwasher, another #6 washer and a #6 nut.

The screw goes through the slot in the holder with a washer behind it to spread out the forces. The slot is exactly the width of a #6 screw, so I had to take a small file and widen the slot just a smidgen.

This is the back side. Washer, lock washer, nut. Nothin' to it!

And here is the trial fit. I think it is going to be pretty snazzy, once the panels are all painted a dark gray and everything is back together.

Right Side Panel

I just received word from my mechanic that the FAA is not doing field approvals at the moment. So, it is back to the original idea of a new cosmetic overlay on the right side panel.

Progress

Progress has been a little slow. I have had some projects around the castle that have needed my attention, coupled with a couple of bouts of laziness.

But I have tested the proposed location for the AV80R. It fits, and will look, great. Sorry, no pictures. I couldn't hold the unit with both hands and work the camera at the same time.

Work has started on replacing the baffle seals. As you can see from the above photo, the seals were well past the point of needing replacement. They appear to be the original seals. Which is too old by more than a few years.

This is the seal kit that I ordered from Aircraft Spruce. It appears to be good quality material and the price was very reasonable. The kit includes the seals, two packages of rivets (it looks like way more than enough), washers, and a package of screws and nuts that I haven't figured out yet. Note that they even include an appropriately sized drill bit.

I worked on removing the old seals last night. It is fussy work drilling out the old rivets and pulling the old staples (yes, the factory STAPLED some of the seals in place). I worked until the battery on the drill gave out. I got about 2/3's of the rivets out.

A good deal of care is in order as the baffles are very light gauge aluminum and can be easily damaged.

I also got educated on the differences between "old design" and "new design" drive couplings for the alternator. I purchased a new drive coupling from Quality Aircraft Accessories. Who are, by the way, great folks with which to work. Those little puppies are $574 each with a $500 core charge. The bad news is that the "old design" coupling is not an acceptable core. It turns out that if the old design coupling fails, it tends to spread bits and pieces throughout the engine. So having the new design is a good thing. But $1,074 for that small part is more than slightly painful.

Panel Update

The fabrication of the new overlay for the right side panel is on hold. A couple of friends in the 150/152 club suggested that I fabricate a floating panel for the right side instead of just doing a new overlay.

This constitutes more than a cosmetic change. So, my mechanic is checking with the FAA on the possibility of doing a field approval.

Engine News

The mechanic has gotten the engine completely disassembled. I didn't need to worry about that one cylinder flange nut, or the stud or case. I broke one of the through-bolts. All of the studs, nuts and bolts get replaced anyway, so no harm done.

The case and the steel parts have been shipped off for inspection. The case will probably get line bored, in addition to new studs. We will see if the cam and/or crank need to be ground.

Overlay Progress

The first trial fit for the right side overlay template is to make sure the mounting holes line up. If you look closely, you can see the layout lines for the round openings. The next step is to cut out the round openings and make sure they line up with the instruments. Once I am sure they are in the right places, I will cut the openings for the fuel and oil gauges.

The center stack overlays fit perfectly! The blank area below the transponder will host the Bendix/King AV80R GPS.

The center stack overlays have been drilled and are ready for a trial fit. The right panel overlay template has been cut out and the mounting hole locations drilled.

You have to view these images from bottom to top. It is just the way the blog is set up. This is the panel as it looked Saturday morning.

These are the overlay blanks ready for layout and drilling. The large one on the left is for the right side panel. The middle one fits below the transponder in the center stack, and the small one goes on top of the radio.

Engine

The engine is in the hands of the mechanic. We (my Wife and I) hauled it up to Port Angeles on Saturday. It looks like a solid month before it will be ready to hang.

I have started pulling out cabin items. The instrument panel is pretty much disassembled, the seats are out, and I am about to pull out the ugly carpeting. But first, I will be fabricating a new overlay for the right side of the instrument panel.

The left side is easy. I will simply install new overlays on the existing, floating, instrument panel. But Cessna, for whatever reason, mounted all the right side instruments directly on the sub-panel, which is a structural part of the airplane. So, a new overlay is in order if the right side is to match the left side.

What fun!

Progess

I started work on removing the remaining three cylinders this past Saturday. I have had real problems with recalcitrant nuts.

I was hauling on one of the #2 cylinder flange nuts, and it seemed to break loose. Not so. I observed that the stud was turning, and not backing out. I couldn't pull it out either. This is not good.

The decision was made to leave the removal of the rest of the cylinders to the professional. I just may have caused myself more trouble than I bargained for. I will know for sure once the mechanic gets that cylinder off and lets me know if the damage I did is beyond repair ( $$$$ :( ).

I had a very positive experience with Aircraft Spruce last week. I got confused in ordering the spark plugs and ignition harness on-line, so I called. Mike was very helpful in guiding me through what I needed.

This evening will be spent cleaning parts, which I hate. But I hate paying a professional mechanic to do it even more. Sometime this week the intake tubes and the oil tank will get painted and everything will be ready to go up to the mechanic in Port Angeles. That is scheduled for next Saturday.