Firewall Forward Project

Discussion on keeping your aircraft airworthy and legal and/or any technical topics.


Hale-Yes
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Firewall Forward Project

Post by Hale-Yes »

I have turned the corner on my firewall forward project, I have finshed taking things apart and have now started to put them back together. I always enjoy seeing pictures of other folks projects, and I've learned so much from them. I thought I would share mine as I (slowly) put this plane back together. A little back ground is in order, my MT will be of drinking age next year and she is looking a bit shabby under the covers, but she is not ready for a proper overhaul, this is more of a mid life crisis. And its really an opertunity to closely inspect things that are hard to see otherwise and replace some soft parts that are at the end of there service life. After pulling the engine and striping it, I capped all the lines and hose fittings and made covers for the exhaust port, mags, etc. Then I had the engine soda blasted (Baking Soda) to remove the old paint with out the damage caused by sand blasting. Afterwards I washed the engine with vinegar to neutralize the soda, and then with clean water, and immediately blew everything dry with compressed air. I taped off the block and valve cover area and painted the cylinders with a semi-flat black paint from Chaparral Motorcycle called "Fast Black" and then I taped off the cylinders and painted the cases with Lycoming Gray from Aircraft Spruce. The valve covers, push rod tubes, and air intake tubes are out being nickel plated. All the small brackets are being replated with what ever that OEM gold colored plating is. The Surefly EIS has arrived, but the other mag is out for it's 500 hour service. More to come.
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krautman67
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by krautman67 »

WOW....Nice job Hale-Yes!

I must echo your comments. I have gained a ton of info from guys that have done major work, like you are doing now. Thank you for sharing. I am about two weeks behind you, doing the same thing. In fact, mind if I copy your engine paint?
My M5 reached drinking age 26 years ago, it looks like an old snowmobile engine that’s been in a barn for 10 years under the hood. I am also replacing the baffling, NDT testing the mount, new SS firewall, new mounts. I removed all engine connections yesterday, ready to lift engine out as soon as prop is off. I noticed that the alternator belt was too long, it was at the end of the alternator adjustment limit. The alternator contacted the oil cooler, vibrated the crap out of it, broke the mount, cracked the aluminum air box. That is out for welding. Glad I started this project, I think it’s good to give your aircraft a good once-over every 44 years.
I’ll post photos of the cowling when I can, the Dzus fasteners are starting to fall through the enlarged fibreglass holes....I’ll have to figure something out there.

Before:
[url=https://postimg.cc/BjCp8VSr][img]https://i.postimg.cc/BjCp8VSr/82-F66155 ... -A9603.jpg[/img][/url]
1976 M5-235C

Rezrider
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by Rezrider »

My engine looks about the same as yours 'krautman'. Looking at an overhaul this winter.
1980 M5-235
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Hale-Yes
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by Hale-Yes »

It was suprizing to me how many (mostly little things) that I found that had gone south since my aircraft left the factory in 2001. I found the remains of a mouse or rats nest in between the left cylinders under the baffeling. It was made mostly from pine needels, so its been there since before I owned it, no pine trees here. The most important thing that I have found so far is that the perferated muffler baffel in the left muffler had all the welds broken and was ratteling around in the can. I had run a scope up through the exhaust pipe not long ago after the mufflers became a hot topic on our forum, but I compleatly missed it. Pulling the mufflers off and putting a bright light in there and taking a good look around is likely the only way to be sure they are in good shape and your not missing somthing. The new baffels that I bought from Maule appear to be made from thicker stainless steel.
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Hale-Yes
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by Hale-Yes »

Krautman, at that age age she is probably an aficionado of fine scotch! I think that my engine looked worse, I had more corrosion. Please copy the paint. I soda blasted my engine to remove the old paint and the corrosion, If you do this, or have it done by someone with no experience, use only 60 to 80 lbs of air pressure so that it does not damage the surface and your data plate like sand blasting does. High air volume, low pressure works best (as comparied to sand blasting). Remember to wash down with vinegar to neutralize the soda after blasting and then rinse with clean water and blow dry. The black paint that I used is made by PJ1 and is called Fast Black. They offer it in gloss, semi gloss, and wrinkle flat. It's heat rated to 500 degrees. I used the semi gloss. It's the best rattle can paint I have ever used. Lots of pigment, very thick, drys quick. I bought 5 cans and used 4, 1/4. Coating both sides of all the cylinder fins requires a good flash light, lots of looking, and the ability to stand on your head. The gray is Super Flite aircraft engine enamel in lycoming gray, its rated for 400 degrees. I bought a quart and used less than half. I thined it just a bit and applyed it with a spray gun. The taping is the important part, just take your time. After spraying the black, let it sit for a day, so that when you apply the masking tape, it does not lift the new paint when you peal it off. I sent my valve covers, air intake tubes, and push rod tubes off be nickel plated. (pure vanity). I also sent all the brackets and steel bits to be replated with yellow zink. It was a great time to replace the exhaust studs which were very rusty. luckily I was able to remove the old ones with out breaking any. I found that Aircraft Specialtiies in OK is a great place to source lycoming parts at a reasonable price. More to come.
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krautman67
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by krautman67 »

Thank You Hale-Yes!
I was definitely going to test the blasting pressure, so your info is greatly appreciated. I don’t think I’ll pimp my ride to the same level you are with your intake plumbing and valve covers, but I might once we see yours!🤣. I was just going to get some Titan valve covers, but they are probably ridiculou$. New baffling with the orange baffling material is also in order. I saw a company at Sun N Fun a few years back that made very spanky baffling kits, forget the name. Hammered finish. We have a Aircraft Spruce nearby that has Lycoming grey rattle cans, I’ll have to find a high temp semi-gloss black, can’t ship that sort of goods across the border😠. I will definitely go to Aircraft Specialties for the oil return hoses that are dispensing that good oil onto the belly. Are you keeping your ignition wiring harness? Mine work, I have one that is oil damaged....don’t think I need to change them, they all work.

Next: Off with the engine mount for NDT testing, then replacing this hideous firewall with stainless steel.

Thanks for the good info,

Carl


[url=https://postimg.cc/z3q6kKsC][img]https://i.postimg.cc/z3q6kKsC/CDF5275-C ... C290-C.jpg[/img][/url]
Last edited by krautman67 on Sun Mar 21, 2021 12:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
1976 M5-235C

Hale-Yes
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by Hale-Yes »

Krautman, You can probably find the same PJ1 paint in Canada. I have done a lot of painting projects over the years and I can't say enough about the quality of that paint. As for the plating, Lycoming offers all of the parts that I'm having nickel plated, in chrome, but its much less $ for me to have my old parts plated. I like the nickel as it's cheeper and a little softer in it's color, not so blingy (if thats a word). The yellow or "gold" zink plating is very reasonable and provides good corrosion protection. I already had the orange silicone baffeling but I am changing to the relatively new fiberglass reinforced black silicone material for the following reasons. It's thinner and lighter, but stronger due to the fiberglass reinforcement. I found that when the orange silicone gets really hot it becomes flaccid, and thats never a good thing :oops: I am swaping one of my mags for the SureFly EIS. SureFly strongly recommends installing a new slick harness (which also fits the SureFire) and new fine wire plugs, so yes, I'm going with a new harness. My old one was in poor shape and starting to fray, it was cut pretty deep in a few places where it was routed around sharp corners. I went with Tempest URHM 38SE fine wire plugs for the SureFly (the E is for electronic ignition) and Tempest URHM 38S for the slick mag.
"The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are out numbered by those who vote for a living" Author unknown.

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krautman67
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by krautman67 »

I also looked closely at the SureFly mags at the last Sun n Fun, but they did not have a unit that houses 2 mags from a single drive, you must have two separate mags, not the single unit in mine.
I found a large chaffed hole in the firewall, so it will be replaced with .024 stainless. This is as deep as I go.....want to fly in 6 weeks!

Carl


[url=https://postimg.cc/xJh7VcrK][img]https://i.postimg.cc/xJh7VcrK/39-E91888 ... 2-A5-C.jpg[/img][/url]
1976 M5-235C

Hale-Yes
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by Hale-Yes »

Your right. I have the IO 540 W1A5 with two separate mags. The W1A5D has the duel mag set up from one drive. I have the stainless steel fire wall, I saw an add for custom titanium firewall replacements and entertained the thought for about as long as it took to read the price. My stainless looks even better now. :lol:
"The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are out numbered by those who vote for a living" Author unknown.

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krautman67
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by krautman67 »

Engine Mount:
In 1976, rubber was used to wrap the engine mount to protect chaffing. I know that something better is used now. Can someone with a much newer Maule share photos of what is used today? Photo of the plethora of cable ties attached.
Carl

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andy
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by andy »

I just went through the process of changing all my tube-mounted tie wraps to Adel clamps on the tubing last annual to avoid chafing the tubing. Wire bundles are tie-wrapped to the Adel clamps but I don't remember how. I think it's a tie wrap with screw hole bolted to the Adel clamp above the nut. I'll try to take a photo but I don't think any of them are visible without taking the top cowling off.
Andy
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Hale-Yes
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by Hale-Yes »

That same technique of wrapping the engine mount tubing with rubber and then using zip ties was still being used in 2001, as that is what is on my MT. I have a spot of serious tubing chafing on the left hand side below the upper motor mount as a result. I would also like to see just how the adel clamps are used instead of wrapping the zip ties around the tubing. That sounds like a much better set up. I am often surprised at the utility of the adel clamp and the imaginative ways aircraft machanics have used them. Andy next time you have the cowl off can you take a picture or two?
"The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are out numbered by those who vote for a living" Author unknown.

Hale-Yes
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by Hale-Yes »

It's been slow going but I have gotten a few more things acomplished. I should be able to make a big push later this week when a few more parts arrive.
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drak130
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by drak130 »

Wow! Amazing attention to detail.

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krautman67
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Re: Firewall Forward Project

Post by krautman67 »

Nice Work!!

I decided to go all Lycoming Grey, no black, no chrome, just clean things up.

I have two small areas of concern that some of you may have had also.

1. I ordered a new set of oil return line hoses from Chief Aircraft. The originals are 2 1/2”, the new hoses are 1 7/8”. A tad short to facilitate enough hose for a clamp to fit outboard of the return tube flare. (Photo)

2. I just removed the crankshaft end cover I put on since removing the prop. I had a look inside, observed a significant amount of sludge.
All run-ups were good, no operational issues with prop governor. Just carefully remove it with a contoured non-metal scaper?
[url=https://postimg.cc/mtYz90z0][img]https://i.postimg.cc/mtYz90z0/19019541- ... -D9570.jpg[/img][/url]

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1976 M5-235C

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