Another way to reduce stresses on the firewall would be the seemingly
impossible task of getting the engine weight down. I read an article
somewhere a while ago about a company in California that can lighten up
Lycoming engines making mods and using lighter materials. It sounded very
expensive. I wonder what mods can be done inexpensively without compromising
safety and reliability. Any pounds shed particularly farther away from the
firewall like at the front of the engine will reduce the torque loading at
the firewall. Using a composite prop is an obvious solution. I heard about
lighter alternators, even saw a wind driven type. Not sure what one can do
about those heavy magnetos and the starter. I heard about a starter that can
also charge battery once the engine starts.
Replacing the vac pump with a venturi should help. Something should be
possible with the muffler without adding too much noise.
I know that beefing up the firewall is easier and probably cheaper than the
above ideas and I will most likely go that route myself but keeping the
weight down is also a part of the homebuilding fun.
Each mod may not seem like much weight saving but adding them all up may
amount to something significant. Any tips on this would be much appreciated.
Paul Kucera
Rebel builder 453R
----- Original Message -----
From: Wayne G. O'Shea <oifa@irishfield.on.ca>
To: Murphy Rebel Builders List <murphy-rebel@dcsol.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 1999 12:35 AM
Subject: Re: REBEL O-320 ENGINE MOUNT, HELP!!!
engine.Paul, you are describing the mount for a "conical" engine! Well trussed at
the bottom etc and two tubes going forward at the top to pick up the
coolerVery typical mount design, even on certified conically mounted engines.
Anywhere you put a cross tube, it will be in the way of the mags, oil
aline fittings or something as there is barely enough room to pull a mag on
TheRebel(but with a little imagination and work it could probably be done)
toMurphy dynafocal engine Mount on the other hand, has a very rigid top
section with a diagonal brace etc. and the lower two tubes are just loose
tubes from the dynafocal mount ring to the firewall bolt flanges(similar
allthe top tubes on the conical mount) My web pic's show a Dynafocal Mount.
There have been firewall problems with both engine mounts in use! A prop
strike on a Rebel at idle power (without the reinforcements) will buckle
bulk4 mount locations approximately 1/2", making the new propellor and the
Lastoverhaul on the engine, the easy part of the repairs.
Wayne
-----Original Message-----
From: C&P Kucera <cpkucera@idirect.com>
To: Murphy Rebel Builders List <murphy-rebel@dcsol.com>
Date: Thursday, December 02, 1999 12:07 AM
Subject: REBEL O-320 ENGINE MOUNT, HELP!!!
I had a look at Wyne O'Shea's firewall fix and a memory came to mind.
aboutwallsummer I visited a Rebel builder who had the engine mount bolted on theready to hang his gorgeous Canadian Aero O-320. He said the mount was
purchased from Murphy and designed for the O-320. What I did not like
tubeswithit were the two uppermost tubes extending from the upper firewall boltsthe other end hanging in the breeze. I could easily flex each of the
rigid,hpwith one hand and see the wall flex and this is supposed to support a 160engine!!! Wow!!!! All the other tubes were triangulated or crossbraced to
others and they did not flex.
The argument was that the upper tubes would stop flexing once tied to the
engine. I did not buy that because the junction at the engine is not
wheretheit is through flexing rubber mounts. These tubes can never be rigid likerest. I would always expect to see them spread out a bit and cause the
firewall to locally bulge out.
Wayne's photos don't show the engine end of the mount so I don't know
sourcethe wall flex was comming from on his installation but with the mount I
described above there should be a way to address the problem at the
thisand tie the flexing tubes to other ones. Perhaps a firewall fix would not
even be required then although direct pulling loads out of the wall at
aslocation must be very high just from the moment generated by this heavy
engine.
I understand that once in flight the tubes will not flex nearly as much
thiswhen bouncing on the ground (or water) but still that would not be a good
excuse for leaving the tubes flex.
Can anyone shed some light on this? Has anyone done any beefing up of
*----------------------------------------------------**----------------------------------------------------*flexing mount and how did it effect the firewall?
Paul Kucera
Rebel builder, 453R
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The Murphy Rebel Builders List is for the discussion
between builders and owners of Murphy Rebel aircraft.
Archives located at:
http://www.dcsol.com/murphy-rebel/lists/default.htm
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The Murphy Rebel Builders List is for the discussion
between builders and owners of Murphy Rebel aircraft.
Archives located at:
http://www.dcsol.com/murphy-rebel/lists/default.htm
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