Aerovee Turbo Kit

[marsolgp]

Got the new turbo blanket (off eBay, it's the exact same as I removed and it was $31 and free shipping), installed it and flew another hour. Turbo ops still good, no further issues.
With regards to the exhaust bolts & nuts, this is probably normal loosening and we just need to keep an eye on it for first 10-20 hours. It reminds me of the old hot rod days, header bolts were always loosening up.
I did go ahead and drill the heads of the five down pipe bolts and safety them, mostly because if they were to fall out, you're looking at severe fire damage…… but, not a worry now.

Any other turbos out there flying yet?

[MichaelFarley56]

I'm really hoping to get some work done on my engine this weekend and throughout next week, but unfortunately I've been on the road a lot and when I'm home, it's been freezing. I hope to join you as a flying "TurboVee" member in a few weeks or so!

[Timwaiex0146]

I have been following your adventures installing your turbos and plan to eventually install one on our unfinished waiex .Right now were plumbing the engine and trying to put things on the firewall where they wont have to be moved when we install the turbo. Did you move your coils off the centerline or will they clear the turbo where the factory reccomends they should go for the non turbo engine? thanks Tim

[Sonex1517]

Tim

I originally used the factory layout, but when I installed the turbo I had to move everything.

The entire right (co-pilot) side of the firewall is not available with a turbo.

I would either wait until you get to the point of having the turbo installed or put everything on the pilots (left) side of the firewall, including the battery, coils, contactor, and gascolator.

My two cents.


Robbie Culver
Sonex 1517
Chicagoland
Tails and Wings complete - finishing fuselage.
N1517S reserved

[marsolgp]

Tim,

Being Experimental, you're naturally going to find different ways of accomplishing the same thing. No one is right and no one is wrong...... That being said, I can only tell you what I did. My ignition coils are in the 'stock' location. My battery (a small lithium iron), master relay and gascolator are all on the RH side (copilots if you will). Gascolator installed per original drawings. My fuel flow transmitter sits below the ignition coils just inboard of the gascolator and I have not had any interference issues and none of these items seems to be affected by the additional heat.
The only interference issue I have had is the turbo being so close the firewall (1/4"). Once the turbo blanket was installed it is in constant contact, now, with firewall. Not a bigg deal, but will have to keep an eye on the blanket and check for it to wear through.
You can back in this thread and look at some of the photos of my installation, that Robbie posted for me.
And just to add one more thing..... Even though it looks like a tight fit, I have not had a problem getting my fat hands anywhere behind the engine that I needed to get to.... Still more access than those poor Jab3300 guys have.... I can, however, see that if I ever have to remove a cylinder or such, that I will be cussing all the turbo stuff that's got to be removed.

[Bruce593SX]

I did a test fit of my turbo today... Don't know if it's because I welded my own engine mount, or what, but I've got a full inch at least from the back of the turbo to the firewall....

[MichaelFarley56]

For what it's worth, I installed my turbo today and have about the same clearance as Geary. I probalby have around 3/8" at the closest point between the turbo and the firewall itself, and all of that gap will get filled up with the turbo blanket. I'm not too concerned about it as long as there's plenty of space for the blanket itself.

Now, with regards to the firewall mounting points, I'm right there with both Geary and Robbie. I have my ignition coils mounted in the center of the firewall and there's plenty of room for them. I did have to remove the starter solenoid, voltage regulator, and I can see right now my older style air/oil separator will also be a problem with interference on the intake tube, requiring removal. I don't know if I'll have room to put it somewhere else after the battery is installed, or I may have to upgrade to the newer style air/oil separator.

If I were building an airplane right now and there was even slight consideration on flying behind the turbo AeroVee, I would follow Robbie's advice and put everything on the pilot's side.

Geary, I have a quick question for you: on the turbo housing itself, I see there is a total of 4 ports around the center of the turbo assembly (bearing housing). Once the turbo is "clocked" properly, the top port is oil intake, the bottom port is oil return line, but there's two other threaded ports; one facing the firewall and another facing the engine flywheel. What did you do on those other two ports? Plug them with a pipe fitting, leave them open, etc? Just curious.

Thanks!

[marsolgp]

Mike,

I just left those ports open, and for those that are curious (as I was) they're for water cooling when installed on a car..

[MichaelFarley56]

Mike,

I just left those ports open, and for those that are curious (as I was) they're for water cooling when installed on a car..

I had a feeling that's probably what those are! Thanks for the info.

[Rynoth]

Interesting about the water cooling ports. It makes me concerned for the internals of the turbo after reading this article:

http://www.turbobygarrett.com/turbobyga ... ooling.pdf

Granted that white paper is not necessarily referring to our turbo, the fundamentals of trapped heat after shutdown may still be a concern. Notably, coking of the hot, stationary oil in the turbo after shutdown.

It would be nice to know for sure if our particular turbo was intended to be water cooled, or if our type of operation doesn't require it.