Making an engine inspection panel.

[Trackley]

Hi guys. I have a 19 reg savannah vg and want to make a inspection flap on a hinge to open and check my oil. How and or where so i start. I know i have to cut out a hole. Probability sounds silly but yeah. Anyone that has done this how do i go about it. Where do i get the fastners from how do i make a seat for it to sit on?

 

Regards

 

 

[fallowdeer]

Hi Trackley

 

I made an oil filler check panel for my VG. Was really worthwhile. I'll be down the hangar today and take some pics.

 

Peter

 

 

[Frankie]

Hi Trackley

 

Have a look at Tony Spicers web site for his Panther in the Fibreglass section. He has a few step by step photos how he made an inspection hatch in the cowl.

 

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/116494848541088965116

 

 

[Trackley]

Hi TrackleyHave a look at Tony Spicers web site for his Panther in the Fibreglass section. He has a few step by step photos how he made an inspection hatch in the cowl.

 

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/116494848541088965116

Cheers that will help

 

 

[Trackley]

Hi TrackleyI made an oil filler check panel for my VG. Was really worthwhile. I'll be down the hangar today and take some pics.

 

Peter

That will be great

 

 

[storchy neil]

Hi guys. I have a 19 reg savannah vg and want to make a inspection flap on a hinge to open and check my oil.

 

hi trackley personally I would not put a little inspection flap in BECAUSE

 

by removing the top cover completely you can see the whole of your motor and them bloody birds and rats have been known to build a home there very quickly

 

plus better inspection of oil leaks plug wires broken exhaust springs

 

yes I know its a pain in the arse to remove the cover but visual inspection is best neil

 

 

[Trackley]

Hi guys. I have a 19 reg savannah vg and want to make a inspection flap on a hinge to open and check my oil.hi trackley personally I would not put a little inspection flap in BECAUSE

by removing the top cover completely you can see the whole of your motor and them bloody birds and rats have been known to build a home there very quickly

 

plus better inspection of oil leaks plug wires broken exhaust springs

 

yes I know its a pain in the **** to remove the cover but visual inspection is best neil

No worries Neil thanks for the advice.

 

 

[storchy neil]

trackley know john Gordon tell him dingo is still lost neil

 

 

[Trackley]

No worries Neil thanks for the advice.

trackley know john Gordon tell him dingo is still lost neil

Yeah know him. Ill bet him know the dingo is still lost

 

 

[fallowdeer]

 

Hi Trackley

 

Couple pics of the oil level inspection panel we put in my VG. Made pretty much as described in the link above.

 

Very worthwhile and I recommend you do this. Just because you can check oil level easily this way hardly precludes you taking off your cowl as often as you wish for a full inspection in my opinion.

 

Peter

 

 

 

[facthunter]

You need an inspection cover for the oil level check. It's nice to remove the whole cowl but it really is a pain often needing more than one person to do it without damaging paint etc Plug your intakes with foam like you cover the Pitot to protect it. . One down side is it can be forgotten to fasten or come uncatched and it's usually hinged so as it will flap about. Nev

 

 

[Yenn]

Thats an ugly bump on the cowl. I assume it is above the carbies. Would have thought it oould have been faired in a bit better to reduce drag.

 

 

[djpacro]

Thats an ugly bump on the cowl.

Perhaps designed by the same guy who did the F/A-18 fin strengthening ....

 

 

[fallowdeer]

Ha. Who cares about the bump over the air box. After all what part of a Savannah VG is pretty??????

 

Except for the performance that is STOLing it into some tiny patch of hillside or riverbed or whatever is pretty fun....

 

Peter

 

 

[storchy neil]

just little bit of drag djpacro neil

 

 

[fallowdeer]

Yep would be sure nice to be a wee bit faster. Mate in next door hangar has recently completed a Glasair III. We worked out he gets about the same MPG as the Savannah. Of course the IO-540 uses three times the fuel. But he goes three times faster.

 

I was out trundling along at 75knts one day when he called me up and he did a 230knt fly past.

 

I can imagine now what it would have been like in WWII flying a Swordfish or similar, seeing a couple of FW190s flash past and pull up and waiting for them to swoop past on another pass.....

 

Peter