May 31, 2026 - RV-10 Status Update
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Since we're on hold with the plenum, it was time to start on the firewall forward stuff.
Here Nhu-An works on the E-Mag and Monkworkx backup generator wiring.
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We had to go into the cockpit and run wires from the E-Mags to the starter switch.
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| A close look at the right E-Mag. The six-cylinder E-Mag is different from the four-cylinder E-Mag. The six-cylinder has a military-like wire bundle connector to the E-Mag; much better than what I have on my four-cylinder E-Mags. Also the timing light and temperature strip are very visible on this install. |
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The Monkworkx backup generator control unit. The Monkworkx puts out an amazing 30 amps. We finished wiring up the Monkworkx.
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| Working on the main alternator and starter wires, plus the field wire to the alternator. |
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Don paints an epoxy-micro balloon mix onto the inside of the top cowl.
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| Perfect timing! The new plenum from Sam James arrives. |
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The new plenum kit included these engine mount covers; a clever way of solving that issue.
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| Some trimming will be required up front. |
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The air inlets are detachable. This should make it easy to align them with the air inlet rings.
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| The fit along the trailing edge is excellent. |
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| The fit along the side and front baffles is excellent as well. |
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The O-540 has the oil filler tube on the top of the engine. This obviously is an issue when you go the plenum route.
But the plenum kit includes the two pieces shown here to solve that issue.
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| We trimmed the plenum so it sat down snugly on the engine. Then we maneuvered the air intake pieces so that they were aligned with the air inlet rings. |
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Perfect alignment!
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| This side too. |
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| We're very happy with the new plenum. |
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| Next step is to remove the excess baffle extending beyond the plenum. |
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Off comes the baffles for trimming.
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| Trimming complete. |
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Looks much better now.
The plenum is drilled and clecoed to the baffles.
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| The engine mount covers are attached to the baffles using nutplates and #8 screws. |
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| I made a new ground wire for the battery. Although this PC680 is just temporary for testing purposes. |
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| Two areas on the front windshield needed repair, so I did that using fiberglass cloth and epoxy filler. |
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| My friend Ken was in town and put in two and a half day on the RV-10 project. His main task was the air filter box. Here, he has put in the alternate air door. |
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Ken has the air filter box drilled and clecoed together.
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| It aligns perfectly with the bottom air inlet ring. |
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For his good work on the RV-10 project, Ken was rewarded with a free lunch at Pizza Johns, best pizza in Maryland!
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| How to secure the air inlet pieces to the plenum. We had no instructions. We decided to attach it using aluminum clips. The clips would rivet to the air inlet piece, and attach to the plenum with #8 screws. The air inlet is clecoed to the baffles on each side. |
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| Nhu-An working on making a tube from the bottom air inlet ring to the air filter box -- going from a circle to a rectangle. Here she is carving a mold from a foam block. |
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| The mold, ready for glassing with fiberglass cloth. |
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And it's glassed!
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| The next day, chopping the foam out from the inside. |
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Scrapping and sanding the foam from the inside.
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| Installing nutplates on the inside of the plenum. You can see the trimming we had to do on the plenum to make it fit to the engine. Not much, really. |
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| The plenum and air inlets are installed and screwed in tight. They aren't going anywhere, believe me! |
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| From antoher angle. |
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Painting some air filter box components prior to riveting.
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| Air filter box riveted together. |
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