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General C180 questions.

JPI's specification. Probably so the threads don't gall. Shouldn't be for strength as all manufacturers warn against hard mounting to the gascolator or carb. I've seen aluminum, steel, and brass used for the hoses. Never had issues bit I always use thread lube on them. Most engine guys demand steel fittings on the accessory case for oil lines, to prevent galling, so maybe I SHOULD think about steel on the gascolator and carb.

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Hi guys. I'm about to pull the engine out of my C180J. Along with the windows / windscreen. And dash. Where does it stop? ….

So, a year later, I was wondering if you'd care to comment on your original question?
Also, if you'd care to offer your opinion(s) on what you'd do differently,
or recommendations to others starting down this road on what to do and what not to do.
 
Also, if you'd care to offer your opinion(s) on what you'd do differently,
or recommendations to others starting down this road on what to do and what not to do.

Nothing enlightening. It’s been a bit of a slog. You can only spread yourself so thin. Busy at work, rural property to maintain, children to feed and educate. At the start of this my wife went back to work 4 days a week, for the first time in 25 years. That’s definitely a good thing the amount these aircraft cost, but it has slowed progress.

One thing I significantly underestimated was the time spent in manuals, IPC, Genuine and Spruce finding parts and ordering bits. There is as much time doing such as actually putting spanners on the aircraft. And how does a shop pass on those expenses? Taking your aeroplane, car, boat or whatever to somebody that knows them intimately would help.

I also underestimated the cost. But I guess everybody reading this has done the same before.

On the positive, my 180 is in my hangar located behind my house, so no large hangar fees or time limits. And I’ve had some brilliant engineers come to me and help, as they live nearby. Technically I’m a licensed LAME, but working with these guys I realise what an amateur I am. The electrical man by day wires up helicopters and then swings by my place after work and is completely re-wiring my C180. And doing a fabulous job. So I’ve been very lucky.

One area I thought I’d leave was the tail section. But then I found corrosion and also a Cessna service kit for the fin not done which requires more frequent SID’s inspections. So off comes all the tail section. I then found the hockey stick holes badly worn (which in reference to another post on such, would be undetectable without removing the stab) and I chemically stripped the tail gear spring which was not the correct thing to do. So from not intending to touch the tail, I found myself down a 11 k USD hole. Where does it end ��

Oh, dare I mention the crappy currency I earn. From parity a few years ago, I now need to spend $1.50 for every mighty USD. That hursts.

But no regrets. Popular opinion has it that you only live once. And I think a Cessna 180 should be in that life. I want to take my family away flying and therefore want it right. I pranged one of my fathers Ag Cats when I was 18 mishandling a minor mechanical defect, and I guess that possibility effects my desire to have my aircraft in good order. Or I’m just fussy.
 
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TexMex,
I feel your pain. I spent 14 months and approximately 1100 hours redoing my 180. I am now on Spruce's Xmas card list. My reward? A light, great flying 69 180.
 
Headliners and windlace.

I’ve done a bit of Googling on headliners. I see Stewartb on another thread wasn’t a fan of the woollen headliner as it stains too easily. And shows water marks. From what I’ve seen he’s correct. Has anyone ever purchased an original, or can you even purchase the original style from Cessna?

I’ve seen vinyl windlace replacements, but I don’t love them. My understanding is the windlace needs to be flexible enough to fill any areas of low pressure caused by the outside air creating a vacuum if the door does not seal properly. However I can’t recall ever flying along and noticing this. Maybe more theory then practice? Does anyone have suggestions on this?

I think Cessna built a nice aircraft, and I would like, where practical to have it looking original.
 
Spruce sells vinyl headliners.

I always thought windlace was mostly there to hide the edges of interior panels. I don't have panels or windlace and my doors don't leak any more than they did with the old interiors.
 
I am currently on the same rabbit whole adventure with a 67 180H. I had planned on Selkirk foam insulation on the entire inside of the cabin. Then after a trip to Beagles they said they do the the foam, then wrap it with what ever you want for an interior then use Velcro to install the individual panels. Have not put in any panels but this what I am going to do. Wish I had great pics to go along with my suggestion.
 
Eddie, my understanding was when door seal rubbers were less supple, ie not so much silicon, the windlace would do some of the work, and be sucked into any door gaps creating low pressure. Particularly so in say Bonanza doors where there was an area of lower pressure over the top of that cabin door.

If that be the case, the material Cessna and others of the era used would be more suitable then the stuff Spruce sells. That vinyl isn’t to pliable.

Who knows, maybe Stewartb is correct and it’s just a bit of fancy trimming.
 
Stewart has the answer on the wildcat for ultimate seal. Bet it would work well on outer Cessna door sides


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
 
My Cub door seal might work on a Skywagon but the typical Cessna ribbed quarter round door seals work great. I have one small leak at the pilot front door post about head high. I like leaning into it and getting a breath of fresh air, especially in winter with the heater on. I've never liked the smell of muffler heat. FWIW that leak was present in the three previous conventional interiors with windlace, too.
 
Headliners and windlace.

I’ve done a bit of Googling on headliners. I see Stewartb on another thread wasn’t a fan of the woollen headliner as it stains too easily. And shows water marks. From what I’ve seen he’s correct. Has anyone ever purchased an original, or can you even purchase the original style from Cessna?

I’ve seen vinyl windlace replacements, but I don’t love them. My understanding is the windlace needs to be flexible enough to fill any areas of low pressure caused by the outside air creating a vacuum if the door does not seal properly. However I can’t recall ever flying along and noticing this. Maybe more theory then practice? Does anyone have suggestions on this?

I think Cessna built a nice aircraft, and I would like, where practical to have it looking original.

Man, what are you guys doing to stain wool headliners? I’ve owned and worked several planes with wool headliners and never had stains, even after some ugly loads.

If you have a leak in the top of the cabin, seal it up, or fly only in AZ. If that’s where stains are coming from, how are you going to control corrosion?

Wool headliners are easier by far to install so they look good. And, I think wool headliners look better, but that’s me.

Otherwise, I guess maybe stop doing those slow rolls with moose quarters in the back?

MTV
 
Dogs, wet bags with muddy gear, outboard engines, fuel drums, totes full of garden veggies, rototillers, lawnmowers, generators, building materials, wood stoves, you know, the stuff utility airplanes are made to carry. I slit my last vinyl headliner when flying out a load of windows. I liked vinyl better than wool. The only advantage to wool is ease of installation. I'm happiest with no headliner. I've never missed mine.
 
Dogs, wet bags with muddy gear, outboard engines, fuel drums, totes full of garden veggies, rototillers, lawnmowers, generators, building materials, wood stoves, you know, the stuff utility airplanes are made to carry. I slit my last vinyl headliner when flying out a load of windows. I liked vinyl better than wool. The only advantage to wool is ease of installation. I'm happiest with no headliner. I've never missed mine.

Ive carried most of those and more, , including a live bear, but whatever winds your watch, I reckon. If your hire the install done vinyl is okay I reckon. Done it myself twice, and wool is my go to. And a LOT easier to makes look good.

MTV
 
Alright, as everyone is bored in lockup, I will ask some dumb questions. Just for fun.

What are the hieroglyphics on the front of my engine case? If you expand out the pic you will see many.


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What type of clamps are these and can you still get them? I like them. Neat and without the big stainless lug of a hose clamp. And they have done a good job for the last 46 years.

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No Idea,
but it appears your intake balance tube does not have the tab that gets captured by the center two sump bolts. or is that an optical illusion? I guess some had them and some didn't. Seems like a handy time to add it if that is the case. A sudden departure of the balance tube in the event of an intake side backfire would be less than fun.

Take care, Rob
 
....it appears your intake balance tube does not have the tab that gets captured by the center two sump bolts. or is that an optical illusion? ...

Looks to me like the balance tube is hose-clamped to a bracket.
I've seen that before.
Welds can break (had it happen on mine), clamps can come loose.
Think I prefer the welded on version.
 
I'm mostly enjoying the project which is partly because I have good guys in their field to call upon. The Electrical guy is about a mile down the road and a great sheetmetal man twenty minutes away. I'm glad I don't have the stress of paying hangarage. If nothing happens for a month, there are no direct costs to me.

Things are moving a little at the moment. The electrical work is 90 percent done. Hopefully painting of the dash and hat rack this weekend.

A few things have slipped through the net such as a few little items not plated or ceramic coated. And I can't find the JPI fuel flow transducer despite the biggest hangar clean up and reorganisation. I'm taking this Virus lockdown to have a thorough stocktake of what needs doing.

As always, the USD kills me and shipping from the States is ridiculous. But it will all come together eventually.

What are those clamps called?
 
I think the balance tube is clamped to a clamp that comes off the sump bolts. I see if I can get a pic tomorrow.

I would like a pic of the alternative if you have one please Rob or Hotrod180.
 
I don't have a pic of mine, but here's a pic of the appropriate page in the Continental 470 IPC.
Figure 52, on page 2-82.
It clearly shows the bracket being integral to the induction balance tube.
Part number 41 induction tube is applicable to 470-J, K, L, R, & S.

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Hi Guys.

Favour to ask. Would someone in the 'lower 48' be able to receive a number of small parcels, and then combine and forward to me in Australia? I need some small items from McFarlane, JPI and eBay Aviation.

My two normal pathways have ceased with the current world dramas.

I would make shipping payment via a PayPal arrangement.

Many thanks,
Texmex.
 
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I love the ceramic coated exhaust. I had a bigger diameter pipe welded onto the exhaust for number 2. So as the Carby heat shroud wouldn't rattle. Before it was a rattling good fit that almost wore a hole into a relatively new exhaust.
 

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Well who else has had a hard six months? I've been stood down from work, home schooling a 15 year old who apparently knows everything, and literally keeping the home fires burning for a cold winter. So I've left the aircraft tinkering for a while, but now the sun is shinning, and it's time. (still no work and the crazy State I live in, Victoria, has one of the harshest lockdowns in the world)

So back to some inane questions. My arm rest is rupturing from the inside. Too much flying the aircraft out of trim, resulting in too much elbow pressure.

Now the foam used for the armrest would need to be the right density. And as for shaping it?

Has anyone else rebuilt their armrest?

Looking forward to 2021.
Texmex.



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I've asked Randy at Carbon Concepts to make Cessna arm wrests. No joy. Carbon fiber would be a great material for them.
 
Hi Guys.

Firstly, the friggen Virus. What a drama. I had 8 months unemployed (or at least unemployed from a job that allows a Cessna 180 rebuild) last year. I did drive a Case harvester which was fun and paid the kids school fees. I've had one month quiet this year already with a few more to come I suspect. In order to manage it, well the loss of income, I closed the hangar door and put on the apron. So this restoration is dragging out.

But back to it. I pulled out the firewall blanket yesterday. Not too bad a job, but I'm not sure what to put back. Any ideas? War stories most welcome.


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What's the grey electrical box, to the left (in the photo) of the voltage regulator?

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Showing off a little progress made yesterday. Bushwheel Bill's mod, and a bulkhead doubler as per a SB, to go on still.

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Cheers,
Texmex.
 

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The gray electrical box on the firewall is a feed through capacitor. It's used as a noise filter on the original charging system. Leave it installed if you are using the original system and remove it if updating with another system.

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