Q-talk 146 - Jon Swenson - Tri-Q-Vair
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- Category: Q-Talk Articles
- Published: Monday, 25 April 2011 20:00
- Written by Jon M Swenson
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by Jon Swenson
[EDITOR’s NOTE: Frequently someone will say something on the Q-list that sparks my curiosity. Usually this means that someone has mentioned a fix for a problem I’m having on my own project, or are attempting to do something that I’ve only just considered. When Jon Swenson mentioned that he was putting a Corvair engine in his Tri-Q, I just needed to find out more info. After all, I’m currently teaching myself to weld so that I can fabricate an engine mount for my own Corvair powered project. So, I sent Jon a quick e-mail and he ended up mailing me a CD with several PowerPoint slides from a presentation he had recently given about his project.]
I bought the Tri-Q project on eBay in May of 2002. It had been involved in a “Hard Landing” incident that collapsed the nose gear.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/b5rt54c6tbamtd.jpg)
The first item on the “to do” list was to install the front gear.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/wszg257vz6zywk.jpg)
Then I needed to build up a motor mount to accommodate the Corvair and the new nose wheel. I ended up building four motor mounts before I was satisfied. Below is a picture of the final design under construction.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/2ecqn4v6k6sico.jpg)
Just so you know I wasn’t kidding, here’s a shot of Mount number three:
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/xbpujrdup52wr5.jpg)
I loaded up the final design to 10 G’s using William Wynn’s technique. In the photo below you can see the 10 foot lever with 240 lbs. of cement.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/nns7snn0qexo8z.jpg)
This photo shows the deflection of the mount before and after testing. . .
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/fsjz785zqjqvdy.jpg)
. . . and the finished mount attached to the airframe:
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/qmk8m4huae4eni.jpg)
Here’s another shot with a scrap case attached to the Motor Mount.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/t4gxs2z860zais.jpg)
The front gear plate is attached to the main motor mount. When I removed the old gear the 4 mounting holes were work elliptically, indicating that the leg mount was moving from side to side.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/nhqfgwr335yqqw.jpg)
In the firewall recess for the O-200 I placed the dual fuel pumps and coils.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/auyp4trpaoymk5.jpg)
I turned the rear flywheel spacer and the front prop hub spacer on my granddads 1941 Atlas Lathe. . .
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/q8zkepooq48u70.jpg)
. . .and milled the bolt risers on the rear housing to create more clearance for the flywheel.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/2xamsmeourmxia.jpg)
Here’s my oil cooler and filter set-up on the pilot’s side of the firewall.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/giey076rr3o5r0.jpg)
I made several Stainless Steel plates to act as carry throughs.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/xbkfa4ky2jhfcr.jpg)
The magnetic tach sensor mount is combined with the distributor hold down.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/at0zpxdhzuierc.jpg)
On the copilot side I installed a gascolator and fuel pressure switch.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/zvj78kt2jxrhic.jpg)
I put an off the shelf oil breather in the top cover of the rear accessory case. The final starter mount is visible here.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/ausaeead5kjyqy.jpg)
This shows the regulator, connector block, and the primer solenoid.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/hq7ysayo4kk6tp.jpg)
I have pressure plenums for cooling. They have since changed from this photo.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/q8skte0iyeg8og.jpg)
I wound electric fence wire on the lathe then applied to the exhaust to increase the heating area.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/wt5fkz6juq2w8n.jpg)
To make a new cowling for the Corvair I used insulation foam and plywood formers.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/fqnzo0ozq8vmgq.jpg)
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/pdnenwjkkypn6o.jpg)
Here is the rough cowling shape before covering the whole thing with a layer of sheet rock compound.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/8gtakjrbra7p3v.jpg)
Still very rough. This is one of the most time consuming parts of the project and it is still not finished.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/yga5qs62oeft46.jpg)
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/smusg73zmrpcyh.jpg)
I made molds for the panel and center tunnel then fabricated them from epoxy. These both evolved from this point. . .
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/4qcitsjus2d58y.jpg)
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/dhyb4ea4y5jynj.jpg)
. . . and here’s the final panel layout.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/jj822xrhd7d4cv.jpg)
FAST FORWARD to 2010
Preparing for the first engine start.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/vidm06sb5mz5ns.jpg)
The engine turned over and coughed but wouldn’t keep running.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/nz4em3sqeh6fkz.jpg)
After talking on the phone with my “on call” experts, I added oil to the cylinders and reduced the amount of primer and throttle I was using. A week later, it turned over four or five times and then fired up! I have run it three or four times for a total of 28 minutes.
![Jon Swenson](/hwdphotos/uploads/62/12/a7raiupa8copd3.jpg)
[EDITOR’s NOTE: More photos of Jon’s build can be seen in his photo album on Quicker!]