Nosewheel Beef-up & ??s

[KenSandyEggo]

I've had my upgrade hardware and haven't gotten around to installing it yet. I have my gyro as close as I've ever been to having it where I want it. I have center-line thrust, a good FI system and ignition systems, good rotor-blades and head, great prop (when I get it back) and so forth. I'd like to perfect the prerotator system, which is being worked on, and maybe get the cam grind, but I'm not sure about removing them without a lot of hassle.

Any tricks for doing the nosewheel upgrade? Does it help to remove the rear wheel or is that not necessary? Has anyone removed the cams from their mounted EJ-22? The Soob machanic told me they're 12 inches long and it looks like there's 11 inches of clearance between the engine and the cabin.

Another general question. Is there any safe way to drill about a 3/8ths hole in the top of the seat tank for a hose-fitting without having shavings dropping down into the tank? I have a fuel pump installed for fuel transfers from cans or my car to the tank. The AAI conversion puts the filler pretty high up. Right now I have a hose-fitting epoxied into the side of the filler-neck, but it keeps coming loose and leaking. If I have the cap off, it splashes out. I'd like to use a bulkhead fitting through the cabin and then to a fitting in the top of the tank. It'd be a nice short, neat run. Would running a vacuum cleaner hose there while I drill help, or am I looking at removing the tank to do it correctly?

I have a fuel hose return from my FI system in the top of the tank, and maybe I could get another fitting that would take that hose plus a small fuel line back into the tank. The drilling a hole sounds better if I can do it without dropping shavings into the tank. Would there maybe be a way of just cutting a hole without drilling...like with a sharp Exacto-blade or something? Thanks for any ideas.

[lanichol]

Pipeline companies can tap into a pressured line without concern for the cuttings. Would a little air in the filer neck be enough to push the cuttings backwards? (Of course the tank would be empty and well vented first)

[rehler]

Ken, I suggest you drill from inside the tank.

[mceagle]

Ken,
I'm not sure but I think the cams remove from the rear of the engine once the drive sprockets are taken off. However don't take my word for it.
They are so reliable that I have never had to recondition an EJ 22.
I do not know wether you could gain much modifying the cams as they work pretty well at the rev range that we normally run them - (3600 to 5000).
When drilling your tank the poly (?) shaving should come out in one continuous piece if even pressure is kept up. Also, if it was me I would use a hand drill, not an electric one.

[KenSandyEggo]

Ken, I knew I could count on you. Maybe you can come over and wrap your lips around the filler neck and blow, as Larry recommends.

Tim, I've heard a cam regrind adds about 14 or so horses to the EJ-22. AAI does it to their engines with the new kit. Thanks for you guys' suggestions on my hole. I'll play with it awhile and see what comes out.

[teiland]

Ken, it has been quite a while since I did my cam exchange, but there was no problem with clearance. It was relatively easy to do.

[Chuck Roberg]

Ken, try using a lot of vaseline on your hole. Plus put lots on your drill bit.
Drill slooow and a little at a time. The vaseline will hold the shavings.

Be sure to remove the drill frequently. Wipe off the bit and reapply more vaseline.

This should help you out with a clean hole. (there's got the be a joke in here somewhere)

[KenSandyEggo]

Thanks, Chuck. I thought I already did the joke.