3D Restoring The Yak

[stangflyer]

Great talking to you on the phone today! I like the flames, it dresses it up
My vote is for stock exhaust. Save the weight, heat and custom fitting the cans/pipes.

Looks damn good

It was great talking to you as well. We REALLY need to get these big Yak's together. By the way, Dave said I should ask you about Wayne's TOC Yak. I think we discussed it at one time. Any chance the rudder survived? Or maybe repairable? Probably doesn't have it any longer huh? Son still looking for a rudder for his 40% TOC Yak.

 

[Spats]

It was great talking to you as well. We REALLY need to get these big Yak's together. By the way, Dave said I should ask you about Wayne's TOC Yak. I think we discussed it at one time. Any chance the rudder survived? Or maybe repairable? Probably doesn't have it any longer huh? Son still looking for a rudder for his 40% TOC Yak.

The engine died in a hover so the poor rudder was the first thing to go unfortunately

 

[stangflyer]

The engine died in a hover so the poor rudder was the first thing to go unfortunately

I thought I remembered that. Oh well.

 

[HRRC Flyer]

Hey Rob,

Any luck with getting some exhaust pieces for your Yak? I know you're chompin' at the bit to get that bad boy finished and flying. . . . .

 

[stangflyer]

Hey Rob,

Any luck with getting some exhaust pieces for your Yak? I know you're chompin' at the bit to get that bad boy finished and flying. . . . .

Not so much David. I have reached quite the road block on this issue. As I mentioned, the drop on the headers is too low to facilitate a connection to any type of canister available. I did some exhaustive research this past week and came up with zilch. After talking to Dave Sullivan of @Planebender, Casey of Desert Aircraft, Jtec, and numerous other people, there is just nothing I can come up with that will satisfy what I want to accomplish with this set up. I spoke with Gerhard out at AI, and discovered the 2.5" drop headers are the lowest drop headers made for the 212/220 3w quads. The problem is that "any" available canister is too large in diameter to make a connection without the canister resting on the floor of the can tunnel the entire distance back. The horizontal line of the headers is 1/2" lower than the horizontal line of the inlet of nearly every canister on the market. I had just about decided to use the stock 3w mufflers however was afraid there would be such a dramatic amount of the bottom of the cowl being cut out to allow them to work. After arriving home and measuring, I discovered I was right. Way too much of the cowl would have to be cut out to allow the front cylinder mufflers to clear it. Besides, the sound of the stock mufflers is just not what I am looking to achieve with this plane. Along with the fact that baffling the 4 jugged red headed beast will be an absolute b$@&h with a once piece cowl. It's going to be bad enough with an exhaust system that won't interfere as it is. The "ONLY" thing I have found that will work is a set of Greeves Pipes. They are small enough in diameter to allow the header/inlet connection to be made. Problem with Greeves Pipes is one, Way too long for the can tunnel. I would have to do some hacking on the can tunnel to get them to work. I am not about to open up the fuse and recut out the pieces of the can tunnel I had to repair from the previous owner. He had the most monkey'ed up pipes in that thing. The most ridiculous and absurd setup I myself have ever seen. I even considered the new "SLIM LINE" mufflers offered by DA. They are an almost exact duplicate of Greeves Pipes. But no performance numbers on them as they are not even released yet. Or at least that is what I was told by DA. And they too, are too long for the can tunnel. And we haven't even breached the installation of the throttle servo. Normally, I would invert the throttle servo on the bottom of the motor box as I have done with my other 3dub equipped planes. Not so bad in itself, but the location it would have to sit is just far too close to the exhaust to allow me to be comfortable with the radiated heat of the exhaust. Plus I would have to build a plate for the servo to sit in. Adding weight to the nose that I do not want. I could mount the servo up in the fuse... like the previous owner did...running a Nyrod cable to operate the throttle. But truthfully, it would be about the most "hokie" set up ever devised.

The "ONLY" option I am considering at this time is cutting back the headers by about an inch. This would allow me to make the connection to Greeves Pipes. And also allow adequate cooling of the throttle servo between the exhaust pipes with the servo mounted inverted in the motor box bottom. Gerhard assures me this will not interfere with the performance of the 212. And that would allow the Greeves to fit in the can tunnel without any cutting or hacking to the fuse bottom or can tunnel. I have even considered "splitting" the cowl to allow the stock mufflers to work. Ha ha....yeah, right! I am not even going to attempt that with my limited and available equipment to do it right. Call me anal. I just want this plane and setup right. Besides, how can anyone question the sound and performance of this motor on Greeves Pipes verses any other set up?

Stock Mufflers:

Greeves Pipes:

So there you have it. I am at a stand still until I decide what I want to do. I have located a nearly new used set of Greeves Pipes up north of me. I may go this direction. Just not sure yet. I am certain of one thing though. I will "not" "HACK" up this plane or the cowl just to get it to fly.

 

[HRRC Flyer]

Damn Dude, looks like my bad luck has temporarily moved a few thousand miles west. But I know what you're saying. Your Yak is too nice to hack up just for a set of mufflers. I know you will do what's right and you will end up with a KILLER plane when its finished. . . . .

 

[stangflyer]

Thanks David. It is coming along but just little things are hindering progress. Ah but I refuse to be beaten. I'll get it.

I did get a couple of smaller things done today. Tail wheel hooked up and tested. Since having the steering issues I "did" have on the 260, and after trying a variety of methods I finally resolved to a common setup that many use. And since implementing it on the 260, (as well as all my other planes) with not one further failure, I chose to do the same to the big Yak.

I also decided on the canopy bolt selection. Since no one offers colors in anything other blue, black, red, gold and silver...I chose to toss a coat of white paint on the Secraft canopy locks I already had. They turned out pretty nice I think.

Next I got the Falcon 34x12 drilled. Also cut the spinner to fit the big prop. I tell ya, without my "Nibbler" tool, I think I'd be lost. I actually bought this years ago when I was still flying...glow... (shudder), I've found they work just as nicely on larger Tru-Turn spinners as well.

Tomorrow I will probably work a little on the front cowl entrance baffling. No matter what decision I make on exhaust, the front baffling will not need any alterations and should be universal no matter what is used. The big Yak is getting close now. Good thing too. I'm running out of room. Lol

Warmer weather is starting to filter into the Boise valley. So hopefully she'll be ready when weather is favorable for a maiden blast off.

 

[Jetpainter]

The green zip ties are a nice touch!

I've had good luck with the fuel tubing as well.

 

[HRRC Flyer]

I like that trick with the Zip ties and the fuel tubing too. I may have to "Borrow" that idea for my Laser. . . . .

 

[dhal22]

Very cool spinner. Different for sure.