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M20K - remove cowl flap for paint job


NicoN

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On our 1980 M20K we have an awful looking cowl flap (at least right part) and access door to the manual waste gate.

On the cowl flap nearly half of the paint is missing and you can see the bare metal. Maybe the reason is the hot exhaust sitting close to it or a bad paint job.

The small access door to the manual wastegate (or fixed wastegate?) has also some damage to the paint and it is looking awful.

So, the job for the winter is to remove and paint the cowl flap and teh small door.

Recently, I took a short look on how the hinge is done and it looked not obvious easy to remove the cowl flap.

Does anybody has an idea how to remove it? Look like a piano hinge. But I have no idea how to push out the connecting rod

 

Thank you

 

P.S.: And even more difficult: the small access door

Edited by NicoN
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Im not aware that the piano hinge on the inspection door can be separated by removing the pin. I can’t get to my plane until middle of next week to look. 

Worst case you end up masking the cowl around the door and covering the plane with plastic to respray the door. 
 

Not a big deal either way. 
 

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Nico,

Also look for the proper insulation used to block heat from the turbo... from getting to the painted surfaces...

There are a few posts around here that have questions regarding the singed paint on various Ks and Js with aftermarket turbos... the engine mount may also get some insulation layer Of some form...

Wish I had a better reference for you...just old fuzzy PP memories...

Best regards,

-a-

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Looked at my plane. You can’t remove the pin on the turbo inspection door.   If your door is discolored from heat I’d investigate as to why, not just throw some insulation at it. The turbo is not supposed to get so hot that it burns the paint. If it is, you most probably have some delamination of the cowl fiberglass. 

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AFAIk my cowling near the turbo inspection door does not look fried.

The reason for the paint-failure may be caused by the paint itself or the technique how they painted it.

The cowling was re-painted a few years  ago. And it seems that the heat exposed  sheet metal parts from the cowling are  especially prone to paint damage.

- the right cowl flap (where the exhaust is)

- the turbo inspection door

Both seem to be sheet metal while the rest is fiber-glass.

Which brings up 2 more questions:

1. Can I insulate those locations to avoid new damge after the paint job is done?

2. What is the right paint technique? Give it to a car painter?

 

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