Tx_Aggie Posted August 19, 2021 Report Share Posted August 19, 2021 Took my J for a 3 hour flight to Houston last week and everything worked as it should. Once I took off from DWH headed to Alabama for a week, I couldn’t get the cowl flaps to close. About 10 hours previous I had the cowl flaps adjusted to be open an inch when closed. Now they’ll only close when I wiggle each cowl flap on the ground. However when I turn the engine on, they return to stuck open. Has this happened to anyone else before? Once I get back home I plan to have my mechanic look at it. I appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted August 19, 2021 Report Share Posted August 19, 2021 Disconnect the cowl flaps one at a time and operate the control rod. The hinges do wear out and mine had been repaired before I acquired the aircraft. There is a scissor mechanism below and attached to the bottom engine mount That is a possibility, especially if some foreign material got into it. Then there is the control rod and cable. It’s a pretty simple system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtVandelay Posted August 20, 2021 Report Share Posted August 20, 2021 Disconnect the cowl flaps one at a time and operate the control rod. The hinges do wear out and mine had been repaired before I acquired the aircraft. There is a scissor mechanism below and attached to the bottom engine mount That is a possibility, especially if some foreign material got into it. Then there is the control rod and cable. It’s a pretty simple system. I think it’s possible to hook it up backwards, if they completely disconnected it. I would have just adjusted the connectors that are threaded at the end of the cables. Maybe not enough to give you the inch gap you wanted, but I think you would have gotten an 1/2 inch gap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PT20J Posted August 20, 2021 Report Share Posted August 20, 2021 The older mechanical cowl flaps can open too far and the tangs on the side of the flaps can get outside of the cowling and prevent closing. This happened to me once when I had the airplane preheated at TRK and the big hose from the heater forced the flap open too far. Since you adjusted yours to be open an inch when closed (I'd try 1/2") they may now be opening too far. Skip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tx_Aggie Posted August 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2021 10 minutes ago, PT20J said: The older mechanical cowl flaps can open too far and the tangs on the side of the flaps can get outside of the cowling and prevent closing. This happened to me once when I had the airplane preheated at TRK and the big hose from the heater forced the flap open too far. Since you adjusted yours to be open an inch when closed (I'd try 1/2") they may now be opening too far. Skip Mine are mechanical. Why would they function when the engine is not running but once the engine starts and is idling, they lock up? I will try what you suggest regardless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiles201 Posted August 20, 2021 Report Share Posted August 20, 2021 Try new links in the mechanism under the cowl. A little wear can have a big impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylw314 Posted August 20, 2021 Report Share Posted August 20, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, Tx_Aggie said: Mine are mechanical. Why would they function when the engine is not running but once the engine starts and is idling, they lock up? I will try what you suggest regardless Have you taken off the bottom cowl to check the mechanism? The cabin vent air hose is routed under the cowl flap hinge mechanism, and if not routed PERFECTLY, the mechanism can actually rub and fray that hose. I actually ended up with the spiral wire hooking onto the hinge mechanism randomly, so it would bind the hinge intermittently. Only when I opened up the cowl did I notice the actual problem. Edited August 20, 2021 by jaylw314 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tx_Aggie Posted August 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 Ended up being able to drop it by Don Maxwell today. The left cowl flap wall was catching on the cowling due to a worn bracket hinge. Don’s guys replaced the bracket on both sides and filed an edge down - now I’m off to the races. Glad to have their expertise available! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted August 22, 2021 Report Share Posted August 22, 2021 Great follow-up TX_A! Thanks for sharing the details… Best regards, -a- 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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