Cowl Enclosure Fairing

[M20E-1964]

Does anyone here have this mod?  Seems like a very low cost speed improvement.  It also claims to aid in cooling an reduce cabin noise.  Any truth to this?

 

 

[jetdriven]

Anywhere from 0-3 KTAS improvement. Cabin noise?  nein. Cooling improvement? Thats a stretch too. it looks cool, though. 

[Ron McBride]

On my 69F, I did a top overhaul on the cylinders, oil cooler relocation and the cowl enclosure at the same time. Speed is about 3 knots faster, noise, maybe a little quieter, maybe not.

I do have to watch the Cylinder temps closer on climbout, is this the cowl enclosure or the new cylinders and more power. Once at altitude, all temps are good, even on a warm day.

Ron

[201guy]

I installed this unit on a 64E about 10 years ago.  Reduced temps about 30 degrees. Didn't notice any speed difference.

[gregwatts]

I had this installed a a C model. I can't vouch for any performance enhancements......but it certainly looks better!

 

 

My opinion only!

[ScubaSteve]

My 68 C has the laser enclosure..  Bought the plane with it so can't speak for speed...  Although I just spent this evening making a murder scene with RTV to seal up the doghouse and try to get the cylinder temperatures under control..  Getting the gap behind cylinder 3 and the crankcase was tough...  Hopefully it will help.

[Lood]

I had the Lasar closure installed on my F. No speed increase and certainly no noise decrease, but my engine is most certainly running much cooler in both CHT and oil temp. And, it looks much better, of course.
If you want it for speed, don't. IINM, the oil cooler relocation mod will maybe score you a knot or two, plus it will be an improvement for the oil temp - more worthwhile in my opinion. That said, the cowl closure is not very expensive, so you might as well do it.

[M204ever]

I had the rubber seal renewed between the doghouse front and the cowling. Apart from the various cracks it did not match properly to the cowling curvature inside and had gaps inbetween, especially below the starter area.

Before I saw around 420F and above in climb, now well below 380F ( maybe 360F in level flight ).

[Steve65E-NC]

See the last two photos in the Mod folder at my photo gallery Steve65E-NC  for a little cleaner install method.  Involves de-riviting and interleaving rather than just tacking on top.  I have like this mod very well. 

[Seth]

I had this mod on my previous '67 F model  - It was on there when I purchased it.  From what I have gathered from PIREPs of others, it does help ever so slightly with cooling and maybe a speed gain.  A better speed gain, or better said, drag reduction, would be to rotate the brake calipers - another Laser mod - very easy to do.  The brake calipers will not hang as far into the slipstrem when you do this and indeed will give you a knot or two speed gain.

-Seth

[M20E-1964]

Regarding the calipers, wouldnt that only help when the gear is down?

[Ned Gravel]

The reason to rotate them is to take them out of the slipstream when the gear is retracted.  Mine have not been rotated and when my gear is retracted, they protrude below the wing skin.

[fantom]

The full conversion on newer J's replaces the bubble outer gear doors with flush ones, and that's what's worth at least a couple of knots. I believe the STC either died with Mod Works, or LASAR may hold it.