Oil cooler placement

[Bcone1381]

I have the Vans IO540 firewall forward kit, which included the 13 row Aavid Niagara 20006A Oil cooler and plenum mount for the firewall. I’ve got no idea how this compares to others, it just seemed a simple way to order at the time and cost effective.

Van's Kits.......It so nice to have a set of instructional drawings to follow! Not to mention having all the parts sitting on the bench.....Bolts, Washers, Nut plates, plenty of rivets and the lengths all called out in the drawings. "Step 1....."Deburr x."

A Vans Kit changes the process of discovery from what what I forget to order or didn't know I needed, or how I might design the installation into "Whats this part used for? Oh.....I never would have thought of that!"

Although parts in the baffle kit required trimming and adjustments, I have a plan to follow. Removal unknowns with a plan saves huge amounts of money and time and makes building the FWF achievable for me. I still refer to AC43.13, Lycoming manuals, Bengelis books. But without the Vans Plan, FWF is above my ability and I see no good path forward on my own.

This could be a topic on its own. For now its buried on pg 3.

[svyolo]

I spent way too much time making several different custom plenums and mounting my 13 row cooler on the 540 engine mount. After seeing a couple of videos (thanks Rob and Aerotango) I bought the part from Van's. Learning to TIG was part of my build, so making those plenums helped me to learn to TIG thin aluminum, so I don't consider that time "wasted".

It would not be difficult at all to make a Van's style firewall mount, but they charge so little for it, and the quality is so high, it is a bargain.