Matt's RV-8 Project



Matt Dralle's RV-8 Project
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Date:  10-2-2009
Number of Hours:  3.00
Manual Reference:  
Brief Description:  Snorkel Intake Installation - Part 01

On the IO (fuel injected) series of Lycoming engines, the throttle body has what is referred to as "horizontal induction". This means that the air enters the throttle body horizontally from the front. This is in contrast to carburetor installations where typically the air enters the carburetor vertically from the bottom. On the IO horizontally inducted engine installations, Van's has chosen to direct the air through a "snorkel" which has an air cleaner installed in the left nostril of the cowling. The snorkel is a large, fiberglass molded piece that bolts directly to the throttle body intake and then snakes around the starter and up to the bottom of the left baffle floor. Speaking of the starter, there was a large unused flange on the Skytec NL starter that poked into the snorkel such that it wouldn't fit up correctly into place. I used the 3" cutoff wheel to saw this flange off.

The snorkel is NOT predrilled for attaching to the flange on the throttle body. You have to somehow align the 2 3/8" hole in the throttle body with the similarly sized hole in the snorkel. I went to the hardware store looking for something that might serve this purpose. I found that the outside dimension of Schedule 40 2" pipe is exactly 2 3/8"! I bought a couple of end caps with similar dimensions and cut the end off. This fit nicely into the snorkel but was way too loose to stay in place. The hole in the throttle body is not a constant diameter and is 2 3/8" right at the opening, but then tapers inward. This meant that the Schedule 40 pipe had to only stick out about 1/8" from the snorkel to maintain a flush fit. I wrapped a couple of winds of blue painters tape around the pipe and inserted it from the inside of the snorkel. Perfect snug fit!! Using this "lip", I was able to then get a perfect centering on the throttle body intake.

Cont. Next Log...
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Shedule 40 Cap - 2 3/8

Shedule 40 Cap - 2 3/8" Dia.

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Slip Fit Into Snorkel

Slip Fit Into Snorkel

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Couple Of Wraps Of Painters Tape

Couple Of Wraps Of Painters Tape

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