The sheet metal around those opening can be sharp! I always wear long sleeve shirt/jacket and leather gloves. Starting to finally learn after 25 years of lacerations and stitches, and then listening to my wife ask if I was wearing protective equipment....

 

Swapped out my VSS last night....speedo has been working when it feels like it, and then jumping around, been like this for a month or two. Seems to be working fine now.

 

have any rain or reason for it to get wet? seems like thats the #1 killer of the VSS. I've got that thing wrapped with vulcanizing tape and slathered with skotch-kote. been good to go for about 2 years now.

 

same here. the cold either kills mine, or says I'm doing 100 pulling out of my driveway.

 

This was still the OEM one from the 1993 donor truck....so figure it's had a good run. But it really started acting up once winter set in, and was particularly problematic when temps drop below -5*C.

Hope it last a tad longer then a year or two. I put di-electric grease in the electrical connection, and white lithium around the drive shaft. But think I will coat the rest with fluidfilm to try and keep any moisture out.

 

Finished gutting the passenger's side of the engine bay.

 

That's a big open space....looks like your making room for twins....??

 

Those OEM freeze plugs are about due for a set of fresh ones. Be really easy to R&R now. Kinda looks as they've been leaking already.

 

triplets from what I hear.

 

surprised to see that as well, especially on such a meticulously maintained truck.

knock on wood, mine still look great at 255k. the bilit ones do seem like cheap insurance though. I'll get around to it someday.

 

Ugh. This will never fly at 30k altitude.

Instant downgrade from 847 to Cessna.

I squeeze out a DTR sticky about bilit freeze plug install if anyone wants but too old to lie on frozen ground until summer thaw.

Perhaps one of our other esteemed NC aircraft members can illustrate proper procedure here?

 

first pulled out old rusty leaking freeze plugs.. then get proper aircraft approved 90* scotchbrite setup... then refurbish holes to proper surface finish requirements per boeing spec... then install bilit freeze plugs after applying boe lube to orings for perfect fitment and seal integrity. fill with mopar coolant (not 100%) , then continue driving many more trouble free miles .... i see in some recent pics , where these are seeping on many trucks , do your PM guys an gals..... all aircraft approved beyond 30,000 feet

 

boeingguy i stand in awe. You & d9inger 100% last two remaining aircraft install Mopar stalwarts left in NC

 

I've noted those stock/OEM freeze-plugs weeping over the last 6 ~ 9 months.

The point of the following image was to show off a hat my Son got me for Christmas. Note those parts at the top of the photo.





Their replacement will be much like boeingguy illustrates.

 

That is some unusually shoddy piping & welding.

Instantly downgraded from Cessna to glider.

Let me know how I can help prevent this downward slope - I'm 100% aircraft approved.