Lyc. plenum vs. baffles

["Andrew L. Judge" <AJudge1@compuserve.com>]

Hopefully this will give some of you with the Lycoming IO-360 a sense of
what to expect for the cooling installation.  I just recently tried to put
my cowling on with my engine.  With the plenum, it won't fit.  The problem
is that the #1 cyl. "ear" is in the way.  I chopped off this ear and cut
away at the plenum.  The plenum still won't fit.  Chopping off the ear is
quite common as told to me by Joe D'allessio from Don George Inc.  In fact,
he said almost all the Velocity Lyc IO-360's he's seen had this done.  My
only option is to make a blister on the cowling because I will keep the
plenum (it would cost too much to switch to baffles and my firewall,
scoops, wiring, etc are done) .  In sum, if you put the engine on and the
#1 cyl. ear doesn't clear the top cowling by quite a bit, you'll have to do
something to the cowling.  This might give you a reason to consider the
updraft cooling (baffles).

If anyone out there has used / installed the plenum and baffles on a
IO-360, please add your input.  I would be curious how they compare, as
I've been told baffles work quite well with the lyc IO-360.

Andy Judge
N55AJ  FGE