Mounting the engine was actually a pretty quick activity, preparation is key to completing this task to minimize the amount of time the engine is hanging so far from the ground.
Although it is not mentioned in the KAI you need to shorten one of the engine bolts that is installed near the turbo. Failure to cut this bolt will likely result in the threaded end likely coming in contact with the turbo.
I shortened this bolt down to 123mm based on recommendations by other builders. I think the acceptable range is between (123-125mm) in length.
This also made it easier to insert a wrench when tightening the nut later on.
Bolts, cup washers, lock nuts, and M10 washers temporarily assembled and set aside for securing the engine when I was ready to go.
Tip #1
If you haven't already headed my warnings to remove the shipping nut on the engine side of the mount now is the time, otherwise you will be fighting with the engine suspended in the air trying to remove this nut.
Engine isolation mounts were a little annoying to get them to seat in the firewall forward side of the engine mount. I used some liquid dish soap to help get the isolation mounts installed squarely. I also used a rubber mallet to fully seat the bushings once I had them squarely inserted.
Tip #2
Do not remove the bushings from the packaging until you are ready to insert them, as they are different soft vs. hard materials.
With the engine lift lined up I removed the shipping supports from the engine mount and lifted the engine into position.
At this point I learned the hard way that I should have removed the shipping nut from the engine side of the mount.
The load spreader made it very easy to line up the bolt holes without the need to twist or manipulate the engine while trying to insert the bolts.
Another view of the upper engine mounts with the bolts, cup washers and M10 bolts started.
I used a star pattern to tightening the bolts until the isolation mounts started to compress.
The nut on the turbo side bolt is impossible to tighten without modifying a wrench that can fit in such a tight space.
I sacrificed a 17mm wrench that I bought at the hardware store and ground it down over the next hour to get the right shape where the wrench would even fit in the lower mounts.
Both lower bolts will require a modified tool to fully torque to spec.
You will not be able to get a socket on these due to interference from the turbo and the muffler.
Here is a closeup view of the turbo side nut and the tight space constraints.
You can also visually see how the threaded end of the engine mount bolt would hit the turbo if not shortened.
Here is a view of the left lower engine mount that overlaps with muffler. There wasn't away to get a socket on this nut because the muffler interferes as the nut is driven further on to the bolt.
Even the steel surrounding the nut blocks a standard wrench from being used, for this reason sacrificing a 17mm wrench is essential.
Bolts were torqued to 28ft pounds and marked with torque paint.
I slowly removed the engine hoist lifting force on the engine and allowed it to rest on the engine mount assembly.
I left the hoist in place for a while with the chains slightly slackened until I was confident that the firewall and fuselage were supporting the weight without issues.
Tip #3
Make sure you check your tire pressure on the nose wheel, min wheel was under inflated and with the added weight of the engine the plane it was not stable carrying all that weight on the wheel.
