Cowl Intake Elevation Issues?

I've been struggling with the silicone seals on my cowl intakes. After making several adjustments, the seal on the starboard side still refuses to lay down flat and I am wondering whether this is absolutely necessary. It seems like with 100mph + wind entering the intake the seal will flatten. Am I wishful in my thinking, or do I need to make another 'adjustment' so the seal is dead flat when installed? As you can see, it warps up about 1/2" in the center. It is easy to push it down against the baffle.

Heat

Can you heat it and reshape it?
I've done it many times with fiberglass.

Maybe replace the black seal with a little longer piece so it overlaps more? After time it should flatten out and then you could cut it back.

wirejock said:

Can you heat it and reshape it?
I've done it many times with fiberglass.

Click to expand...

Good thought. I will try it.

Thanks, Larry.

rockwoodrv9 said:

Maybe replace the black seal with a little longer piece so it overlaps more? After time it should flatten out and then you could cut it back.

Click to expand...

I already fabbed it about 1/2" wider than 'stock'. So, not sure that will help. But, might be worth a try.

Try bending the aluminum ramp down along its leading edge

Looks to me like you may have the outboard edge of the seal pulled aft a bit, that could be what's causing the buckle. Maybe a new strip reinstalled in the existing holes would lay flatter...

Cheers

wcalvert said:

Looks to me like you may have the outboard edge of the seal pulled aft a bit, that could be what's causing the buckle. Maybe a new strip reinstalled in the existing holes would lay flatter...

Cheers

Click to expand...

Exactly
Flexing a strip of material across its width produces the buckle that you see. You can demonstrate this yourself with a 1 inch wide strip of paper laying on a flat surface. Move it in such a way to bend it across the middle and you will see it develop a pucker that lifts away from the surface. Either making a new seal strip and making sure to align it without any crosswise bend, or elongate a couple of the holes in the seal that you have now to allow it to realign would fix this problem.