Keeping the Air Vents Closed

Mike Smith · Post by **Mike Smith** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 11:19 pm

Anyone have any good ideas for keeping the air vents closed on these cold days? I've been trying to figure out a way to get them to stay closed but still have the ability to open them if I need to - sometimes if I'm flying into the sun later in the day it's nice to have a small amount of air flow, but as soon as the sun goes down ... boy does it get COLD!! For that reason I have discounted the idea of just taping over the intake for the air vent.

Also, any ideas for a headset hook/holder for the front seaters? I've been thinking about mounting some kind of strap or hook up near the air vent for holding the headsets.

Thanks,

3958v · Post by **3958v** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 12:12 am

I don't know if yours are the same as mine but my wife got some felt from a dress shop and I glued it inside the part that stays in the wing. Now they are nice and snug seal well and don't move on their own. Bill K

zero.one.victor · Post by **zero.one.victor** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 4:44 pm

I cover the wing opening of my air vents in the cold weather. But in the past I used masking tape to just hold them shut on the inside. Easily removed in flight.
I made a pair of little hooks out of 1/4" allthread which bolt up thru the bottom of my circuit-breaker subpanel, where I hang the front seat headsets when they're not in use. Using some aluminum strap to do the same thing might be easier & lighter, mounted with screws instead of bolting thru.

Eric

Mike Smith · Post by **Mike Smith** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 4:46 pm

Great idea!! What kind of glue did you use? How much felt did you need to put on the "juice can" vent, did you just do a postage size piece or did you wrap it totally around the vent piece that pulls out?

mvivion · Post by **mvivion** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 6:37 pm

I gave up a long time ago on the vents that Cessna installed in the airplane. Mine were pretty trashed in any case.

Soros makes a very nice plastic replacement, which is stc'd for the airplane to keep the FAA happy.

These vents look nice, they work very well, and they lock in the closed position. Function is still superb after eight years.

Sporty's sells them as does aircraft Spruce.

You can mess around for hours trying to make yours work, and still have something that doesn't lock, or just buy a set from them, and replace the whole works with something that really works well. I also installed an outside air temp guage in mine, ala later model Cessna. They are designed to accept that mod, with instructions on how to do so.

Of all the mods for 170's, this is one of the cheapest, and most functional. As I recall, they were less than $100 bucks when I bought them. I'm sure they are more than that now.

Mike Vivion

doug8082a · Post by **doug8082a** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 12:39 am

Once upon a time, long, long ago, when this little forum of ours was cutting its teeth over on Yahoo, Senor Horn wrote a piece (complete with pictures) on refurbing the original vents.

Rather than try and quote something from 4 or 5 years ago, perhaps we can persuade George to repost it here? Whaddaya say, GA?

3958v · Post by **3958v** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 12:53 am

On my vents I just glued the felt around the inside of the female part using contact cement. They work perfectly now and I still have original parts which I prefer. I went about one and a quarter trips around and the vents dont leak or fall out. put the cement inside the female can then slide the male part in to hold the felt out against the female part till the cement sets. Just becareful not to use too much adhesive and glue the parts togather. After the glue sets then trim the felt even with the end of the can. If you do it the way I did I believe you will be very happy it works great and cost less than $10.00 which is real cheap in the aviation world. Bill K

mrpibb · Post by **mrpibb** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 3:53 pm

I did the same as bill, I picked up some felt for the vent's works pretty good. Along with sealing around the fuel gauges I can keep my cockpit above freezing this winter. I have just one more place to seal up, that would be the speaker grill, anybody have any suggestions?

Kyle Wolfe · Post by **Kyle Wolfe** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:10 am

For cold Minnesota flying I also push in some high density foam padding. I roll it up and slid it into the vent can where it expands nicely to fill the void. Helps reduce the draft and can be easily removed if needed by simply reaching up and removing the foam. You'll find it at a fabric shop, or scrounge around any mail/package store that uses foam for packing material. Doesn't take much and it seals nicely.

I hate to see duct tape over the vent.

Dave Clark · Post by **Dave Clark** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 12:25 pm

I had the Soros in my 181. It's neat that they seal up all the way but I think they give less air and definitely have an annoying fault. There is one spot that I always seemed to want to direct the air but that was where it would be set for removal so it would come out. Maybe I missed something on installation but I don't think so.

n3833v · Post by **n3833v** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 7:20 pm

I took my inner ring off and installed a large rubber o-ring that crushs when the housing screw is tightened to hold the sliding vent. Works well to adjust the tightness for slide friction.

zero.one.victor · Post by **zero.one.victor** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 7:28 pm

The latest Spruce catalog has the Ventubes (Sorors, right?) listed, for $68.50 a pair including STC.

Eric

n4517c · Post by **n4517c** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 1:14 pm

STC SA00103BO allows the installation of all aluminum, airline type,eyeball vents as replacements for the original leaky Cessna vents. They shut completely, allow the air to be directed toward pilot or copilot and fit in well with the look of a classic airplane, manufactured before the plastic age. Aircraft Spruce sells that vent as P/N 2230-1. Unfortunately, the price of that vent has gone from $ 50 just a couple of years ago to $ 150 today. It is a beautifully designed and manufactued device. Aero, LLC ( 207 924 5905 )has a PMA for the adapter ring and owns the STC. They charge $100 for the STC and PMA'd adaptor. It is STC'd for most 100 series Cessnas.

Post by **GAHorn** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 2:35 pm

doug8082a wrote:Once upon a time, long, long ago, when this little forum of ours was cutting its teeth over on Yahoo, Senor Horn wrote a piece (complete with pictures) on refurbing the original vents.

Rather than try and quote something from 4 or 5 years ago, perhaps we can persuade George to repost it here? Whaddaya say, GA?

Geeeez! You guys really have a memory! I'll have to be more careful!

I've looked thru my computer and cannot seem to find that article. I would be happy to share it (or even to send it to Velvet for the quarterly) but I just can't seem to locate it. In short, the Cessna air vents can be disassembled by removing the knob, and the aluminum "cup" will seperate from the "can". Replacing the felt inside that cup will re-new the sealing capabilities of the device. Renewing the felt circle around the base (near the spring loaded push-ins) will also make the vents close completely and stop the drafts.
(I'll keep looking for a copy of that article and it's pictures.)

N1478D · Post by **N1478D** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 2:53 pm

gahorn wrote:
doug8082a wrote:Once upon a time, long, long ago, when this little forum of ours was cutting its teeth over on Yahoo, Senor Horn wrote a piece (complete with pictures) on refurbing the original vents.

Rather than try and quote something from 4 or 5 years ago, perhaps we can persuade George to repost it here? Whaddaya say, GA?
Geeeez! You guys really have a memory! I'll have to be more careful!

I've looked thru my computer and cannot seem to find that article. I would be happy to share it (or even to send it to Velvet for the quarterly) but I just can't seem to locate it. In short, the Cessna air vents can be disassembled by removing the knob, and the aluminum "cup" will seperate from the "can". Replacing the felt inside that cup will re-new the sealing capabilities of the device. Renewing the felt circle around the base (near the spring loaded push-ins) will also make the vents close completely and stop the drafts.
(I'll keep looking for a copy of that article and it's pictures.)

George, Doug is right - it's a GREAT article and it would make a terrific addition to the 170 News. You wrote it on Thursday Feb 8th at 8:20 A.M. - Wing root vent seals. I believe that was in 01, but it might have been 00. I used the article to do my vents as soon as you posted it. It's time to do them again, although they are not near as loose as they were 4 years ago. If you can still access:

http://204.252.47.67/Zope/cessna170/c17 ... index_html

If that is too fast for you, I'll fax you a copy.