Engine ideas

Hi hope everyone is doing well!!

I'm sitting here in Kabul thinking about my project waiting for me at home and thought I would ask for some ideas (i know scary, since everyone has their own). I'm just looking for some help in narrowing down my engine choices.

I'm building a RV-7. Wings are almost built, QB fuse, finish kit is at home along with the James Cowling and plenum. I was considering a IO-360 of some kind with a crank plug (fixed pitch to start). I had made my fuel tanks with return lines in both tanks as would be needed for ECI.

When I ordered my cowling, James asked me what kind of fuel injection I would be using. I had no answer..... Any ideas which would be best and why? What kind of induction, vertical or horizontal?

I know this is basic stuff, but I'm a little puzzled and hope someone could explain the advantages . I just want to get settled in on an engine choice now so I can build in the things I need to.

Thanks in advance,

Joe

Hi Joe

It's hard to beat Don Rivera's injection system. He owns Airflow performance in Spartanburg, S.C. and I've flown with him while we matched my cylinders EGT's with his injector orifices.

The man is honest, a good guy and one of us!

Best,

Airflow Performance is the best.

http://www.airflowperformance.com/

Thank you for your service.

engines

The IO 360's come in both parallel valve and angle valve which tends to be confusing. Examples one of the popular Mooney engines is the IO 360A1A which is angle valve 200 h.p. The factory Pitts S1S uses the IO 360B4 which is parallel valve 180 h.p. The Pitts engine and the similar Cherokee 180 engines are solid shaft engines. This means the front main bearing area is not bored out and these engines will not support a constant speed prop. IIRC the solid crank is about five pounds heavier. Earlier engines had crankshafts with lightening holes in the flange. later aerobatic engines had heavier crank flanges. The forward mount fuel injection as on the Mooney, will give an inch or so of manifold pressure over the bottom mount injection, IF you have a well designed induction system.

Some considerations

If AOPA and EAA get their proposal through the faa, 180hp will be the most hp that won't require a medical, so I'm glad I went with a parallel valve io-360 when my 200hp angle valve turned out to be ****. I'm sure resale value will be better with 180hp if the no medical deal happens.

Counterpoint, however, is tw -7's with fp props tend to have an aft cg, so the extra weight of the angle valve might actually be better. My empty weight ended up exactly the same, but only after I added a 20lb crush plate to the prop. (search for my previous posts for more details).

Also, I have the ECi injection and it required a custom intake. I should have gone with airflow.

Thanks for your service

OT but,...

If AOPA and EAA get their proposal through the faa, 180hp will be the most hp that won't require a medical

Click to expand...

This begs the question, i.e. who gets to say what the horsepower is on an experimental engine? How about a placard limiting MAP?

Just thinkin' ahead...

engines

The Cub/clone manufacturer is getting away with a derated engine in an LSA, why not in homebuilts??

My point exactly!