pierre smith said:
Hi everybody,
I'm always amazed at the extent to which some builders go to find an "alternative" engine to the Lycs that Van recommends. I found a 2000 hr 160HP Lyc engine for $4500 this morning. That little engine will probably go another 500 hours or more before anything needs to be done to it. With Eggenfellners costing over $23,000 and rotaries up there too, what's the reason for avoiding the Lycomings when they're found all over the world? What's the lure to justify all the extra work/money/fitting of an engine besides the Lycoming? You can go and build your own brand new 180HP Lycoming for way under $20,000 and have a proven engine that you can depend on in rain, night and IFR. I can't see the sense in all these 'other' engines. What am I missing?
Confused,
Pierre
first of all...why not? i don't see what reason not to look for something different. i very well may end up with a lyclone, i've said that plenty of times before, but i'm not ready to buy an engine, so why not explore the options.
second, that $4500 engine WILL cost you $20,000 in the end unless you can overhaul it yourself. if you can, that's a great deal, but i would never install a 2000 hour motor in my brand new RV, that's just me. lycs are gonna get more and more expensive as the number of available engines will drop off eventually. they won't be available world wide forever, especially if AVGAS goes away (actually they will be, cuz nobody will want them, and then they'll be cheap!!)
a brand new eggenfellner firewall forward costs $24k with everything but the prop (that does add $8900 for a total of $32,900, but it's still less than a...). a brand new lycoming IO-360 costs $35,400-engine and bolted on accesories, then you buy the prop at $5600 for a total of $41,000--straight from vans website. new compared to new only. i know there are other options and things to buy for the egg, but that's true for the lyc as well.
where can you get a 'build your own' 180 horse lyc for "way under $20,000"? none of the kits are available yet to build your own. you can buy the kit, but somebody qualified has to build it for you, at least that's the way i understand it at this point. maybe i heard wrong.
the 'other' engines are just a different direction for a different crowd.
btw, they jabiru is alternative to lycoming, but it's still a 'designed for an airplane engine' engine. opposed, direct drive, air cooled. it's not so different...just made down under.
i don't mean this as an argument, but maybe this will help your confusion...