Time to visit this again RV-14 with IO540

Hear Ye, Hear Ye, What sayeth the Masses?

About a year ago I posted this subject and wanted to see if things had changed with so many more builders now.

How do you put an IO540 on a -14? Get the mount from the -10 would seem logical if it aligns okay. Custom built?

Examples of 3's,4's, 7's & 8's with a 540 so a 14 has to be able to as well.

Just be nice to be able to hit or get closer to that magic 200 knot barrier in level flight with a plane that is aerobatic as well.

Correct me if my math is messed up, bit keeping in mind that power needed to overcome drag scales with the cube of velocity, you are going to be needing at least 303 HP to reach 200 kts, given Van's numbers. Of course, the larger engine will increase drag in a couple of other ways, so we better add 10-20 more HP for good measure. Perhaps an IO-720?

aturner said:

Correct me if my math is messed up, bit keeping in mind that power needed to overcome drag scales with the cube of velocity, you are going to be needing at least 303 HP to reach 200 kts, given Van's numbers. Of course, the larger engine will increase drag in a couple of other ways, so we better add 10-20 more HP for good measure. Perhaps an IO-720?

Click to expand...

You are correct, so I changed my statement to "approaching". I really was thinking higher altitudes with a turbo to make it happen.

The super 7 and 8s had to have a custom engine mount made. Basically it was shortened in order to compensate for the longer 540 engine and the fiberglass cowling is lengthen several inches. I would not think you could just use a 10s mount and expect it to fit properly and unfortunately the man who made the custom mounts, John Marshall, passed a few years ago. Of course I have not measured a 10 mount vs a 7, either way it would require some homework and good weight and balance calculations to make sure everything was sound.

Of course don't expect vans to sign off on it.

As a rocket owner I really wanted to use a 540 on the RV14. I was hoping that the firewall and associated attachments would be the same as they are on the RV10. Although I am not an engineer it certainly looks like the RV14 forward fuselage is not as strong as the RV10 and certainly not as beefed up as an F1 rocket.
The parts could be strengthened and I am sure that some one will do it, but I just did not think it was worth the effort. After getting a feel for how the RV14, stock engine, performs in the air and on the ground, I will have a better idea of how I feel about the extra work involved in the conversion to a 540. The weight and balance considerations are something that has to be looked at as well. Again flying the plane in the standard configuration will give me better feeling on how the extra weight up front will affect the aircraft, in terms of gross weight, baggage load and she empty weight forward C of G limitations.
The 540 is a great engine. Fuel use on a mpg rate, based on my rocket experience will be very similar to four cylinder versions of the plane.