Modifications
Hi Again,
Rather than going at this bit by bit, I suggest you make a decision about what engine you are likely to fit when you get to that stage. That will be when you start work on the fuel senders, or get to firewall forward part.
The good news with the WAM engine is that the stress analysis has been done on the engine mount for both the 9 and 9A, so that does not become an issue, for any other engine it will. Them having decided on engine if its a WAM chat with the people who have built 9's.
There are three basic design concepts out there at the moment for the cooling package, although the fuel systems are almost the same.
With our set up we separated the front mounted cooling package and placed the charge air cooler (intercooler) on the firewall, leaving the engine cooling rad on the front of the engine. This allowed us to use a smaller cooling radiator (less weight as less coolant) However, our inlet for the intercooler is not ideally placed as its in a restricted airflow in the climb, so we are about 5 degrees shy of optimum in the climb on a hot day. That means we climb out at high speed to increase cooling flow.
Kurt who followed our basic design, but who was able to relocate his coolant rad rearwards because he has a 9 and the nose gear is not in the way and who has larger inlet flaps on the intercooler inlet and exit has according to WAM the best cooling figures out there, and he is flying in 40 degrees ambient.
A second design relates the coolant and intercooler rads inside the cowl on the engine mount. This after some teething problems is now flying well.
The stock system with the front mounted intercooler an coolant rad is also working well, I think there is 500hours on that airframe now, but from the figures I have heard is slower than the other designs.
What you should have gleaned from this is there is now quite a bit of experience with the WAM set up. Both Kurt and 1 are working on further developing what we have, in fact I was waiting for the result of his experiments before proceeding with mine, but he is enjoying flying the 9 so much he hasn't got round to completing them yet.
So, if you go for a WAM there are lots of people who can help, put any other diesel in there and you have a heap of development work to do on cowls, cooling etc.
Ohhh, and without doubt the one with the best looking cowl is without doubt
Kurts. If you email me at
[email protected] I can send lots of photos its far easier than putting them on here.