My Quest for a Reliable Race Engine - the AeroSport SEO-540X

All,
I have been the beneficiary of the good ship VAF and its brain trust for a number of years since purchasing my Harmon Rocket II in 2008. I have spent the last four years trying to make it go fast. At the Reno Air Races 2016, our team posted a new personal and type best of 281mph on the pylons.

In the spirit of VAF, I will share my journey to develop a powerful and light race engine that I fly as my recreational flyer for most of the year(reliability/durability could not be sacrificed). I now cruise at 215 KTS true and can really get across the country miles (but sacrificing mpg.) In successive posts when time permits, I will share the history of the plane and the many trade-off decisions/performance expectations to arrive at a supercharged, direct-port EFI, dual EI, ADI-cooled Lycoming 540 build by AeroSport Power. I shall also post some pictures once I get that option figured out.

For anyone attending Copperstate, please stop by the plane for a first-hand look and chat.

Throttle Up! BB

Really looking forward to reading about this!

wingnut49b said:

Really looking forward to reading about this!

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You're not the only one! (wringing hands with devilish grin...where's that icon?)

Good on ya Bill! You're a good man! You've done amazing work, and it shows. I can't even keep you in sight any more, and that's a long way from you just creeping ahead a couple years ago! Hat's off, my friend!

By the way, what is your MP/RPM/FF (and avg temps) at that 215 KTAS cruise? Have you determined a best cruise altitude? It'll be an interesting data point, given the ability to keep MP high with the boost, but having the Sport Wing (like mine). Interesting comparisons ahead!

Cheers,
Bob

AeroSport SEO-540X Starting Point

I was fortunate to purchase this Harmon Rocket II from 3 time builder, Gary Banducci of Bakersfield California. It sat next to John Harmon's personal aircraft and Gary did a great job on the every aspect of the 1998 build. After my transition to a high-performance tail dragger, I came to learn the plane was pretty fast and clean - - - a great platform to start from. 800 hours on airframe and engine at my purchase in 2008.

The naturally aspirated Lycoming IO-540 was build by Gary and tested at Ly-con. It had 10:1 pistons, one ElectroAir EI / one Mag, Barrett Cold Air induction, Airflow Performance FM 400 Fuel Servo, Dual 3:1 Harmon Exhaust. A normal cruise 10,000 MSL, 2300rpm, 18"MP yielded 185 to 190 KTS true at 12+ gph.

From 2008 to 2012, this chariot took me from the Canadian Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico, east coast to west coast and well into Mexico (I always remember landing her on the Alfoncinas sand spit with a full load on board). A first race in the Sport Racing League (Eupharta WA in 2012) gave me a baseline of 240 mph. The quest for drag reduction, prop efficiency and engine power continues to the this day. I shall post a few pics of the bird as she was upon my acquisition from Gary.

Photos of Harmon Rocket II in 2008 - Start Point for SEO-540X

I hope these links work as I am still figuring out how to post pictures.


Here is the aircraft shortly after being introduced to Canadian winters in 2008: https://www.flickr.com/x/t/0090009/photos/144414613@N04/30104481234/

Here are avionics at acquisition (note first generation Argus Moving Map GPS and CD player )
https://www.flickr.com/x/t/0099009/photos/144414613@N04/30436434840/


Here is the engine in 2008: https://www.flickr.com/x/t/0090009/photos/144414613@N04/30101558773/

RV8JD said:

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He even looks a little like Bob.

Rogue Rocket said:

All,
In successive posts when time permits, I will share the history of the plane and the many trade-off decisions/performance expectations to arrive at a supercharged, direct-port EFI, dual EI, ADI-cooled Lycoming 540 build by AeroSport Power.
Throttle Up! BB

Click to expand...

Sounds like a fun adventure!

I see you are using flickr. If you want to post the picture so that it shows here on the board try this: when viewing the picture in flickr click on the little forward arrow at the bottom right of the screen. This will provide you with the sharing options. from there select bbcode. then select the size of the image as you want it displayed. Then copy the url that is provided from flicker to your post. from there delete out everything in the link except the img brackets and the https link that is between them. It should look something like this.



If you want to see how I did that quote my post and read the part that it quotes. Yeh its a pain but if I try to explain it I may deteriorate to a rant against this forum host so I wont.

RV8JD said:

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scsmith said:

He even looks a little like Bob.

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I like it...the cape looks like it would go with a red plane with flames on it too...just sayin'! Of course, Bill's plane is red too, and burns by me like the preverbal bat out of (h-e double sticks) too...so this is still on topic!

Cheers,
Bob

Now that I finally see a picture with the cowl installed, I'm amazed that its almost exactly what I have in mind for mine. Looks like you have dropped the induction scoop and moved it right up against the prop, and squared off the cooling inlets (like the RV-8). Looks good.

original cowl, Race 57

That snorkel was pretty effective. Bill normally saw at least an inch boost even though the scat connections to the servo were quite leaky!
The snorkel inlet was a bit unusual in shape, the leading inlet opening was about an inch wider diameter than the servo, inlet gradually tapering down to servo diameter like a velocity stack. The snorkel inlet edge was quite sharp, I assume so the outside shape could be maintained as narrow as possible.

Our Supercharger mods to the engine required more room up front so the original cowl (pictured above) got relegated to the back of the hangar.

Goals for a Race Engine Re-Build

I am back to this thread after some time at Cooperstate and some fun flying expeditions with locals in the Phoenix area.

The early days of thinking about making an airplane go faster was spurred by some great type competitors: (Yes, "Nasty" Mills your chirping was a powerful poke to the Canadian skunk works), Tom Martin, Bob Mills, Mark Frederick, Greg Neilson, Wayne Haddath and others. I still remember being seeded second in a SARL race behind a boxy looking 4 banger airplane with 2 crew on board(see pic below). I had no idea what it was but came to know it was a 235+ mph Whittman Tailwind crewed by Red and Marilyn Hamilton. I continue to be intrigued by Dave Anders' achievements in speed and efficiency. In a healthy way, competition has been the impetus for trying new things and leveraging all the drag and power innovations that are already in the public domain. NACA reports, CAFE reports, talking to engine builders and forums like this were part on my education. I now have three binders of accumulated readings from many sources.

I quickly came to realize the possibilities were extensive so targeting high impact opportunities at a reasonable cost needed to be whittled down early on.

I set some goals that would be a filter on opportunities and constraints on available technologies. Below are goals/constraints I used as a touch stone in working through trade-off decisions.

Engine project objectives:

Limitations or Constraints:

Since this is my ride when not racing, I was not prepared to sacrifice engine reliability to obtain the diminishing returns on incremental power or reduced weight.

In talking with Hartzell and some prop testing along the way, I learned my current 81" prop was very efficient(88+% in the anticipated speed range at rpm's around 2650. While many racers are running more than 2700 rpm, I decided to stay on the conservative side and keep with the engine/prop manufacturer's recommendations. Moving to higher rpms have cascading implications on many engine parts.

2012 Euphrata WA SARL Race Seeded Line-up with Whitman Tailwind

Current Cruise Speeds AeroSport SEO-540X

Bob,

To answer your question on parameters for 215 knot true cruise here is a data point from my recent Calgary to Phoenix trip with a slower turning (large every-day pulley): 10,500 to 11,500 MSL (OAT 45F to 65F), 215 knots true, 2300 rpm, 29" MP, CHT's around 410F peak, EGTs 1425F, Oil Temp 200, 15-16 gph. The discharge temperature( without ADI) is around 170+F. More on the role of ADI later.

I must also say, I don't think my tuning of the engine is mature yet. My first goal was to get Reno race power sorted out (with ADI running) but have much more work to optimize the engine tune using the SDS fuel injection and ignitions. Finding economy cruise setting and altitude (see Dave Anders good work in another tread) are still on my to-do list. Some day I also would like to complete and document relevant dyno runs to measure HP.

Hey - wait a minute

Hey Bill:

Your cruise settings note the use of about 3PSI boost (~9"Hg or so). 1 psi should increase the charge air temp 9-10F or so - if the blower is matched to that particular set of engine settings. I see a 100F charge air temp rise in your notes compared to the 30F rise it should be (at 65F). That temp rise seems a bit excessive for the boost level. Can you say where you are on the compressor map at your noted cruise setting?

I'm gonna guess your AF/R is about 12.5:1 (best power) - might lean 'er out to 15:1 (about 13GPH) to see if the temps recede a bit. LOP operations are OK at those settings as long as you get past the red zone quickly.

If you get down to our place this weekend I might send you back with a smaller blower that you can try for the cruising flight application. My calculator (http://www.stealth316.com/2-air-fuel-flow.htm) sez you are using about 400CFM at that setting (1.4PR) - the V-5F I have here (for fitting my system only - it is has the wrong size inlet/outlet for both of us - it needs a factory overhaul after going for 'a swim') that seems to be a better fit for your pressure ratio and CFM...right in the middle of the center island! The inlet and outlet are a bit smaller than your race blower, so some MODS would be needed.

http://www.vortechsuperchargers.com/maps/V-5_F-Trim_compressor_map.jpg

We shall see what my pull-thru system will do compared to yours once I'm flying - my flight planning mimics yours closely - except when my O2 bottle is full.

Carry on!
Mark

Bill,

Good numbers, thanks! Steve and I are doing some power and drag calcs as part of estimating the potential of the future wing, and my average 2300 RPM at similar conditions is 202-203 KIAS, at about 21" MP. That's burning an average of 10.7 gph, slightly LOP (15.5ish AFR)...ROP FF would likely be about 13 gph in those conditions. It would be an interesting exercise to compare relative HP based on those numbers, and see what the 8" MP is generating. Your AFR would also be an interesting data point, as Mark alluded to.

When you say "around 410 peak", you mean that is your hottest CHT, not that you are at near-peak EGT, right? FF would suggest ROP ops...I believe.

In any case, your ship sure is running great...looking forward to seeing this thread progress! Thanks for sharing your very hard work, and good luck in the CAFE quest!

And Mark, are you putting a blower on El Toro?

Cheers,
Bob

El Toro

Sorry for the thread drift, Bill.

No blower on El Toro - the engine has stock pistons (9:1), so there isn't much point in doing so without spending lotsa bucks. The Blue Machine (no name yet) has the 7.5 pistons, so the blower is going on that one. Got the bracket on the engine last week - the blower shipped yesterday. I'll be able to mock up the remainder of the intake system once I get that part in place. My guess is there will be plenty of magic involved in getting the plumbing developed - it has never been done this way on a 550 (pull-thru) as far as I know. I know of a 540 setup like that - works great.

My target is to have similar numbers compared to a stock 350hp TSIO 550-B in terms of VE and torque - no one has this data (for a SC 550) as far as I know.

Reno '17? Dunno - I kinda like my current job there..

Carry on!
Mark

RV8JD said:

Yup!

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That's funny Carl! Time flies...the kid in that pic is driving now! He wants a ride in Bill's Rocket too!

Cheers,
Bob