"Best" engine and prop for RV-8?

Hey everyone

Looking to build or buy an RV-8 in the future....for a Texas based RV, at home base of 2000 MSL, which will typically fly with two full size adults at all times, what engine/prop combo is most reliable and offers best overall performance.

Mind you I have not won the Texas lotto yet....

thanks

Dream Combo

My dream combo would be one of the ECI Stroker IO-340's with an MT 2 blade composite CS prop. I love the look of a three blade, but IMHO, the two blade is better.

Do you put price over performance?

Jay

How about a ported, polished, blueprinted, balanced AIO-540 with MT composite prop?

The answer is almost totally dependent upon your financial resources.

To Many Variables....

I think that the honest truth is that the -8 is a great airplane with a wide variety of engines - and you might change your mind several times during your airframe build before you settle on what you get. Your choice might be based on performance (and what is performance?Speed? Climb? endurance? Economy?), or it might be based on availability or pure chance. too many variables! I had a vague idea of what I was going to use when I stated my tail kit, and the basic platform stayed the same (Carbed O-360 with a Constant speed prop), the details changed many times, for reasons that will never exactly repeat.

What I'm saying is...if you're trying to nail down th details before you start building/shopping - forget it. Life is what happens while we are making other plans. Just jump on in!

Paul

What's best for you

Since I have not won the lottery yet either, I had only one major criteria. Cost. My second consideration was fuel injection. I wanted fuel injection because I did not want to mess with carb heat and I wanted to balance the cyclinders. Again, my personal preference.

So, with that in mind I started keeping an eye out while I started building. I put my name on the Mooney Modworks list and continued to shop around. I came across a few that were fairly good bargains, but my friend and I just couldn't agree to pull the trigger. Then Mooney Modworks called (after 6-7 months) and we had a core with all accessories except governor for a steal. We are now ready to assemble the engine and have less than $13k in it, and that is all yellow tagged and with extras like piston coating. Obviously this route is not the most popular choice, but the chioce I am most happy with. My accountant (wife) is also happy with it too.

So, you will have to organize your priorites in order (price, certified, new, ect.) and that pretty much will stear you into the choice that works for you.

Good Luck.