I am putting this post on the traditional aircraft engine side because of Franklins history and to follow up on a 2005 post about using them in RV's. Also wouldn't it be great to have one more standard engine option?
I just spent the week at OSH to figure out what engine and firewall forward options I have for my RV8 project. After talking to many RV builders and engine manufactures I bumped into Franklin engines. I know they went under some time ago and parts have been hard to find.
I learned that the entire production was taken over by a new company located in Poland, I was able to talk to the new owner and he informed me that Franklin is now making new engines (not repackaged old parts) and has plans on expanding is factory to the US.
Parked in Franklins booth was an RV8, the Purple Passion II built by Claudio Tonnini and powered by the Franklin 220. Claudio had nothing but great things to say about performance, reliability, and the general idea of using the 220 over the 360.
I have done a bunch of homework and know the issues some people have run into and why most people don't use them in RV's, mostly due to availability and standard firewall forward kits. But that aside, if the new owner of Franklin provides a standard firewall forward kit, and the engines now comes with fuel injection, electronic ignition and produce 220 HP for around the same weight as the 360 why not use the Franklin? Here are some pros and cons that I cam up with. Any input would be great.
Given that a firewall forward kit wold be available and parts are now being produced for the Franklin 220.
Pros:
About the same weight of a 360
Produces 220 HP
Same fuel consumption as a 360
Smoother running
Bottom end inspection plate
Costs much less
Cons:
Lower TBO time, around 1500 Hrs
Vans's Support
???
I just spent the week at OSH to figure out what engine and firewall forward options I have for my RV8 project. After talking to many RV builders and engine manufactures I bumped into Franklin engines. I know they went under some time ago and parts have been hard to find.
I learned that the entire production was taken over by a new company located in Poland, I was able to talk to the new owner and he informed me that Franklin is now making new engines (not repackaged old parts) and has plans on expanding is factory to the US.
Parked in Franklins booth was an RV8, the Purple Passion II built by Claudio Tonnini and powered by the Franklin 220. Claudio had nothing but great things to say about performance, reliability, and the general idea of using the 220 over the 360.
I have done a bunch of homework and know the issues some people have run into and why most people don't use them in RV's, mostly due to availability and standard firewall forward kits. But that aside, if the new owner of Franklin provides a standard firewall forward kit, and the engines now comes with fuel injection, electronic ignition and produce 220 HP for around the same weight as the 360 why not use the Franklin? Here are some pros and cons that I cam up with. Any input would be great.
Given that a firewall forward kit wold be available and parts are now being produced for the Franklin 220.
Pros:
About the same weight of a 360
Produces 220 HP
Same fuel consumption as a 360
Smoother running
Bottom end inspection plate
Costs much less
Cons:
Lower TBO time, around 1500 Hrs
Vans's Support
???