Lycoming or Rotax

[Driving Rain]

The Honda engine is a joint offering from both Continental and Honda. Like the Rotax offering it's an all aluminium V6 with internal generators and external alternator. Both engines feature low tension ignitions which are much better than high tension mags. A battery or alternator failure will be a non event with these features and will allow the manufacturer or builder to split the electrical buses similar to the big boys. The engine features low SFC numbers, with FADEC engine managment will be automated through the ECU. (engine control unit) and will be a leap over old air cooled technology.
I'm a big fan of diesels especially the newer clean burning computer controlled ones. I saw the Delta Hawk mounted in a Maule but on further investigation it is quite heavy and will not be suitable for you RV. The Maule cowling looked enormous compared to the usual Lycoming. My daily driver is a newer 1.9 liter VW turbo diesel that I've teeked with and injection box and large Frateli Bosio fuel injector tips from Italy. They are quite hard to come by but well worth the effort. The engine now puts down 265 lb/ft not bad from an engine that started life as a 90 hp weakling and it still gets 60 mpg highway!
Now a water cooled RV with a P-51 like rad duct on the belly would look sweet..
Cheers Pete

[N2]

Pete a guy I know just finished his RV7 and put a supercharged Subaru in it. So far he's happy as a pig in $hit! Very smooth and leaps and bounds ahead of my Lycoming when it comes to technology. Whether or not these engines stand the test of time remains to be seen. If I am not mistaken, he bought it from an outfit in Florida who has sold quite a few Subaru engines that are now flying. Still when you look down at the tach and see the engine spinning away at 4500 RPM in cruise.......let's just say that would take abit of getting used to!

[Cat Driver]

I have recently done some flying on two Murphy Rebels for two different owners.

One had a Lyc. 125 in it and the second one hasa Subaru 180 HP with a gear reduction drive.

the Lyc powered one flew just like any other airplane.

The subaru powered one has had some computer problems and I did several flights when they changed the fuel flow problems...on the last flight it hesitated about four hundred feet above ground and there was some hesitation when changing power.

Anyhow I did a touch and go leaving lots of runway ahead of me and just at lift off it started running real rough and lost power so I closed the throttle and landed.

By the time I got it stopped the prop had stopped also, anyhow I figured it was more trouble with the computer so I screwed around with and got it running. sort of and taxied in.

This time it was a failure of the left hand top cam drive due to someone forgot to torque the retaining bolt, resulting in the key way breaking as the belt drive pulley parted company with the cam shaft.

So I still have no idea of how a subaru runs as I have yet to see it run properly.

Please don't ask me why I am flying someones home built because I also am wondering the same thing.

Cat Driver:

[loopy]

I drool over the idea of an RV8 wirth that Theilert diesel marketed by centurion. Seeing as it is basically a re-engineered Mercedes E class engine, paint a mercedes emblem on either side of the cowling. fart

[. ._]

I used to work as a machinist in a shop that made aerospace parts, and I can tell ya- on the manufacturing end of things, an approved aircraft engine's parts get inspected up the ying yang.
Unless the box says, "This is cool to put in your plane." It's junk for a plane. If I'm not mistaken, Rotax engines say something like, "This is for chainsaws and scooters. Don't sue US if it fails."
I'm a PPL at a puppy mill, and I don't have any experience at engine failures (and never want to get it), but I'd NEVER fly a plane without an "official" airplane engine.
The guys in the shop had the motto, "Hey, it ain't flying. Who cares?" When it was flying, they put a lot of attention and detail into the thing- because every little bit was documented.
Hope this helps.

-istp

[Right Seat Captain]

The rotax can be a certified aircraft engine. There were Diamons DA-20 (Katanas) that were certified with this engine. Also the new Ultravia Pelican Tutor, a soon to come out trainer is currently being certified with a rotax engine.

[co-joe]

Sorry for not reading any of the repliers. I'm so beat, I'm going straight to bed after this post.

I'd say an engine (any engine) is only as good as it's handlers. Both pilot and maintenance play a part in this. The rotax is succeptible to vapour lock especially on hot days. I've seen many of them quit right after people finish the rollout on landing. Chances are they shut off the boost pump too early. The TSIO520 Continentals on the T310R did that too on hot days so no surprise...

Keep in mind that many Rotaxes are on homebuilts with buddy the owner doing his own maintenance when nobody is looking. One such rotax I had the great pleasure of operating would develop a problem, then magically in the morning it had been fixed even though the AME didn't come it that night. (no log entry of course) Whereas most Lycomings I've operated were at flight schools heavily and regularily scrutinised by the friendly M&M gestapo.

If they're operated properly, and maintained IAW all SB's, maint directives, AD's, the MCM, MSA, and the manufacturer's manual there's no reason any powerplant Lycoming, Cont, or Rotax shouldn't make TBO. Remember a/c builders like to make unrealistic claims to make their product look better. If you lean a lycoming like Cessna says (peak -25 to 50) it won't last long. 2 turns rich of peak is more like it... CJ