REFLECTOR: N4PE "The Ape" First Start

Brian Michalk michalk at awpi.com
Sun Feb 26 23:23:25 CST 2006


Ten years ago, on Valentines day our kit arrived.  Today we had the 
first engine start.

I can now say I'm the proud owner of a running Franklin/IVO combination.
I've got two electronic fuel injection systems, electronic ignition, and 
a magneto.  It's turbocharged with intercoolers.  I fabricated the 
stainless steel intake and exhaust manifold from scratch since there 
were no other working examples to copy.  I worked out the math on the 
injectors, turbo, fuel pumps, and all of the components that are simply 
not available in a package.  I had a lot of concerns over whether it 
would work or not.  I watched other people's failures and tried not to 
make the same mistakes.

I am very pleased that the large turbo breathes quite well with the open 
waste gate.  In fine pitch, I am able to make 2250 RPM.  Deeter's 
Franklin will do 2400RPM static.  The MAP at 2250 was 28PSI.  I 
calculated I would lose a little less than 1PSI across the intercoolers, 
and didn't know what the drop would be for the turbo.

The engine starts like a dream on the Autronic electronic engine 
management system.  I did have some problems though.  I completely 
messed up the magneto wiring.  I have no idea how I did it, but once we 
got that problem sorted out, the engine ran like a top.  I am leaking 
oil out the turbo, and need to look at the scavenge pump.  I might have 
it hooked up backwards.  During the high power runs we needed to tweak 
the mixture because it was originally too lean for the stock setting. 
The power control is a single knob affair.  The Autronic calculates all 
of the mixtures for operation.

I installed a Linksys router in the airplane that has been hacked to run 
Linux.  We logged the engine data to a laptop via the wireless 
connection.  For the first flight we intend to get telemetry via 802.11, 
and maybe even put a webcam on board.


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