REFLECTOR: Alternative Engines

Sun Oct 23 23:49:28 CDT 2011

TBO is just a number. If you are not flying for hire, you can ignore TBO. Both Lycomings I have had went well past TBO, or at least the lower end did. Cylinders are a different story. Like Larry said, the engine will tell you when it needs help most of the time. 

It is possible to use what people call "auto engines" and save some money. However, that is actually putting a car engine in an airplane. Many people now days do not do that. Even if they use an automotive style engine, many are torn down, beefed up etc for aircraft use. Some people, Like myself, Dennis & others actually utilize a bare race type engine block and design the engine for use in an aircraft. 

As for me I bought a bare NASCAR block from GM racing. I then designed it for the power curve that I wanted and the cruise RPM that I wanted specifically for the Velocity. I used the best racing parts I could find. Not so that I could run it full out all the time, but so that it would be as strong & reliable as possible. Sure, I can run it to 5000 RPM if I need to, but normal cruise will be in the neighborhood of 3500. 

The reason I did this is so that I could get to rotation speed at my high density altitudes as quickly as possible. The rest is all gravy. For this effort, I have a 340 HP engine for about the same weight as an IO-360. Cost:  Pricey, but if I ever need to rebuild it, I can do it much less expensively and thoroughly than a comparable Lyc. 

The extra torque of the engine should allow me to run a much bigger prop. The water cooling avoids shock cooling and keeps engine temps more uniform. The balancing of the engine to within 1/2 Gram is so much more smooth than a traditional aircraft engine that it just purrs. Ok... It purrs kinda loudly. 

The adventure.. has been very gratifying. It takes a LOT longer to do an alternative engine than a stock setup. If I followed the instructions and put in a lyc... I would have been done years ago. Of course, at these altitudes,... I wouldn't be happy with it. 

I have received a LOT of advice and opinions from people that really don't know enough to offer those comments. It really amazes me how many people form a valid position without any realistic information. Still... they will tell you how to do it or what you shouldn't do or what wont work. 

For those of us that take this path and work hard to build a quality project... the rewards are fantastic. For those that don't want to .. go the factory route. That product keeps getting better all the time as well. 

Kurt 
340 HP Aluminum 4.3L Chevy + 76" 3-blade CS prop
173 FGE

Hear it here:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT-0zHmcp9o

-----Original Message-----
From: aminetech <aminetech at bluefrog.com>
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Sun, Oct 23, 2011 3:30 pm
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Alternative Engines

Thanks.  Are you saying that it's possible to go beyond TBO?  I thought TBO was absolute.  Based on what you say, It seems like by replacing cylinder liners and other parts as necessary that major overhaul could be avoided indefinitely.  
Am I missing something?

John

--- lwcoen at hotmail.com wrote:

From: "Laurence Coen" <lwcoen at hotmail.com>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Alternative Engines
Date: Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:39:44 -0500

John,

It is determined the same way that you do it with a certified engine.  Your engine must be overhauled when it can no longer pass muster at annual, not when the the clock ticks down to TBO.

Larry Coen
N136LC

From: aminetech at bluefrog.com 
Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2011 12:23 PM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Alternative Engines

How is the overhaul time determined?

John

--- alventures at cox.net wrote:

 If it ever gets to overhaul time it will cost less than 1/10 that of a CAE. 

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