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lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
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 Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:43 am Post subject: Jabiru (engine choices) |
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Mike,
(You say) "My Rotax 912 is great, its light, powerful, and runs very
smooth, but it takes a lot more skill and finesse to maintain... "
I ran my 912 for 900 hours before it kissed the ground and all I did was
change the oil every 50 hours and plugs maybe every 150 or so. The coolant
was changed out each year. It never used a drop of oil, nor coolant for
that matter. Maybe I'm just a techno-nerd, but I didn't find that
maintenance routine challenging at all. The stator? Yes I did that, but I
always considered that a blessing from the factory. Yes, they do support
the engines - free parts and free loan of tools not to mention the very
quick heads-up regarding the possible issues involved. It cost me a total
of four hours work.
Regarding heavy engines, I have thought for a long time that the Model IV
is the finest product ever produced in the Kitfox line. It surprises me how
cheaply a partially completed kit can be picked up today given the growing
scarcity. The main reason for this thinking is the engine choices. The
912UL is a perfect match. The 912ULS goes beyond perfect and then there is
the 914. The Jabiru is a viable alternative as are a few others. But with
the grown up versions of the Kitfox now available, there is no clear engine
choice, largely, in my opinion, because there is no engine that will give
the power it needs without adding undesirable weight. I just did a couple
of quick calculations and with a 625 lb. Model IV, the power to weight ratio
with the 80 hp Rotax is about 7.8. With a 800 lb Series ?, and that is
lower than most come in - many in the 900+ pound range, the power to weight
ratio with the 912ULS is 8.0. Any significant performance enhancements have
to be attributed to a cleaner airplane which is doable on any of the models.
I suspect that a clean Model IV will arrive within just a few minutes of a
Series ?, but will get off quicker, land shorter and be much more nimble at
the controls.
I guess it all boils down to perceived preferences and what each person
regards as important. There are lots of posts that refer to the simplicity
of the Jabiru with no liquid cooling. Then comes the posts talking about
the importance of proper baffeling after posts referring to cooling issues.
I find that baffeling. I installed the baffeling on the Lancair IV I helped
with and believe me it is much easier to install a radiator and a few hoses
than all that sheet metal with the numerous nutplates in preparation for
those all too frequent annual inspections. But, again, to each his own, I
guess.
Lowell
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n85ae
Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 403
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| Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:08 pm Post subject: Re: Jabiru (engine choices) |
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Lowell -
Please don't take this the wrong way, but your engine failed as well. Did you
ever determine the cause?
I realize this might come across as a negative response, but not my intent
at all. However could it be, that your maintenance routine should have been
more comprehensive?
I only say this because you are stating how minimal your maintenance was,
up to the point where it kissed the ground.
Regards,
Jeff
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darinh
Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Posts: 327
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:24 pm Post subject: Re: Jabiru (engine choices) |
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I think what Lowell is saying is that the Rotax doesn't really require any more (or at least any more time consuming) maintenance than any other engine. As I recall, Lowell had a 0 oil pressure indication so he chose to set it down as a precaution. It is very possible that he had a sensor go bad and that the engine was perfectly fine. It did stay running to the ground.
Nobody, regardless of the maintenance performed, can guarantee that an engine will not quit at any time. The fact is engines quit and have problems regardless of brand or type and there are pros and cons to all of them. I really like the IO-240 but it is too heavy in my opinion for the Kitfox. Remember, the moment arm of the pilot seat and passenger is relatively short and does not make much a difference in the CG so even if you are a lightweight, that heavy engine on the nose will require you to mount at least your battery in the tail. The idea of a 10 lb battery in the tail breaking loose in what would be a survivable emergency landing can to numbers to someone's head. I don't remember where I read it but an NTSB inspector said that he had investigated many accidents that should have been survivable if it weren't for heavy or sharp objects in the baggage compartment. The most memorable incident to him was a pilot who had be impaled by a fishing rod after an emergency landing and abrupt stop.
Again, the IO-240 is a great engine and many a Kitfox are flying with them and they perform great...I just don't like batteries in the tail. Just my opinion.
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_________________
Darin Hawkes
Series 7
914 Turbo
Kaysville, Utah |
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Lynn Matteson
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan
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| Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject: Jabiru (engine choices) |
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I haven't exactly been leading the parade of happy Jabiru owners here
lately, but just to even the scales a bit, I gotta say that my Jabiru
came with fiberglas cooling ducts that required little more than some
trimming to make them fit. These ducts are held on with springs and a
couple of rocker cover bolts as standard. I attached mine a bit
differently, using two springs and no messing with the rocker cover
bolts. I had no appreciable cooling issues. I only recently decide to
fine tune the head temperatures, and installing a 4 sq. in. metal
plate inside the duct directed the air differently and did the trick.
The six-cylinder, I understand is another animal when it comes to
cooling, and I can't speak to that.
Granted, the six-cylinder Jabiru that my friend will use in his now-
being-built Waiex is like you alluded...a nightmare of sheet metal
and nutplates, and I don't envy him his future in cooling issues.
Lynn Matteson
Kitfox IV Speedster
Jabiru 2200, 562 hrs...engine assembled and back in the plane;
waiting for new ignition system
Status: "Condition grounded, but determined to try." (Pink
Floyd..."Learning to Fly")
On Sep 11, 2008, at 2:40 PM, Lowell Fitt wrote:
| Quote: |
<lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net>
Mike,
(snip)
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[quote] I guess it all boils down to perceived preferences and what each
person regards as important. There are lots of posts that refer to
the simplicity of the Jabiru with no liquid cooling. Then comes
the posts talking about the importance of proper baffeling after
posts referring to cooling issues. I find that baffeling. I
installed the baffeling on the Lancair IV I helped with and believe
me it is much easier to install a radiator and a few hoses than all
that sheet metal with the numerous nutplates in preparation for
those all too frequent annual inspections. But, again, to each his
own, I guess.
Lowell
---
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_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM |
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JetPilot
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1246
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| Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:39 pm Post subject: Re: Jabiru (engine choices) |
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As far as the Rotax 912-S being harder to maintain, I am talking about syncing the carbs, the pressure bleeding of the oil system after it has been opened up, and the extra hoses and cooling system, etc etc... All of this is very easily dealt with by someone that knows the 912-S, but there is a definite learning curve with the 912-S. It seems even after owning this engine and flying it for 2 years, I am always learning something new about it. My Continental 0200 with a single carb hanging off the bottom was much easier to to take care of, and did not require half the knowledge, but it is also much heavier...
If I lost my oil pressure in my 912, I would land ASAP, as long as I could do it without damage to the plane. If I was over an unlandable area, I would fly to the nearest highway, or place I could get it down without damaging my plane. It is much to easy to have an oil pressure sender fail, a wire break, etc that would cause a false zero pressure indication, especially when there is no secondary indication of increasing temperature, or oil all over the front of the plane ! I have seen false Zero oil pressure indications a Turbine airplane. Its far to common to tear up an airplane over.
I would be interested to hear your story Lowell, are you rebuilding your plane ?
Mike
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_________________
"NO FEAR" - If you have no fear you did not go as fast as you could have !!!
Kolb MK-III Xtra, 912-S |
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