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Which is the best 2 stroke Rotax 447, 503 or 582 ????

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oneniner

Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Posts: 4
Location: Montana

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 7:22 am Post subject: Which is the best 2 stroke Rotax 447, 503 or 582 ????

Guess I don't understand..... you say how reliable they are, then say you should replace crankshafts or engines after a few hundred hours though there are no signs of trouble.

 

 I have a 447 which has flown nearly 800 hours in an N3 Pup.  It has been flying since 1986.  The only maintenance has been spark plugs every 40 hours or so, and one new fan belt.  It is single ignition, and still has the original set of points.  Starts and runs just fine.  Nothing done to the A gearbox except gear lube changes.  I am not aware of any sudden crankshaft failures in this series of engines.  I did have one precautionary landing in the 800 hours due to a fouled plug.  It was losing power but did not quit until I got on the ground.  It is mounted inverted, and had sat for some time since the last flight.  The spark plug filled with oil.

 

 Gary

  

 

 jetboy wrote: [quote]    	  Quote: 	
		  --> RotaxEngines-List message posted by: "jetboy" <sanson.r(at)xtra.co.nz> (sanson.r(at)xtra.co.nz)



503 by far- I have run 2 of them and they are as reliable as 2 strokes can go. The choice depends heavily on application - if you require more power and staying with 2 strokes there is the Siminonni and also a 3 cyl. Hirth to think about but they probably also have the intake valving and water pump/ systems like a 532/582/618. We had a 618 go down the other day with the usual 'cold seize'.  I found fuel consumption is the least of your operating problems. Engine consumption is a bigger factor. Theres lots of good free advice on CPS website, and chapters devoted to service/ problem notes for the various models. They have to be used regularly, and cranks or engines changed as a matter of procedure on hours - dont wait for them to warn you - they wont.



Ralph



--------

Ralph - CH701 / 2200a



  	
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jetboy

Joined: 22 Jul 2006
Posts: 233

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 1:01 am Post subject: Re: Which is the best 2 stroke Rotax 447, 503 or 582 ????

Gary,

        Apologies for the confusion...I mean the best advice from Kodiak in the USA is that cranks in the 2 cycle rotax series should be inspected at 300hrs for cracks and the preferred procedure is to replace them with new at that time. The flight school operators would choose to swap out the engine for a new one and let the next guy down the food chain deal with the bargain. In NZ our importer dealer of the day took us through a 200hr stripdown inspection of a 582 and that included looking for crankshaft cracks (visual inspection only) and he had been to Austria and done the official training so must be right (and sells parts, too). Coming from a GA background I was a bit surprised at such short lifecycles - in reality most engines will go further than the 300 hrs without trouble but for a whole lot of factors a 4 stroke is much more durable.



My first was a 503 that had about 300hrs when I got it and did another 3.5 when it blew. The small rod end bearings were the earlier type and had pitted due to lack of previous owners useage and decided to let go on climbout at 900 ft. I bought a new one this time with the dual carbs this was the year before dual ignition which I would have really liked to have. 



 I did 150hrs on this one just one incident of high fuel consumption due to timing off of one points set - easily set right. I sold that plane so dont know the rest. I was confident with that engine and it pulled close to the same thrust as others on the field with the '532 and  '582. I think I had the edge with a better prop. With a new piston and bearings the old engine went on for a while but a new owner wanted to add dual carbs and never completed that change (and frankly I think the motor was tired enough by then).



CPS is California Power Systems I think their website is airwolf or something like that and Mike Stratman also does some of the Ultraflight Radio weekly www broadcasts on the subjects of "care and feeding of the Rotax". Very good listening even though I dont drive them nowadays I still get to help out with some and there is allways lots to re-learn



Ralph

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