Been working with/on Corvair boxer engines most of my life, as my mother owned a '64 turbocharged Corvair (badged as a Spyder). She loved that car and would tell anyone that asked she could take any Vette that tried her. lol She really enjoyed driving tha Corvair and got into Rallye racing and lucky me got to be her co-pilot/map reader. She did quite well, winning or placing in every event she drove in. I was always so proud to tell everyone that was my mother. I now own a '65 Corvair w/ one of the 140 HP engines that I've over-built for longevity. It has a roller valve train and the engine has been completely massaged (chamfering all edges and oil return passages, etc.) and fully balanced, both statically and dynamically, w/ all rod beams and crank throws being de-burred and polished and all rod/piston assemblies being weighed to within 0.1g. Haven't had it on any dyno, but at ~ 10:1 CR and a maxed out bore, I am certain its putting out an easy 180-200 HP, redlining at 8K RPMs. Although I feel confident I could turn it much faster, I am looking at longevity vs performance. As much as I would love to get into flying, especially w/ a Corvair engine, I just can't afford the cost of an airframe to attach it to, as a fixed-income person. So, I'll just drive the wheels off my convertible Corvair and consider myself blessed.
My experience is that a well set up and well maintained US V8 will give extremely good service. Addition security things like dual ignition and a good "limp home" mode would make these engines almost as reliable as a Lycoming. Having said all that, if the main factor is reliability, Lycoming are impossible to beat (albeit at a very high price).
The Lycoming are of very old technology and not specially reliable (crankshaft torsional problems...) compared to car and motorcycles engines which can do between 1500 (like a 70 hp 600 cc CBF Honda redline 10000 RPM) and 3000 hours ( most Honda cars) before TBO.
@@jeffmiller3150 Those LS engines are probably the most durable engines money can buy, especially in their power range, and super ESPECIALLY for the price
Jeff Miller See any modern ford or Dodge engines on this list? If they are so good, I'd love to see which planes use them. Or boat engines? Or Generators? Didn't think so. Chevy has the strongest V8 if the past 2 decades.
Super video on this subject of auto engine for smaller planes. Diffidently the only way to go if you are on a budget, want a more reliable engine, want a quieter power plant, want to work on your engine yourself or want to lower fuel cost and consumption. there is absolutely to my knowledge any reason to want a certified aircraft manufacturers engine at the cost they offer them.and their lack of running hours before total over haul. My personal dream plane at this moment is the Just Aircraft Highlander with STOL conversion add ons with the Viking 180 Turbo.
Man your videos are exactly what I was looking for, super informative, thoroughly researched, and you even leave the source company info in the video to research further. Great channel!
Surprised no Subaru engines made this list...they were all the rage about 10 years ago. Flat config (just like most aviation engines). The complication was adding radiators...
Completely wrong engine for aircraft other than being flat. High revving meaning it needs a gearbox and destructive revs to make power (aircraft engines are designed to spend hours at top revs, not seconds). Overhead cams which add weight, bulk, and complexity. Liquid cooled which adds weight and another failure mode (especially with Subaru head gaskets). No individually removable cylinders which means you have to take an entire side of the engine off to do any top end work. Etc etc etc. .
I owned a 64 Chevy Corvair, Monza with 4spd man transmission. At 35k mi it started to leak oil like a quart every 2 weeks. The engine was like a VW, air-cooled but has 6 cylinders flat horizontally opposed. I used the car in tropical climate. The engine would keep sputtering even if the ignition is off after a long trip or was used in heavy traffic. The mechanic told me it was due to overheating.
Your mechanic was right. The combustion temps would skyrocket when you shut engine off. Fuel vapors from carb would cause engine to go clunk clunk chug chug cough pfff.......
Run-on was caused by hot spots in the combustion chamber, like carbon or sharp metal edges, acting as glow-plugs after the ignition was switched off. It was common in late '70s carburated cars that had retarded spark timing for emissions reasons. The engines were running backwards at shutdown.
@Jasaemer Tsun Yes, "dieseling" was the common term. Also "run-on". Retarded ignition timing was the engineers' quick fix to pass smog requirements but maintaining a decent idle speed then meant opening the throttle plates more. There were 2 ways they fixed the resulting dieseling. 1st was an idle speed solenoid that held the throttle open while idling and let them snap shut when the key was switched to "OFF". 2nd was an "anti-dieseling solenoid" that let a spring-loaded needle valve block the idle fuel circuit when the key was turned to "OFF", but held it back magnetically with the solenoid energized. When the solenoid failed, the engine wouldn't idle until you removed the needle and re-installed the solenoid without it. Then the car would idle fine and maybe diesel again. This was carburetors before full computer controls. There's a reason why fuel injection took over - carbs were getting stupidly complicated. Overhauling a Honda 3 barrel CVCC carb was best done in a soda box on the floor.
The Corvair conversions run pretty well as Aircraft Engines, In reality the only "Car Stock" parts are things like the Case itself, and the Pistons..the Heads, Crankshaft, Camshaft and the like are usually altered. Plus the way Aircraft cowlings are designed, with the right Baffling you end up running cooler than the engines did in the cars. Building it yourself using parts from SPA, or William Wynne, or Both. Most of the other Car Engines, make me nervous to be honest, they increase complexity with Radiators and Cooling, Plus the necessary Gearbox to pull the Prop RPM down to usable numbers. That said, "Experimental" aviation is named that for a reason, and the reality is, there hasn't been a lot of Innovation in the GA Certified realm in a long time when it comes to powerplants, between the exhaustive certification process, and the HUGE issue of potential Liability and the crushing Insurance Premiums that comes with that...which is WHY Certified engines are Double to Triple the price of "Experimental" engines, even though the sole difference is a "Certified" Stamp.
@@toadman506 Agreed! Following the one company that has been doing the Corvair Conversion for 30+ years is the intelligent path. (They have 30 yrs of careful & documented research by an A&P/IA, advancements that are flight proven, not a "bells & whistles" sales pitch.) Did you see the review video after demo flight where the guy's ignition wire disconnected in flight? Hmmm, no thx. Does anyone else remember when people went on and on about Subaru engines? Yet how many are flying now, and why did their support evaporate? Newcomers really need to do their homework to get beyond the sales pitch. Sadly, if they rush into decision, it may cost them more than just an engine.
Hey my brother , I've really started to get into the flying scene since I found your channel. Your videos are well edited and we'll produced and narrated. You provide a lot of very good information and with a great flare of entertainment. I've subbed and will be looking forward to all of your new videos. Thank you , Randy from Connecticut. ,,👍
I have a coworker who took a Perkins 2.2L three cylinder diesel from a generator set and used it to power his home built ultralight. It is putting out just over 100 hp and is damn near indestructible
@@eugeneoreilly9356 It's very heavy. And he can't run it over 5000 feet because the air gets thinner and it starts running too lean. He has replaced it since I made this comment. He now has an Isuzu 4 cylinder. No idea what it came out of.
very interesting , i know something about airplane engines but i did not realize all of the different automotive engines they were using in aircraft now ,i do like the idea of using Auto fuel rather than Avgas for a huge cost savings on operations
That Corvair engine was originally designed as an airplane engine by Professor Porsche . It was for a messerschmitt reconnaissance aircraft . It has parts in common with the VW engine also designed by Porsche. The GM Corvair however rotates in the opposite direction! The Corvair Monza had a turbocharger and don't even get me started with the "Yenko" Corvair
Dr. Ferdinand Porsche died in 1951... years before the Corvair was even conceived... He never designed engines for Messerschmitt or any other aircraft... he only designed engines for cars and military vehicles. Ed Cole designed the Corvair to compete with Volkswagen... it's design is loosely based on the Beetle.
Every time the debate about auto engine vs aircraft engine comes up among friends I dig my old B&W photos out and pull up the picture of my dad in his 1929 Pietenpol Air Camper with Ford Model A engine complete with a radiator standing lengthwise on the cowl, doing a low slow flyby of a very desolate, at that time, Loves field, Dallas, TX.
only problem with car engine's, no dry sump, if you bank even 45 degree's the engine will not pump oil into the parts needed and probably fail a lot sooner then if it was in the position it was made for. ah what we dont know can in fact kill us.
@@harleyme3163 is it possible to modify oil distribution than? Maybe modify oil tank outlet to pump? I'm genuinely curious if it is possible on already casted engine block
@@harleyme3163 During a standard co-ordinated turn, you would actually be dead wrong. The use of rudder and elevator make the G-force pull at 90 degrees relative to the wings. This is why Nascar tracks lean in corners and it's also why you don't fall toward the window of an airplane while it's banking for a turn. The only time your theory would be true is while an aicraft is "slipping" as an attempt to blead excess altitude before landing. This only lasts a couple seconds and is no different than a sports car staying flat while going quicly around a corner, pushing you (and its engine oil) to one side.
@@harleyme3163 They can be modified to have a dry sump though not all certified aircraft engine have a dry sump as it's typically only needed on fully aerobatic planes they may experience prolonged negative g or radials as there's no place for a large sump.
This is interesting. I work at Subaru and we make our own Huey variants with Bell for export including Fuji trainer aircraft, and numerous subcontracting with Boeing and other like minded industries.
@iBiana Doubt Most don't have dual ignition and don't need it, because direct, electronic ignition systems are FAR more reliable than magnetos and because it's difficult (if not impossible) and expensive to modify the heads so that they can accept dual spark plugs.
@iBiana Doubt Very, VERY rarely are custom heads produced for the purpose of converting an automotive engine into an aircraft engine, because the cost of doing so is extremely high. - I didn't say that dual ignitions were used to improve performance, I said that the extremely high reliability of direct, electronic ignition systems has made the need for dual ignition systems obsolete.
Woo hoo for the #aircooled VW Sonex! I'd happily fly behind a Corvair as well. The Aeromomentum and Vikings are really intriguing too. It's great to have so many options to pick from! Wasn't always the case.
ls3.....look up seven marine, they make an outboard engine that is nothing more than an ls engine with an outboard motor foot attached, the thing makes 557hp with a supercharger attached to it. The corvair engine was an aircraft configuration engine from the start, so it only makes sense to me that it would make a great aircraft engine.
Yes you are correct. I was going to supercharge the latest version of the Dodge Viper V-10 for use in a Twin Mustang Replica of 85% scale. The V-10 is easily capable of 800 hp at 3800 RPM, and in a 5500 pound air frame it would scream. But life happened and l got sick and had to scrap the whole idea....Dang it......
An ex zimbabwean built a three-fifth scale Spitfire around 1989 using a V8 Rover engine, he claimed it had a better power-to-weight ratio than the original Spitfire with the RR Merlin.
The V8 Rover engine is lightweight and reliable.Origionally designed for use by Buick but not used it's design was resurrected by Rover and put into production.
@@eugeneoreilly9356 I often wondered what happened to that Spitfire, when I saw it, it was in the process of assembly. He wanted to have it completed, tested and flying for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in September 1990. He managed to get most of his money out of Zim by putting all his funds into parts and material that he took across border into SA on a clapped out truck, declaring the freight to be scrap metal.
nah... you buy a 350 chevy block and build it like these guys did... in a car it weighs about 850 pounds and developes around 300 horse tuned.. for $30000 lol a 4 cyl Rotax = to that is 350 pounds at $5800 its because its a corvette engine.... gotta press the price up you know.. brand name shit
@@harleyme3163 shit chevy motor NOT ewer can cost 30 000$ thats can buy full car. idiot pay one motor 30 000$ or all must be gold inside covered and diamond beearing,titanium parts, but no have no pay newer 30k one motor or have tyotally big idiot and seller totally big scammer thief.
Our modern gas and diesel car/vehicle engines are built using lessons and methods learned from aircraft of WW2. The automotive industries worldwide looked at WW2 planes for decades to transfer design and performance improvements into automobiles. Superchargers, turbos, fuel injection, and Methanol fuel are just a few examples out of many more. These engines are aircraft engines and they have been near perfected! Modern "aircraft" prop engines are just eco engines condensed into a small light frame for space and fuel efficiency. Then because they are built for a niche design the manufactures slap a premium price tag on such lawn mower engines they sell. So know your history everyone and don't just fall for what some salesman tries to shell out because their company built it cheap for high profit in a niche market. So great video as always Mojo! Love your content.
i feel like the supercharged gen III Hemi might be an interesting choice. They're a little heavier than that LS3, but are available with 700 hp on 91 octane and some models over 1000 hp on 100 octane. Of course, cooling could be a challenge depending gearing and cruise rpm.
Brother I love ur videos I’m into experimental aircraft bc I don’t wanna spend those big bucks I really LOVE YOUR VIDEOS MAKE MORE VIDEOS about experimental aircraft
You are in luck. www.kitplanes.com/issues/32_6/flight_reports/Turbine-Powered-RV-10_21268-1.html Here's the engine used in the Van's 10 www.pbsaerospace.com/our-products/tp-100-turboprop-engine
Thanks Bob! I have talking to PBS and received initial pricing. It looks like my build will be piston in leiu of turboprop. Cost with no airfiltration was over $125k.
If I was to put a vtec motor into an airplane I would probably swap to a vtec eliminating cam. Vtec is for fuel efficiency at low rpm with a variable valvetrain selection in the upper rpms. I think you would want linear power all the way through the rpm range.
@@mikeevans6926 I actually didn't know that 😂 learn something new every day I guess.. I do know that vtec bends valves, but if you blow the engine while flying, valves are the least of your problems
the original 1903 Wright Flyer engine only have 12 hp. All car engine today have many times the power/weight ratio and viable option, if not subjected to negative G for very long.
Yeah, that boxer engine from Fuji Heavy Industries is as near bulletproof as they come, and has a long history of both factory and aftermarket turbocharging...
Nice video with some good research. There are several comments on the lack of a Subaru engine. IMHO the modern Honda engines being built by Viking offer higher power, lower weight and all the benefits of a highly engineered and tested auto engine. The man behind Viking built hundreds of Subaru based engines but switched to Honda for these reasons. The biggest reason for choosing Subaru initially was the flat design which keeps the propeller down low like an aircraft engine. But Viking has found a great way to do this with a honda engine while keeping the engine upright-by adding a third gear to the gearbox. This moves the prop up high where it belongs while also providing standard (for US) direction of rotation. And modifications to the engine itself are minimal, again to keep the Honda intact. This engine is also available with redundant ECU. And of course it has one coil for each plug. More than 100 of these in service.
The man behind Viking also screwed a bunch of customers, never made it right, and went out of business before coming back with another auto conversion. No Viking for me.
@@scbane Sounds like a greedy corporation. Thankfully, I don't buy aircraft or engines, but I am a technology and science enthusiast. I feel bad for those who have gotten screwed over by that company. What other greedy/bad stuff did they do with their customers?
I can’t wait till someone makes a conversion for that new 4 stroke 300 hp rotax snow machine engine. Weighs 180 pounds. With a turbo on it, I’d guess you could get near 350 hp or more. It’s kind of like the Yamaha apex but more hp for same weight
PistonAvatarGuy yes I was aware of that one. I’m talking about the BRP Rotax 1630 Ace. Comes in at ~180 pounds, 300 hp without turbocharged. Power to weight of the base apex is 150 without the turbo comes in at 150ish pounds producing 160 hp. This rotax with a turbo add on would absolutely destroy the apex hp weight ratio. The other issue with the apex is how tall it is, most cowlings require it to be fitted at an angle which is funky. Regardless, there are some very cool stuff out there that it’s just a matter of time before we start seeing clutch / gear drives to convert them to work with a prop. Very cool stuff!
@@AkPacerPilot Yeah, I wasn't sure what engine you were talking about. That Rotax engine is pretty cool, but it is supercharged and turbocharging is a better fit for aircraft. The Rotax engine is probably taller than the Apex engine as it's a larger displacement and has fewer cylinders, meaning that it has much larger cylinders. Both of the engines being discussed here were designed to run at an angle. Definitely very cool engines. Pushing such small engines to such high power levels is a little risky, though, in my opinion.
The engine from my ninja 1400 should be great for a plane. Over 200 h.p., light weight and able to run at high r.p.m for long periods of time. Just need some PVC pipe and some plywood. I got this.
One comment and one question: the background music seemed a little too loud over your voice in my headphones, but this was a very informative video. Do any of these conversions have dual ignition systems?
I never priced an engine for aircraft before, but I now realize why airplanes are so damn expensive to purchase and maintain. It an injustice to have those kinds of prices.
if you talk BEST engine, longlife, true working alltime, have only some motor and honda not have thats list. V8 5 liter motor have longlive lot more than anythink other, working ewerywere and sure alltime have 2 liter lada motor. good sure alltime work have volvo B20 motor. WV beetle have old popular airplane motor but problem have no power lot abouty only 50-60hp. honda NOT have true newer BEST motor, only good motor but not true sure working and longlife motor.
The dream of dropping a couple of LS3's in a Baron 58 with full length headers running down each side of the cowlings... and 4 blade props.. where's my hand lotion.
I have a complete 83 Subaru go wagon with 140 g..miles ..just got it n got running been sitting for 5 yrs..sweet eng..whole things for sale 750$ if you know anyone interested
How can you not mention the Subaru or Mazda 13b? I'd fly behind either of those two before any engines in this video. I wouldn't be caught dead using a GM engine.
It seems like the Subaru and Mazda engines were hard to cool. There are some great examples flying, but many gave up. The Viking motor is made by the guy that threw in the towel on making Subie engines.
Subaru engines are very common, and so are Mazda rotaries, but the rotary gets horrid fuel economy. I do not know why they aren't mentioned, but the ridiculously rare, 50+ year old Corvair engine is. As for the Chevy V8, it's one of the most durable, reliable, efficient engines on the planet for any price, yet it's cheaper than most. The LS motor is easily built to 1000+hp for racing use.
Im a bit surprised that nobody has converted the Chevy LFX engines. The aluminum 3.6 litre V6 engine produces about 1hp/lb, approx 340hp and 340lbs in the Camaro. 30mpg highway works out to approximately 2 gallons or 12lbs/hour.
I think you forgot about the Raptor using the VW twin turbo Diesel engine in their airplane. Although it hasn’t officially flown yet because they are still taxing around the airport until the test pilot flies it.
Great video Mike. The take away - 1,000 hr before required rebuild vs. 300 hr rebuild = 3x less expense and down time = game changer. But with zero point energy around the corner...as well as no refueling costs or need to land or range limitations beyond your balder. We even have solutions for that too. Ask sailplane racing pilots. What's that half a tennis ball with the tube on it for right next to the stick? The future is bright. ~ your neighbor
Cool video! I remember a General Motors demonstration project back in the very early 1960s that featured their 215 CI all aluminum engine that was an option in smaller Buick and Oldsmobile cars. Their demo aircraft was a high wing type. I do not believe they intended to sell aircraft conversions of the engine, but rather, were just promoting the idea that the engine was of both lightness and power, that it could be used in an airplane, just a sales gimmick. Today, one resides in N999BR, and there may be others as well. Great little video!!! Nice to see these Experimental options well illustrated.
There are two issues here. First, putting 1000 hp on something causes a ton of extra wear. Aircraft engines are almost always designed for decent performance and excellent longevity, because it's a lot harder to just pull over and call a tow truck when you're sitting at 10,000 feet. So, unlike your dyno queens at the local car club meetup, this is 400 reliable hp. Second, that money includes all the work somebody else did to design and build all the components needed to convert from a car engine to an aircraft engine. You could certainly do any of these conversions cheaper if you're decent with mechanical work and don't mind spending the time. But good luck buying a $10,000 LS3 off craigslist and getting the kind of performance and reliability you'd get with one of these without a lot of work.
@@mattivirta The Rotax 915 IS Turbo is $37K new, and gets 140 HP. There's a *lot* of engineering that went into making the lightest motor possible for that power, working well at a wide range of altitudes, and giving it really good reliability. And don't forget the enormous cost of certification in the aircraft world. www.cps-parts.com/catalog/rtxpages/915isrotaxengine140.php?gclid=Cj0KCQiA0NfvBRCVARIsAO4930knlCOXI7zDTzVIcNcbGBFA8hcRC3cmm0ulG-Cz9sEJrw4wbHGr6fEaAk8LEALw_wcB
The price of aircraft engines are a CRIME. The cost of a bare block Chevy 350 is only $1,012. A crate (all pieces in place, except external hardware like a radiator): $2,800. Therefore, the cost of a comparatively simple gear reduction box and mounting hardware is $50,000??? NO. It's the darn aircraft engine price-through-the-roof-mafia. No wonder people are keeping their 1950's engines running.
Why only 1k hours between overhauls when the same engines in cars will go easily over 100k miles at high rpm at around or less than 3k rpm and thousands of hours?
@@ramazkutateladze538 Not anymore than certified aircraft engines. In fact the ls 3 at 10.5 to 1 compression ratio is probably effected less than a io 540 at 8.5 to 1.
@@johntempest267 hmm.. I thought aircraft fuel had higher octane than ordinary gasoline; why would someone wanted to make an airplane engine with 8:5 cr.. hmmm
@@ramazkutateladze538 Good question, I don't know the answer, but I'm sure about the compression of both engines. I've other questions, why are car engines happy running unleaded gas with hardened valve seats, but certified engines require lead? And why does 100LL (av gas) contain 4 times the lead than leaded auto gas once did? Why does the 7k $ LS3 feature state of the art fuel injection, while 100k $ IO 540 use a carburetor unchanged since 1950? And why should an oversized, air cooled, carburetored lawnmower engine cost 100,000 dollars?
You missed the best of the bunch= the Mazda 13B/ Renesis rotary- lighter & compact, smoother, love turbocharging, and more powerful at high rpm. Also popular and a solid choice is the Subaru boxer.
The F22C has too long of a stroke and it's too highly strung because it was made to rev to 8,000 rpm. The K20 is a better choice, it's far more common and has all of the features which make the F22C great. - I actually did a write up on how a K20 could be converted into an aircraft engine a while back... - Let's look at what it would take to replace the AE330 with a Honda K20... - The engine block wouldn't necessarily need to be modified with wet liners, but doing so would allow for some additional displacement to be gained and for the engine to be easily rebuilt in the future. Darton makes wet liners that can handle up to a 90mm bore, but an 88mm bore would allow for future re-boring and would allow for the use of racing pistons, like those from Wiseco. Stronger connecting rods would be a requirement, but the options available are numerous. Many connecting rod sets can handle the production of well over 1,000 hp, so making 180-200 hp in an aircraft engine would be quite easy. The head could be kept completely stock, but if this were an engine that was being developed for production, softer valve springs and cams optimized for the application would be desirable. VTEC wouldn't be necessary, but it might be a worthwhile addition to an aircraft engine, as you could have a cam profile optimized for takeoff power and another cam profile optimized for cruise power (Update: VTEC probably wouldn't provide any benefit, even cruise power levels are probably too high to make it useful. TODA makes rockers which eliminate the VTEC rockers, other companies make other parts which are used to eliminate VTEC in racing engines). The engine would need to be turbocharged, but there are plenty of components available to make that happen. Boosted to make 112 lb-ft per liter (my way of assessing BMEP), the engine would make 180 hp at 4,000 rpm and the mean piston speed would be 11.5 m/s at that rpm, this would easily facilitate thousands of hours of use. The engine could be pushed to 4,500 rpm on takeoff to make 200 hp without issue. Cruise power could be 135 hp at 3,500 rpm, mean piston speed would be 10 m/s at that rpm, very sedate. A PSRU would need to be designed for the engine, a gear ratio of 1.9:1 would keep the prop below 2,400 rpm on takeoff (the Autoflight PSRU that Titan aircraft uses seems to have an excellent reputation). The engine weight would be somewhat high, maybe as much as 50 pounds more than an IO-360, but that's tolerable and is significantly less than the weight of the AE330. - Edit: Installing a block guard is a cheaper alternative to the wet liners (the deck really should be closed on a turbocharged engine), but the stock bores could probably only be re-bored once. The Cylinder Support System block guard seems to be highly regarded. Plasma coating, like what's done on the wet liners for Merlin engines these days, might make re-boring obsolete, though. - Weight estimates: - Engine weight: 275 lb PSRU weight: 60 lb Flywheel weight: 22 lb Total weight: 360 lb
@@YurMom68 It really would be. An engine like that would also be able to run on mogas, which is even cheaper than jet fuel. The BSFC (by weight) of modern gasoline engines is also on par with modern diesels, like the AE330, so they would reduce the cost of flying by reducing fuel burn. Granted, building an engine like that would probably cost $30,000, but it would be unbeatable in many ways.
You didn't mention, the Subaru engine, Mazda rotary, Citroen 2cv and BMW R100 motorbike engine. Yamaha LC350 were used in microlites. Theres more but I can't think of them right now
Been working with/on Corvair boxer engines most of my life, as my mother owned a '64 turbocharged Corvair (badged as a Spyder). She loved that car and would tell anyone that asked she could take any Vette that tried her. lol She really enjoyed driving tha Corvair and got into Rallye racing and lucky me got to be her co-pilot/map reader. She did quite well, winning or placing in every event she drove in. I was always so proud to tell everyone that was my mother. I now own a '65 Corvair w/ one of the 140 HP engines that I've over-built for longevity. It has a roller valve train and the engine has been completely massaged (chamfering all edges and oil return passages, etc.) and fully balanced, both statically and dynamically, w/ all rod beams and crank throws being de-burred and polished and all rod/piston assemblies being weighed to within 0.1g. Haven't had it on any dyno, but at ~ 10:1 CR and a maxed out bore, I am certain its putting out an easy 180-200 HP, redlining at 8K RPMs. Although I feel confident I could turn it much faster, I am looking at longevity vs performance. As much as I would love to get into flying, especially w/ a Corvair engine, I just can't afford the cost of an airframe to attach it to, as a fixed-income person. So, I'll just drive the wheels off my convertible Corvair and consider myself blessed.
My experience is that a well set up and well maintained US V8 will give extremely good service. Addition security things like dual ignition and a good "limp home" mode would make these engines almost as reliable as a Lycoming. Having said all that, if the main factor is reliability, Lycoming are impossible to beat (albeit at a very high price).
Wow, 130hp for $11,000. And this is a reliable, new Honda engine
better then Lycoming
The Lycoming are of very old technology and not specially reliable (crankshaft torsional problems...) compared to car and motorcycles engines which can do between 1500 (like a 70 hp 600 cc CBF Honda redline 10000 RPM) and 3000 hours ( most Honda cars) before TBO.
Flew my Chevy to the Levee...
Then it quit running and I crashed!!
@@jeffmiller3150 Those LS engines are probably the most durable engines money can buy, especially in their power range, and super ESPECIALLY for the price
Underated comment' I loved it!!! KUDOS!!! CHEVY TO THE LEVEE!
Jeff Miller See any modern ford or Dodge engines on this list? If they are so good, I'd love to see which planes use them. Or boat engines? Or Generators? Didn't think so. Chevy has the strongest V8 if the past 2 decades.
but the levee was dry.
An LS3, full of accessories is about 420-410lbs. They are incredibly light and compact relative to the engine displacement.
And if it breaks in mid-flight just glide to the nearest Chevy dealership.
@@roybaker6902 Just don’t taxi next to the Bolt; it tends to spontaneously catch fire
It is hard to beat a LS3. Power and reliability.
Super video on this subject of auto engine for smaller planes. Diffidently the only way to go if you are on a budget, want a more reliable engine, want a quieter power plant, want to work on your engine yourself or want to lower fuel cost and consumption. there is absolutely to my knowledge any reason to want a certified aircraft manufacturers engine at the cost they offer them.and their lack of running hours before total over haul. My personal dream plane at this moment is the Just Aircraft Highlander with STOL conversion add ons with the Viking 180 Turbo.
Don't over look the Subaru and the Toyota 2UZ FE, it's a 4.7L 32 valve DOHC V8, designed and certified for Aviation!
Man your videos are exactly what I was looking for, super informative, thoroughly researched, and you even leave the source company info in the video to research further. Great channel!
2 engines that are some of my favorite car engines in here. K20 Honda, and LS3 Chevy.
Limbach Flugmotoren also does VW conversions, but they're available with liquid cooled heads. They look like very nicely made engines.
Love your videos kid. It's fun we get to see you more now. Was kind of surprised to see no Subaru based engines.
Surprised no Subaru engines made this list...they were all the rage about 10 years ago. Flat config (just like most aviation engines). The complication was adding radiators...
Completely wrong engine for aircraft other than being flat.
High revving meaning it needs a gearbox and destructive revs to make power (aircraft engines are designed to spend hours at top revs, not seconds). Overhead cams which add weight, bulk, and complexity. Liquid cooled which adds weight and another failure mode (especially with Subaru head gaskets). No individually removable cylinders which means you have to take an entire side of the engine off to do any top end work. Etc etc etc. .
I think i heard somewhere that the Wankel engines used in Mazda's are quite good as an airplane engine, is that true:
@@Bartonovich52 Mo t four cylinder aircraft engines spend their lives at around 2400 RPM.
massive fuel consumption
You are right the boxer should do great in them
I owned a 64 Chevy Corvair, Monza with 4spd man transmission. At 35k mi it started to leak oil like a quart every 2 weeks. The engine was like a VW, air-cooled but has 6 cylinders flat horizontally opposed. I used the car in tropical climate. The engine would keep sputtering even if the ignition is off after a long trip or was used in heavy traffic. The mechanic told me it was due to overheating.
Your mechanic was right. The combustion temps would skyrocket when you shut engine off. Fuel vapors from carb would cause engine to go clunk clunk chug chug cough pfff.......
Run-on was caused by hot spots in the combustion chamber, like carbon or sharp metal edges, acting as glow-plugs after the ignition was switched off. It was common in late '70s carburated cars that had retarded spark timing for emissions reasons. The engines were running backwards at shutdown.
@Jasaemer Tsun Yes, "dieseling" was the common term. Also "run-on". Retarded ignition timing was the engineers' quick fix to pass smog requirements but maintaining a decent idle speed then meant opening the throttle plates more. There were 2 ways they fixed the resulting dieseling. 1st was an idle speed solenoid that held the throttle open while idling and let them snap shut when the key was switched to "OFF". 2nd was an "anti-dieseling solenoid" that let a spring-loaded needle valve block the idle fuel circuit when the key was turned to "OFF", but held it back magnetically with the solenoid energized. When the solenoid failed, the engine wouldn't idle until you removed the needle and re-installed the solenoid without it. Then the car would idle fine and maybe diesel again.
This was carburetors before full computer controls. There's a reason why fuel injection took over - carbs were getting stupidly complicated. Overhauling a Honda 3 barrel CVCC carb was best done in a soda box on the floor.
The Corvair conversions run pretty well as Aircraft Engines, In reality the only "Car Stock" parts are things like the Case itself, and the Pistons..the Heads, Crankshaft, Camshaft and the like are usually altered. Plus the way Aircraft cowlings are designed, with the right Baffling you end up running cooler than the engines did in the cars. Building it yourself using parts from SPA, or William Wynne, or Both. Most of the other Car Engines, make me nervous to be honest, they increase complexity with Radiators and Cooling, Plus the necessary Gearbox to pull the Prop RPM down to usable numbers. That said, "Experimental" aviation is named that for a reason, and the reality is, there hasn't been a lot of Innovation in the GA Certified realm in a long time when it comes to powerplants, between the exhaustive certification process, and the HUGE issue of potential Liability and the crushing Insurance Premiums that comes with that...which is WHY Certified engines are Double to Triple the price of "Experimental" engines, even though the sole difference is a "Certified" Stamp.
@@toadman506 Agreed! Following the one company that has been doing the Corvair Conversion for 30+ years is the intelligent path. (They have 30 yrs of careful & documented research by an A&P/IA, advancements that are flight proven, not a "bells & whistles" sales pitch.) Did you see the review video after demo flight where the guy's ignition wire disconnected in flight? Hmmm, no thx.
Does anyone else remember when people went on and on about Subaru engines? Yet how many are flying now, and why did their support evaporate? Newcomers really need to do their homework to get beyond the sales pitch. Sadly, if they rush into decision, it may cost them more than just an engine.
Hey my brother , I've really started to get into the flying scene since I found your channel. Your videos are well edited and we'll produced and narrated. You provide a lot of very good information and with a great flare of entertainment. I've subbed and will be looking forward to all of your new videos. Thank you , Randy from Connecticut. ,,👍
I have a coworker who took a Perkins 2.2L three cylinder diesel from a generator set and used it to power his home built ultralight. It is putting out just over 100 hp and is damn near indestructible
I doubt that it's still an ultralight with that diesel iron block. But def reliable.
And iron head.A great industrial engine but never heard of them used for aviation as they would be relatively heavy.
@@eugeneoreilly9356 It's very heavy. And he can't run it over 5000 feet because the air gets thinner and it starts running too lean. He has replaced it since I made this comment. He now has an Isuzu 4 cylinder. No idea what it came out of.
The basic Aerovee 80hp can be bought as a kit, for gearheads like me, thats cool. Some assembly required.
Love your videos I always learn something new
Mike, you just keep improving. Very good and very informative. Thanks for the info. It opens new avenues for engine options that are most welcome.
As a Ground Dweller , I found this really interesting , informative , Thanks
Love engines. I love aircraft. I love this video. Thank you sir.
very interesting , i know something about airplane engines but i did not realize all of the different automotive engines they were using in aircraft now ,i do like the idea of using Auto fuel rather than Avgas for a huge cost savings on operations
That ls3 should be very fast. And sound awesome
Well done Mike, excellent video. I learned a lot, thanks.
That Corvair engine was originally designed as an airplane engine by Professor Porsche . It was for a messerschmitt reconnaissance aircraft . It has parts in common with the VW engine also designed by Porsche. The GM Corvair however rotates in the opposite direction! The Corvair Monza had a turbocharger and don't even get me started with the "Yenko" Corvair
Dr. Ferdinand Porsche died in 1951... years before the Corvair was even conceived...
He never designed engines for Messerschmitt or any other aircraft... he only designed engines for cars and military vehicles.
Ed Cole designed the Corvair to compete with Volkswagen... it's design is loosely based on the Beetle.
Every time the debate about auto engine vs aircraft engine comes up among friends I dig my old B&W photos out and pull up the picture of my dad in his 1929 Pietenpol Air Camper with Ford Model A engine complete with a radiator standing lengthwise on the cowl, doing a low slow flyby of a very desolate, at that time, Loves field, Dallas, TX.
The Lexus UZ series aluminum V8 automobile engine is the basis of the FAA-certified
FV2400-2TC
only problem with car engine's, no dry sump, if you bank even 45 degree's the engine will not pump oil into the parts needed and probably fail a lot sooner then if it was in the position it was made for.
ah what we dont know can in fact kill us.
@@harleyme3163 is it possible to modify oil distribution than? Maybe modify oil tank outlet to pump? I'm genuinely curious if it is possible on already casted engine block
@@harleyme3163 During a standard co-ordinated turn, you would actually be dead wrong. The use of rudder and elevator make the G-force pull at 90 degrees relative to the wings. This is why Nascar tracks lean in corners and it's also why you don't fall toward the window of an airplane while it's banking for a turn. The only time your theory would be true is while an aicraft is "slipping" as an attempt to blead excess altitude before landing. This only lasts a couple seconds and is no different than a sports car staying flat while going quicly around a corner, pushing you (and its engine oil) to one side.
@@harleyme3163 They can be modified to have a dry sump though not all certified aircraft engine have a dry sump as it's typically only needed on fully aerobatic planes they may experience prolonged negative g or radials as there's no place for a large sump.
On racecars it's fairly common to run a drysump system. I'm sure there are multiple options available for the LS since its a very popular engine.
I saw one the other day that used a 20 hp Briggs and Stratton! Home built micro plane but it had a lawnmower motor in it!
Think you could power a pedal powered quadcopter with it g.co/kgs/AxnB59
It's a MC30 Colomban. An ultralight that goes well cruising speed 110 one (hundred and ten) mph with 25 HP, using 1 gallon hour at 93 mph.
This is interesting. I work at Subaru and we make our own Huey variants with Bell for export including Fuji trainer aircraft, and numerous subcontracting with Boeing and other like minded industries.
would you briefly go indepth explain autoconversion engine: what stays, gets out, modified, etc?
lol he's not a technician
@iBiana Doubt Most don't have dual ignition and don't need it, because direct, electronic ignition systems are FAR more reliable than magnetos and because it's difficult (if not impossible) and expensive to modify the heads so that they can accept dual spark plugs.
@iBiana Doubt Very, VERY rarely are custom heads produced for the purpose of converting an automotive engine into an aircraft engine, because the cost of doing so is extremely high.
-
I didn't say that dual ignitions were used to improve performance, I said that the extremely high reliability of direct, electronic ignition systems has made the need for dual ignition systems obsolete.
@iBiana Doubt Thank you very much for that.
@@PistonAvatarGuy Thank you very much for that
Woo hoo for the #aircooled VW Sonex! I'd happily fly behind a Corvair as well. The Aeromomentum and Vikings are really intriguing too. It's great to have so many options to pick from! Wasn't always the case.
been running a Subara for 7 years ..not issues
Been running mine for 17 years. Works fine too.
CHEERS FROM ATLANTA, GA.
Like always, you did an excellent job.
Thank you.
Man you come up with some content!
Wish you nothing but success in this channel.
ls3.....look up seven marine, they make an outboard engine that is nothing more than an ls engine with an outboard motor foot attached, the thing makes 557hp with a supercharger attached to it. The corvair engine was an aircraft configuration engine from the start, so it only makes sense to me that it would make a great aircraft engine.
I owned a Corvair many years ago
Yes you are correct. I was going to supercharge the latest version of the Dodge Viper V-10 for use in a Twin Mustang Replica of 85% scale. The V-10 is easily capable of 800 hp at 3800 RPM, and in a 5500 pound air frame it would scream. But life happened and l got sick and had to scrap the whole idea....Dang it......
An ex zimbabwean built a three-fifth scale Spitfire around 1989 using a V8 Rover engine, he claimed it had a better power-to-weight ratio than the original Spitfire with the RR Merlin.
The V8 Rover engine is lightweight and reliable.Origionally designed for use by Buick but not used it's design was resurrected by Rover and put into production.
@@eugeneoreilly9356 I often wondered what happened to that Spitfire, when I saw it, it was in the process of assembly. He wanted to have it completed, tested and flying for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in September 1990. He managed to get most of his money out of Zim by putting all his funds into parts and material that he took across border into SA on a clapped out truck, declaring the freight to be scrap metal.
be a cold day in hell before i pay 35,000 dollars for a ls3 crate engine !!!
nah... you buy a 350 chevy block and build it like these guys did...
in a car it weighs about 850 pounds and developes around 300 horse tuned.. for $30000 lol
a 4 cyl Rotax = to that is 350 pounds at $5800
its because its a corvette engine.... gotta press the price up you know.. brand name shit
@@harleyme3163 You really have no idea what you are talking about do ya??
@@harleyme3163 shit chevy motor NOT ewer can cost 30 000$ thats can buy full car. idiot pay one motor 30 000$ or all must be gold inside covered and diamond beearing,titanium parts, but no have no pay newer 30k one motor or have tyotally big idiot and seller totally big scammer thief.
My vw engine conversion only cost me roughly $2k... 65hp agl 10,500ft.. 3 gallon burn per hour experimental stol craft
WV has before popular many little plane but problem have no power good. too small today any plane.
That's what I installed in my Rands K-R 2. Great dependable efficient.
I'll take the Honda Accord engine please. I've never had any problems with my Hondas.
Not hard to turbo for altitude compensation.
Our modern gas and diesel car/vehicle engines are built using lessons and methods learned from aircraft of WW2. The automotive industries worldwide looked at WW2 planes for decades to transfer design and performance improvements into automobiles. Superchargers, turbos, fuel injection, and Methanol fuel are just a few examples out of many more. These engines are aircraft engines and they have been near perfected!
Modern "aircraft" prop engines are just eco engines condensed into a small light frame for space and fuel efficiency. Then because they are built for a niche design the manufactures slap a premium price tag on such lawn mower engines they sell. So know your history everyone and don't just fall for what some salesman tries to shell out because their company built it cheap for high profit in a niche market.
So great video as always Mojo! Love your content.
But what about cooling? Antifreeze? It gets REALLY cold up there, i didn't know my lawnmower could take off and fly!
It’s just a car engine, it shouldn’t be that expensive!
i feel like the supercharged gen III Hemi might be an interesting choice. They're a little heavier than that LS3, but are available with 700 hp on 91 octane and some models over 1000 hp on 100 octane. Of course, cooling could be a challenge depending gearing and cruise rpm.
Probably too heavy for aviation use. iron block.
I should be in the aircraft conversion business, the most exspensive engines I've ever seen in my life
Brother I love ur videos I’m into experimental aircraft bc I don’t wanna spend those big bucks I really LOVE YOUR VIDEOS MAKE MORE VIDEOS about experimental aircraft
Great. Question where was Subaru power plant. Enjoyed your vidio. Thanks.
Believe it or not the suburu,13b,was originally an aircraft engine
Ok, next video we need to have a turboprop for experimentals.
You are in luck. www.kitplanes.com/issues/32_6/flight_reports/Turbine-Powered-RV-10_21268-1.html
Here's the engine used in the Van's 10 www.pbsaerospace.com/our-products/tp-100-turboprop-engine
Thanks Bob! I have talking to PBS and received initial pricing. It looks like my build will be piston in leiu of turboprop. Cost with no airfiltration was over $125k.
Randi Cook
"""
$$$$$$
@@MsRandiCook for sure that's a lot of money for 250HP.
Nice to see good car engine's going into airplanes.
It's time to get rid of the Garbage.
I'm surprised engines based on the Subaru boxer are not included. I know there are companies that offer that conversion.
This channel is for dreamers myself included 😂
Fantastic Mojo.. .tks Alexandre Brazil...
Very good video, your best yet in my opinion! Thank you for all your hard work
POV: You're flying your Honda Accord powered 2 seater and want to go faster... you max out the throttle and VTEC kicks in 😆
If I was to put a vtec motor into an airplane I would probably swap to a vtec eliminating cam. Vtec is for fuel efficiency at low rpm with a variable valvetrain selection in the upper rpms. I think you would want linear power all the way through the rpm range.
@@mikeevans6926 I actually didn't know that 😂 learn something new every day I guess.. I do know that vtec bends valves, but if you blow the engine while flying, valves are the least of your problems
Aero Momentum and Viking seems like the best deal.
Really interesting. Never knew car engines were and option. Thanks.
type pietenpol in google . you are welcome
I don’t know about putting a car engine in a plane. Yes you can run them longer but that a lot of weight hanging off the noise.
the original 1903 Wright Flyer engine only have 12 hp. All car engine today have many times the power/weight ratio and viable option, if not subjected to negative G for very long.
Now ill wait a plane powered with suzuki hayabusa engine
Been done.
Subaru EA 81 classic cant go wrong for cheap DIY, reduction drive and hub + motor under $2k 80HP 1000 hours TBO
Yeah, that boxer engine from Fuji Heavy Industries is as near bulletproof as they come, and has a long history of both factory and aftermarket turbocharging...
You beat me to this example. It's a drop in replacement for the VW engine. And being water cooled doesn't habitually fry cylinder #4.
Nice video with some good research. There are several comments on the lack of a Subaru engine. IMHO the modern Honda engines being built by Viking offer higher power, lower weight and all the benefits of a highly engineered and tested auto engine. The man behind Viking built hundreds of Subaru based engines but switched to Honda for these reasons. The biggest reason for choosing Subaru initially was the flat design which keeps the propeller down low like an aircraft engine. But Viking has found a great way to do this with a honda engine while keeping the engine upright-by adding a third gear to the gearbox. This moves the prop up high where it belongs while also providing standard (for US) direction of rotation. And modifications to the engine itself are minimal, again to keep the Honda intact. This engine is also available with redundant ECU. And of course it has one coil for each plug. More than 100 of these in service.
The man behind Viking also screwed a bunch of customers, never made it right, and went out of business before coming back with another auto conversion. No Viking for me.
@@scbane Sounds like a greedy corporation. Thankfully, I don't buy aircraft or engines, but I am a technology and science enthusiast. I feel bad for those who have gotten screwed over by that company. What other greedy/bad stuff did they do with their customers?
I can’t wait till someone makes a conversion for that new 4 stroke 300 hp rotax snow machine engine. Weighs 180 pounds. With a turbo on it, I’d guess you could get near 350 hp or more. It’s kind of like the Yamaha apex but more hp for same weight
EdgePerformance is working on a conversion of the Yamaha Apex engine, they're calling it the EPeX.
PistonAvatarGuy yes I was aware of that one. I’m talking about the BRP Rotax 1630 Ace. Comes in at ~180 pounds, 300 hp without turbocharged. Power to weight of the base apex is 150 without the turbo comes in at 150ish pounds producing 160 hp. This rotax with a turbo add on would absolutely destroy the apex hp weight ratio.
The other issue with the apex is how tall it is, most cowlings require it to be fitted at an angle which is funky.
Regardless, there are some very cool stuff out there that it’s just a matter of time before we start seeing clutch / gear drives to convert them to work with a prop.
Very cool stuff!
@@AkPacerPilot Yeah, I wasn't sure what engine you were talking about. That Rotax engine is pretty cool, but it is supercharged and turbocharging is a better fit for aircraft. The Rotax engine is probably taller than the Apex engine as it's a larger displacement and has fewer cylinders, meaning that it has much larger cylinders. Both of the engines being discussed here were designed to run at an angle. Definitely very cool engines. Pushing such small engines to such high power levels is a little risky, though, in my opinion.
The engine from my ninja 1400 should be great for a plane. Over 200 h.p., light weight and able to run at high r.p.m for long periods of time. Just need some PVC pipe and some plywood. I got this.
The use of the word "should" is inherently invalid in an aviation context. It either is or is not. No wishful thinking.
Great Video. Very informative. Thank you.
A supercharged LS would be amazing
Exelente vídeo sir, Nice information
Loved this report. I know nothing about areo engines, but found it fascinating as an engineer (electronics).
One comment and one question: the background music seemed a little too loud over your voice in my headphones, but this was a very informative video. Do any of these conversions have dual ignition systems?
Noted. I know some of them do but I'll have to get back to you on the specifics.
Al I have a Happi engine (VW based) that uses SCAT heads with dual spark plugs for dual ignition.
Subaru flat fours and sixes make great conversion options
I never priced an engine for aircraft before, but I now realize why airplanes are so damn expensive to purchase and maintain. It an injustice to have those kinds of prices.
I think Honda is the best engine, like my car.
if you talk BEST engine, longlife, true working alltime, have only some motor and honda not have thats list. V8 5 liter motor have longlive lot more than anythink other, working ewerywere and sure alltime have 2 liter lada motor. good sure alltime work have volvo B20 motor. WV beetle have old popular airplane motor but problem have no power lot abouty only 50-60hp. honda NOT have true newer BEST motor, only good motor but not true sure working and longlife motor.
The dream of dropping a couple of LS3's in a Baron 58 with full length headers running down each side of the cowlings... and 4 blade props.. where's my hand lotion.
the FAA would looooove that
Well done video and I understand that the Subaru EA81 engine was also used for experimental aircraft.
I have a complete 83 Subaru go wagon with 140 g..miles ..just got it n got running been sitting for 5 yrs..sweet eng..whole things for sale 750$ if you know anyone interested
I'll definitely go on experimental stuff. That V8 on Velocity..ow boy
How can you not mention the Subaru or Mazda 13b? I'd fly behind either of those two before any engines in this video. I wouldn't be caught dead using a GM engine.
It seems like the Subaru and Mazda engines were hard to cool. There are some great examples flying, but many gave up.
The Viking motor is made by the guy that threw in the towel on making Subie engines.
Subaru engines are very common, and so are Mazda rotaries, but the rotary gets horrid fuel economy. I do not know why they aren't mentioned, but the ridiculously rare, 50+ year old Corvair engine is. As for the Chevy V8, it's one of the most durable, reliable, efficient engines on the planet for any price, yet it's cheaper than most. The LS motor is easily built to 1000+hp for racing use.
You wouldn't be caught dead because the LS is legendary for being a great engine 😂
I'm not even a Chevy guy.
Good info, concise, easy listening. Thanks a lot.
Hi
excellent video!
RB 30 twin turbo with nos sounds like a fun idea 🤣👍🏻👌🏻
Surprised that there was no mention of Subaru H4 or H6.
Stop it mojo! I’m trying to get things done!
Edit: compliment in disguise
Hi hi hi hi hi
Im a bit surprised that nobody has converted the Chevy LFX engines. The aluminum 3.6 litre V6 engine produces about 1hp/lb, approx 340hp and 340lbs in the Camaro. 30mpg highway works out to approximately 2 gallons or 12lbs/hour.
Sir is it Possible to use another Car engine that exceeds 400HP apart from the Car Engines you listed.
Thanks 👍
Chevy engine!?! Can't keep mine running on the ground much less in an airplane.
Really? you have to put fuel in the tank first
That's ur own fault get a mechanic
I think you forgot about the Raptor using the VW twin turbo Diesel engine in their airplane.
Although it hasn’t officially flown yet because they are still taxing around the airport until the test pilot flies it.
The first aircraft I ever flew in was a Falke Motorglider with a VW engine.
Great video Mike. The take away - 1,000 hr before required rebuild vs. 300 hr rebuild = 3x less expense and down time = game changer. But with zero point energy around the corner...as well as no refueling costs or need to land or range limitations beyond your balder. We even have solutions for that too. Ask sailplane racing pilots. What's that half a tennis ball with the tube on it for right next to the stick? The future is bright. ~ your neighbor
Cmon Mike. Don't compare a two stroke Rotax 582 with the four stroke Aeromomentum.
Use the Rotax 912 80 hp for that.
I bet an airplane can be powered by kawasaki ninja H2R. Engine.
It can... Ive seen a bmw s1000rr engine in a plane before...
@Jasaemer Tsun yeah right
@Jasaemer Tsun brother Busa is a wild beast its engine is ridiculously powerful someone should definitely use that engine to build something cool.
Very helpful, thanks
Cool video! I remember a General Motors demonstration project back in the very early 1960s that featured their 215 CI all aluminum engine that was an option in smaller Buick and Oldsmobile cars. Their demo aircraft was a high wing type. I do not believe they intended to sell aircraft conversions of the engine, but rather, were just promoting the idea that the engine was of both lightness and power, that it could be used in an airplane, just a sales gimmick. Today, one resides in N999BR, and there may be others as well.
Great little video!!! Nice to see these Experimental options well illustrated.
Wasn't that type of engine also used in some speedboats?
A version of the Wittman Tailwind used an inverted 215 C.I. Buick engine...not sure how many were built w/ this option?
If you’re paying 30 grand for an ls and only getting 400hp you’re getting ripped off
There are two issues here. First, putting 1000 hp on something causes a ton of extra wear. Aircraft engines are almost always designed for decent performance and excellent longevity, because it's a lot harder to just pull over and call a tow truck when you're sitting at 10,000 feet. So, unlike your dyno queens at the local car club meetup, this is 400 reliable hp.
Second, that money includes all the work somebody else did to design and build all the components needed to convert from a car engine to an aircraft engine. You could certainly do any of these conversions cheaper if you're decent with mechanical work and don't mind spending the time. But good luck buying a $10,000 LS3 off craigslist and getting the kind of performance and reliability you'd get with one of these without a lot of work.
if you pay 30 K $ one motor you have totally big idiot, no newer cost 30K.
@@mattivirta The Rotax 915 IS Turbo is $37K new, and gets 140 HP. There's a *lot* of engineering that went into making the lightest motor possible for that power, working well at a wide range of altitudes, and giving it really good reliability. And don't forget the enormous cost of certification in the aircraft world. www.cps-parts.com/catalog/rtxpages/915isrotaxengine140.php?gclid=Cj0KCQiA0NfvBRCVARIsAO4930knlCOXI7zDTzVIcNcbGBFA8hcRC3cmm0ulG-Cz9sEJrw4wbHGr6fEaAk8LEALw_wcB
All the parts probably have to pass aircraft cert. unless experimental
Well the thing is powering a plane and and each take off is at wide open for minutes at a time. in a car maybe 30 seconds or never at all.
The price of aircraft engines are a CRIME. The cost of a bare block Chevy 350 is only $1,012. A crate (all pieces in place, except external hardware like a radiator): $2,800.
Therefore, the cost of a comparatively simple gear reduction box and mounting hardware is $50,000??? NO. It's the darn aircraft engine price-through-the-roof-mafia.
No wonder people are keeping their 1950's engines running.
Worked on many io-540s great motors especially when a turbo is added
You're awesome and you rule! Very helpful and educative video. Thank you 👾
Why only 1k hours between overhauls when the same engines in cars will go easily over 100k miles at high rpm at around or less than 3k rpm and thousands of hours?
higher safety margins
Current GM Dependability vs Gravity ... No Thanks
mind you that on higher altitudes auto-engines` performance is affected drastically
@@ramazkutateladze538
Not anymore than certified aircraft engines. In fact the ls 3 at 10.5 to 1 compression ratio is probably effected less than a io 540 at 8.5 to 1.
@@johntempest267 hmm.. I thought aircraft fuel had higher octane than ordinary gasoline; why would someone wanted to make an airplane engine with 8:5 cr.. hmmm
@@ramazkutateladze538
Good question, I don't know the answer, but I'm sure about the compression of both engines.
I've other questions, why are car engines happy running unleaded gas with hardened valve seats, but certified engines require lead? And why does 100LL (av gas) contain 4 times the lead than leaded auto gas once did? Why does the 7k $ LS3 feature state of the art fuel injection, while 100k $ IO 540 use a carburetor unchanged since 1950? And why should an oversized, air cooled, carburetored lawnmower engine cost 100,000 dollars?
@@johntempest267 Carbs are more stable at higher RPMs : ) not sure about the rest
The 5.3 may have more horse power, but it’s torque that spins a propeller, and the IO540 has a bunch of twisting force!
You missed the best of the bunch= the Mazda 13B/ Renesis rotary- lighter & compact, smoother, love turbocharging, and more powerful at high rpm. Also popular and a solid choice is the Subaru boxer.
Wankel engines are far too unreliable, and too inefficient for passenger aircraft applications.
And that is why I will never be able to fly. Rip off.
Wondering why no mention of diesels or radial engines?
Not many radials found in cars, diesels are too heavy.
I always thought Hondas F22c would make a good automotive conversion. Good power and efficiency paired with it being light weight as well as reliable.
The F22C has too long of a stroke and it's too highly strung because it was made to rev to 8,000 rpm. The K20 is a better choice, it's far more common and has all of the features which make the F22C great.
-
I actually did a write up on how a K20 could be converted into an aircraft engine a while back...
-
Let's look at what it would take to replace the AE330 with a Honda K20...
-
The engine block wouldn't necessarily need to be modified with wet liners, but doing so would allow for some additional displacement to be gained and for the engine to be easily rebuilt in the future. Darton makes wet liners that can handle up to a 90mm bore, but an 88mm bore would allow for future re-boring and would allow for the use of racing pistons, like those from Wiseco. Stronger connecting rods would be a requirement, but the options available are numerous. Many connecting rod sets can handle the production of well over 1,000 hp, so making 180-200 hp in an aircraft engine would be quite easy. The head could be kept completely stock, but if this were an engine that was being developed for production, softer valve springs and cams optimized for the application would be desirable. VTEC wouldn't be necessary, but it might be a worthwhile addition to an aircraft engine, as you could have a cam profile optimized for takeoff power and another cam profile optimized for cruise power (Update: VTEC probably wouldn't provide any benefit, even cruise power levels are probably too high to make it useful. TODA makes rockers which eliminate the VTEC rockers, other companies make other parts which are used to eliminate VTEC in racing engines). The engine would need to be turbocharged, but there are plenty of components available to make that happen. Boosted to make 112 lb-ft per liter (my way of assessing BMEP), the engine would make 180 hp at 4,000 rpm and the mean piston speed would be 11.5 m/s at that rpm, this would easily facilitate thousands of hours of use. The engine could be pushed to 4,500 rpm on takeoff to make 200 hp without issue. Cruise power could be 135 hp at 3,500 rpm, mean piston speed would be 10 m/s at that rpm, very sedate. A PSRU would need to be designed for the engine, a gear ratio of 1.9:1 would keep the prop below 2,400 rpm on takeoff (the Autoflight PSRU that Titan aircraft uses seems to have an excellent reputation). The engine weight would be somewhat high, maybe as much as 50 pounds more than an IO-360, but that's tolerable and is significantly less than the weight of the AE330.
-
Edit: Installing a block guard is a cheaper alternative to the wet liners (the deck really should be closed on a turbocharged engine), but the stock bores could probably only be re-bored once. The Cylinder Support System block guard seems to be highly regarded. Plasma coating, like what's done on the wet liners for Merlin engines these days, might make re-boring obsolete, though.
-
Weight estimates:
-
Engine weight: 275 lb
PSRU weight: 60 lb
Flywheel weight: 22 lb
Total weight: 360 lb
@@PistonAvatarGuy That is wild!! The utter reliability of such an engine would be a game changer! Thank you for the information.
@@YurMom68 It really would be. An engine like that would also be able to run on mogas, which is even cheaper than jet fuel. The BSFC (by weight) of modern gasoline engines is also on par with modern diesels, like the AE330, so they would reduce the cost of flying by reducing fuel burn. Granted, building an engine like that would probably cost $30,000, but it would be unbeatable in many ways.
Nice plane you got there, you should LS swap it
You didn't mention, the Subaru engine, Mazda rotary, Citroen 2cv and BMW R100 motorbike engine. Yamaha LC350 were used in microlites. Theres more but I can't think of them right now