SureFly feedback before I pull the trigger

[Check6]

To the orginal poster. I am a SureFly fan! I have mine on the right side. I had two impulse Mags. I have no drop when switching to the SureFly and it has helped me on my hot starts with my IO360-200. I have the SureFly on a TWC back up battery and a separate switch for it inline as well. It has been awesome! Relatively easy to put in and no more 500 hour overhauls as I I have been taught that you should to that to hopefully keep the slick from leaving you stranded. So if you do the math, excluding the engine benefits/efficiency and that the SureFly is TBO it becomes a very easy choice. On top of that the SureFly folks are just great to work with. Not that I have had to. I did have some questions on initial install and 2 years later on my CI about inspecting it as my A&P had not seen one before. Been a great investment.

[Rvator97]

Originally Posted by mfcummings

Thanks, Walt. I changed mine back to fixed yesterday, with summer temps my cht?s were getting to high. I did help bring them down around 15 degrees.

Mike

My temps were a bit higher at first as well....and I found that as I flew higher, (lower power settings), and the timing advanced further, my temps have gone up to an unacceptable level. I was seeing increase in CHT of 30-35 degrees and oil temps up 15-20!
So, yesterday I pulled the unit and switched it to fixed timing. Flew a couple hours this morning.... engine ran smooth and cool. Temps were back to normal.( And it was very HOT today here in So Calif!)
Thinking that maybe the timing advance curve is not appropriate for my
Aero Sports Power 0-375, 205 hp engine.....
Walt

PS: I have a Catto 3-blade prop....NO issues with kick back.

[BlndRvtr]

Luke, I'd like more info on the TWC back-up battery in this application.
PM sent.

George

[n816kc]

today in my O-360 with Airflow injection system. Replaced right mag and retained left mag with impulse coupling. Started on the second blade and smooth idle down to 650 rpm or so. Storm clouds rolled in before I could fly, will update once I get in the air with it.

[jliltd]

I have shied away from the variable timing option. Especially after reading many of the posts by some very smart people on VAF. My objective for installing the SureFly was easy starting for fuel injected engine and smooth running. I understand that the angle-valve Lycomings do much better with fixed timing. I will leave the variable timing curves to the flight level fliers who like to run LOP. Just give me fixed-timing reliability without engine kick backs or backfires.

[RONSIM]

that did not happen. The Surefly does a good job, I went ahead and hooked up the variable timing. No noticeable change in temps, and on my last trip to WV, was able to get LOP without any problem at 9-10K.

As far as hot-starts, still takes a lot of cranking.

Ron

[n816kc]

Ran out for a quick flight before work today. My set up is 25 degree fixed timing, aluminum Sensenich propeller.

Starting was great, kicked over on 2nd blade - much improved from 2 Slick mags - though the overhaul of the left with impulse coupling may have helped here. Again, good idle at 650+- rpm after warm up without trying to cut out.

Short 24 minute flight, but no discernible change in CHTs or EGTs from before - will have to do some more monitoring of this. I was able to run it .3-.5 gph leaner (LOP) without rough running. Again, I'll need to do some more flying and monitoring to see what it's doing in this regime.

Hot start at the fuel pump after went well, seemed to light off quicker and easier than before with the usual technique. For what it's worth, if you're using the Airflow purge valve, I find it works better to do a short prime (primes the lines, not the cylinders) with the valve closed, then open and use the mixture rather than the purge valve to regulate the fuel flow on start up.

So far, very pleased with the Surefly.

[Martyrv6a]

I used Aircraft Magneto Services to overhaul my impulse mag a year ago. Highly recommend them! Couldn’t be happier.

[TimO]

Just feedback now that I'm running a Lightspeed (right) and SureFly (Left) on a new IO-540. I run fixed timing on the surefly. It's a brand new engine so I'm having to do break in, so it's very hard to come up with solid good numerical information on things like CHT effects, so all I can offer is empirical data. That said, the engine seems to run extremely smooth with the dual EI. Probably the smoothest I've ever seen for a 2-blade RV10. I have a couple other RV-10 buddies with the same setup, and both feel the same about their engines. So at this point, unless I find some long-term issues, I am very comfortable recommending such a configuration to others.

Personally I feel that (between these 2 systems) Lightspeed is the "best" system for the top plugs and I am extremely happy with how it's treated me for nearly 2000 hours between 2 airplanes. Having a no-moving-part system with a front crank sensor seems like a real good way to go, running auto plugs on top.
I am not comfortable with standard auto plug pop-on caps on bottom plugs, and I wouldn't want dual crank sensors on the front that could get ripped off by a blown alternator belt, so doing dual-LSE would make me uncomfortable. But having an aviation plug, threaded connector system on the bottom plugs, with a rear mounted system fixes that and gives you good diversity, while maintaining dual-EI. I do have dual-alternator, and dual-battery as well, so that eliminated some of the electrical dependency fear. When wiring in the surefly I also made it able to be powered by a 3rd, portable backup as well...something that I wouldn't worry about other than for some very long over-water or very inhospitable terrain flights (think flying to Alaska).

At any rate, I'm really liking the system. No impulse coupling to worry about. Starts have been real good. And good smoothness. I haven't tried LOP with the new engine yet, so I can't comment on that. I'm guessing it can't be any worse than the LSE+Mag that I used to use.

Again, it's just empirical but the surefly does seem to be working out great. It's an easy system to install, and very simply replaces a mag. The only disappointment with it is that it has a higher mag drop than I expected, but they tell me from the company that they purposely did that to the low RPM timing to make it "feel" more like a mag.

[Walt]

Originally Posted by Rvator97

My temps were a bit higher at first as well....and I found that as I flew higher, (lower power settings), and the timing advanced further, my temps have gone up to an unacceptable level. I was seeing increase in CHT of 30-35 degrees and oil temps up 15-20!
So, yesterday I pulled the unit and switched it to fixed timing. Flew a couple hours this morning.... engine ran smooth and cool. Temps were back to normal.( And it was very HOT today here in So Calif!)
Thinking that maybe the timing advance curve is not appropriate for my
Aero Sports Power 0-375, 205 hp engine.....
Walt

PS: I have a Catto 3-blade prop....NO issues with kick back.

The high compression 205hp 370 and the (unknown) advanced timing are a dangerous combo IMO. I run the same engine and the only EI I would consider would be the CPI as you can control the advance curve.