Surefly electronic ignition

[rv6ejguy]

Yup. Agree with every point in your post Dan. That sums it up succinctly.

[Lenny Iszak]

Originally Posted by DanH

(2) For the skilled user, no published advance schedules.

What about this one?

[DanH]

Originally Posted by Lenny Iszak

What about this one?

Lenny, I have that one, formerly published on the company website. Is it still there and I've missed it?

[Lenny Iszak]

Nope. They pulled it a while ago. It was a confusing chart but at least it was something.

OSH2019 Lycoming announced that they will be white labeling the SureFly ignition, changed colors and called it a Lycoming Electronic Ignition System (EIS).
Check out Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1443R.

Originally Posted by DanH

Lenny, I have that one, formerly published on the company website. Is it still there and I've missed it?

[mfleming]

Originally Posted by Lenny Iszak

Nope. They pulled it a while ago. It was a confusing chart but at least it was something.

OSH2019 Lycoming announced that they will be white labeling the SureFly ignition, changed colors and called it a Lycoming Electronic Ignition System (EIS). ....SNIP....

The Lycoming West Coast rep say's that is not accurate.
They say that the hardware is manufactured by Surefly but the the software/firmware is totally in-house.

[Lenny Iszak]

I'm not buying that.

First, if I didn't want people messing with the settings I'd just disable the DIP switches in software and wouldn't just warn them not to mess with it or their engine will blow up.

Second, it wouldn't make a lot of financial sense for them to write their own code in-house and then certify it, when the hardware & software they are getting from SureFly is already certified. That involves thousands of hours of development and testing.

Originally Posted by mfleming

The Lycoming West Coast rep say's that is not accurate.
They say that the hardware is manufactured by Surefly but the the software/firmware is totally in-house.

[DanH]

At press time for OSH 2019, the Lycoming-branded versions were to have their own locked timing schedules, as determined in the Lycoming dyno facility. Those schedules were to be engine-specific, with a part number tied to each. At OSH 2019 the only approved version was fixed timing. Still is, best I know. Rumor says Surefly made some changes based on the Lycoming partnership...and the published schedule disappeared.

It's silly to claim a potential competitor might steal the secret advance maps if published. If a competitor cared what was in a Surefly, they could simply order one. The remaining espionage is low level stuff. Here's the required tool list:

variable speed lathe.
optical tach
degree wheel
timing light
vacuum pump, gauge
plug harness and misc hardware
12V power source

Set an RPM, confirm with the the tach. Set a MP with a bleed valve in the vacuum pump line. Vary it, read the timing from the degree wheel, record.

I guarantee will will not self destruct like something from the opening of a Mission Impossible film.

[mfleming]

Originally Posted by Lenny Iszak

I'm not buying that.

First, if I didn't want people messing with the settings I'd just disable the DIP switches in software and wouldn't just warn them not to mess with it or their engine will blow up.

Second, it wouldn't make a lot of financial sense for them to write their own code in-house and then certify it, when the hardware & software they are getting from SureFly is already certified. That involves thousands of hours of development and testing.

It doesn't sound like there's any evidence that Lycoming's in house software/firmware development is not what they say it is.

I'l stick with Lycoming story until it's proven otherwise.

[pecanflyboy]

Originally Posted by Lenny Iszak

What about this one?

Surefly would tell you that this was a marketing chart to illustrate the concept of advanced timing. It was published the year the company was formed, and the actual curve was developed after much R&D.

$

[pecanflyboy]

Originally Posted by sailvi767

I am looking at installing a surefly as a mag replacement on one side of a IO540 parallel valve with a RSA 10 and 9.5 to 1 pistons. I have looked through all the pubs and read the threads. If I keep the left mag timed at 23 degrees BTDC how would most run the surefly? It appears that if I ran it with variable timing and set the baseline at 23 I would not see more than 34.5 degrees of advance with a RPM max of 2700. Am I understanding this correctly? It also seems with my preferred cruise RPM of 2200 the surefly advance curve would be close to what most suggest is optimal for LOP operations.
G

Install it according to the manual, and call Surefly if you have questions. You want the magneto and SIM to be at the same base timing. You time the SIM at 0° TDC, and the magneto at 23° BTDC. Your DIP switches should be set for 23° base timing on the SIM. The SIM will advance to as much as 38° in the variable timing mode. Again, call Surefly if you have questions.