RV10 Lycoming Exp/Thunderbolt 540 pre-order options

[cactusman]

Thinking hard on pulling the trigger on a pre-order to try and beat the price increase (prob one of many more)....fuel and ignition options driving me a little crazy - then you get into cowlings, cold air, SDS vs EFII and its all making me a little dizzy. Back in the days of 2-3% annual price increases I wouldn't normally be stressing out about this, but as we all know it's getting a little sporty out there. Can't be the only one - what's everyone thinking?

Here are the options - thru Vans -

540 Standard Exp Lycoming -

Dual Standard Magnetos - $55,879
Dual Lycoming EIS - $57,879

(No P-Mag option for 540)

Price for dual pulley seems same as single - considering a/c system - any disadvantage to this if you don't use it?

Lycoming Thunderbolt -

No Fuel/No Ignition - $56,879
Dual Lycoming EIS/AVSTAR - $61,879
Dual Lycoming EIS/Airflow Performance - $61,879

Then we get into SDS vs EFII....my inclination is to pre-order a "naked" thunderbolt 540 and go with SDS or EFII subject to additional research...

Welcome thoughts on the matter from similarly situated folks...

Then we get into bundling the prop order. Seems like its a 2-blade metal for $9500 just to get the ball rolling and preserve pricing at pre-2023/4 levels.

[Carl Froehlich]

I ordered my IO-540 from Thunderbolt ~10 months ago. I expect shipping next September.

On this engine order I specified:
- Normal piston compression (8.5). If you want higher Thunderbolt will do that. A lot of people bump up to 9.0. I left it at 8.5 to allow for use of 94UL avgas or 93 UL ethanol free pump gas. I fear the new 100UL avgas will be priced up in the stratosphere.
- Cold Air Sump. This option is a little pricey but I wanted it. Note - if you do this you are on your own to modify the stock cowl for engine air. I’m going to use the new version of the James cowl for this setup. The other option is the Show Planes cowl.
- AirFlow Performance injection. After recently replacing the AVSTAR system with the AFP on my flying RV-8 I’m convinced it is a much better option.
- I’ll install dual six cylinder pMags. I’ve been flying with them for ~18 years and one has been flying on my old RV-10 for a couple of years now providing a significant gain in cruise fuel efficiency. I’m hopeful Thunderbolt will complete testing of this ignition and soon offer it on new engines, like is done with the four cylinder engines.
- I don’t put AC in my planes so cannot comment on the dual pulley deal.

I suggest you contact Jeff Schans Thunderbolt to get other suggestions such a paint colors.

Carl

[cactusman]

Originally Posted by Carl Froehlich

I ordered my IO-540 from Thunderbolt ~10 months ago. I expect shipping next September.

On this engine order I specified:
- Normal piston compression (8.5). If you want higher Thunderbolt will do that. A lot of people bump up to 9.0. I left it at 8.5 to allow for use of 94UL avgas or 93 UL ethanol free pump gas. I fear the new 100UL avgas will be priced up in the stratosphere.
- Cold Air Sump. This option is a little pricey but I wanted it. Note - if you do this you are on your own to modify the stock cowl for engine air. I’m going to use the new version of the James cowl for this setup. The other option is the Show Planes cowl.
- AirFlow Performance injection. After recently replacing the AVSTAR system with the AFP on my flying RV-8 I’m convinced it is a much better option.
- I’ll install dual six cylinder pMags. I’ve been flying with them for ~18 years and one has been flying on my old RV-10 for a couple of years now providing a significant gain in cruise fuel efficiency. I’m hopeful Thunderbolt will complete testing of this ignition and soon offer it on new engines, like is done with the four cylinder engines.
- I don’t put AC in my planes so cannot comment on the dual pulley deal.

I suggest you contact Jeff Schans Thunderbolt to get other suggestions such a paint colors.

Carl

Thanks Carl - do you have an email or ph for Jeff?

[Carl Froehlich]

John,

PM sent.

Carl

[eastonale]

I’m just curious if anyone has gotten a quote from Barrett recently? Have their prices for rebuilds gone up proportionally? It sure is nice to have it built the way you want it and not have to worry about limited Thunderbolt options.

[dmattmul]

Jeff at Lycoming Thunderbolt is great to work with. Just FYI if you order the dual pulley option from Lycoming this will not work with the EFII system. EFII needs a specific dual pulley to mount their sensors in.

[rv6ejguy]

Jeff Schans at Thunderbolt is quite familiar with what can be deleted when fitting SDS EFI.

From our website: "When replacing legacy mechanical injection, carbs or mags with EFI/EI, you may want to delete items no longer required. Thunderbolt and certain engine builders will delete these items and take them off the price of a new build. Below is a list of parts not required when fitting SDS EFI:"

1. Mags, ignition harness, spark plugs
2. Servo, flow divider, lines, injectors
3. Carb
4. Fuel pump and pushrod
5. Flywheel. (Note that new Lycoming flywheels may lack the 12 tooling holes which we use to mount the magnet drilling block to).

As far as the dual groove Lycoming flywheels for use with A/C, these may lack sufficient wall thickness to install our trigger magnets and set screws. There are at least 2 PNs and we know it won't work on one of them for sure.

Most folks using SDS and wanting a/c have gone with Airflow Systems a/c which uses a V belt for the alternator and a serpentine belt for the a/c compressor. We have a special drilling jig for these and instructions on how to dress the holes afterwards.

For reference, we require a minimum of .450 wall thickness at .450 aft of the aft ring gear mounting surface for the magnets.

Ly-Con and Aero Sport have the most experience in working with SDS. As far as I know, Thunderbolt runs in your engine in with conventional fuel and spark systems and ships the engine bare for you to install the EFI bits. The other two will install and run with the EFI.

[Indycanard]

Originally Posted by Carl Froehlich

John,

PM sent.

Carl

Can you PM me that same contact info. I have the same issue to work thru. The Thunderbolt website is severely lacking in details.

[JacobG]

I am in the same place trying to make a decision on ordering the IO 540 before the price hike. Being a first-time builder the choices are a bit overwhelming.

Is the only way to have PMag with thunderbolt is to replace it ourselves after Lycoming supplies the engine with their EIS?

I saw that emagair.com has posted Jeff's contact info under OEM options.

[Carl Froehlich]

Originally Posted by JacobG

SNIP
Is the only way to have PMag with thunderbolt is to replace it ourselves after Lycoming supplies the engine with their EIS? SNIP

No - you can order the engine with no ignition system and get a credit for the mags you did not receive. The engine will be test run using shop mags. The mag case holes will be covered for shipment. This was the way on four cylinder engines before Thunderbolt completed its evaluation of pMags. As those engines can be ordered with pMags, I'm hopeful by the time my engine is shipped I'll get the pMag from Thunderbolt. Either way ending up with pMags is not hard.

Carl