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RV-3 engine choice

I am trying to decide what engine to use with this RV3 that I have purchased. Has anyone used a O-360 on these and been successful? I continue to find post of other RV3 builders and wanting to learn as much as I can. I look forward to the input I will get from here.

Travis
 
Define your mission !

My 320 7:1/carb flies 160 mph on 6GPH auto gas. Pmags are sweet !!! More speed = more $. You choice...Larry
 
Our IO-320 powered RV-3 with the WW-151 C/S prop will fly 8 knots over airframe design redline at sea level at full power in level flight.....so I see very little reason to install more HP than that! I wouldn't do it without a balanced tail, and then the question arises "how much balance?", and now you're off into serious aerodynamic design territory or "That Looks about right" country, in which case you'll never know what you have.

Yes, there are some O-360 powered -3's....but I'm more than happy with a 3,000 fpm climb from sea level with the IO-320.
 
Build it light and use a 160hp engine. Mine weighs 755# with an O-320 D1A and a wood prop. Would love to have a WW CS prop on it.
Bill
 
Haven't got it flying yet, but I'd thought about an O-235 until a sweet O-320 fell into my arms one Christmas. It now has 9:1 pistons and P-Mags and will have CS when installed.

I wouldn't have considered a bigger engine unless I was building a Rocket I, with all the modifications and changes that involved.

Dave
 
I'm going with the consensus..

My -3 had an O-320 with 10.5:1 pistons and some other cool stuff and it could do formation T.O.s with an Extra 300. Could outfly the design speed too.

Keep it light and pump it up if you're not happy with the performance is what I would advise.
 
If, in true Jeremy Clarkson fashion, POWWWEEEERRRRRRR is what you want, don't go an O-360, consider an O-340. It is the same weight as an O-320, but can put out up to 190-ish HP.

I have a 7.2:1 O-340 and it is still putting out 165HP.
 
.....but I'm more than happy with a 3,000 fpm climb from sea level with the IO-320.

...My -3 had an O-320 with 10.5:1 pistons and some other cool stuff and it could do formation T.O.s with an Extra 300......

Wow, I gotta get a 3!!:eek:
 
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IO360 in RV3

Mine was built in '84 down in Bakersfield by Gary Banducci and the Bakersfield Bunch. She had an O-360 and a CS prop for the first part of her life. She raced to some impressive times in the 90's, going in the range of 225 -228 at Sun-n-Fun. She qualified at Reno at 223 flown by Kevin Eldredge in 2001....there are other examples.
I bought her a few years ago with a fresh 160 hp IO-320 and a Sensinich prop. When I bought her, the landing gear was cracked and had been repaired a few times(which can be common, but worse with heavier engine). I had to completely rebuild the firewall forward with new parts to get her airworthy again. Not a small job.
My opinion: Unless you are racing, you don't need 190-200 hp, and lighter is better for ALL RV's. You don't need a CS prop unless you really just want it...It is a small single seater, and long trips in it are not that comfortable, and leaned out the fuel burn in mine is 6.5-7 gph at 160mph.
The big thing here is weight. Greater agility, less mass to land, less gear side loading in cross winds and better performance. Aim for under 800 lbs, skip the fancy and heavy auto pilot **** and other gadgets you don't really need. The RV-3 was Vans first....and the best flying one of them all. Don't over burden it with weight you don't need just to look cool. Flying mine is simple, and less costly and I have loads of fun with it.
If you do want to race...which I am considering bringing mine back into race trim, consider this: I have talked to F-1 pilots and others who know, and they agree the 360 and CS is too much weight. I am moving toward a LYCON overhaul to produce 190-200 hp at 3,200 RPM and a fixed pitch CATTO prop trimmed for 230mph at 7,000 density altitude(for Reno).
I have seen RV-4's and Harmon Rockets with LOADS of horsepower on the nose, and ultimately, these planes are limited by the airfoil of the wing. Even when clipped, like the Rocket, there is a point where it does not matter how much HP you have, the drag limits your top end.
Finally, if you just want to have fun...an 0-320 at 150 -160 hp will give you mind blowing performance and all the fun you can handle, consider widening the canopy to accommodate the extra wide RV-grin.
Cheers
Dave
 
Corvair

To shine a different light on the subject; today my 3, N524RV, after 9 years of build-time, flew for the first time. It was delightful. It has a 3100cc Corvair engine with Wittman W-10 wingtips. No problems. 6 cylinders of smoothness. It was interesting to have to give it considerable left rudder as the tail came up.

Bill Newkirk,
Prather, CA
 
If, in true Jeremy Clarkson fashion, POWWWEEEERRRRRRR is what you want, don't go an O-360, consider an O-340. It is the same weight as an O-320, but can put out up to 190-ish HP.

I have a 7.2:1 O-340 and it is still putting out 165HP.

!!! Congratulations !!! Feels awesome right?!

Please... by all means, don't try to "wag the tail" in Crankson-esque form. It will only end in embarasement in a tailwheel.

Otherwise, this post is very wise... An RV-3 with an O-235 is already overpowered... go ahead a bore out an O-320 and making it stupidly powerful.

FYI... From my old RV-3 days, it wasn't really designed for this weight or power of engine. You will get stress cracks in odd places (engine mount, firewall corners), do keep an eye on that.
 
RV-3 Engine Choice

I have a O320 in my RV-4 and that's seems fine to me. Go with what Paul Dye says and you can't go wrong.

Always plenty of help on this site. Great RV community out there.
 
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