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SDS EFI in 2023

DanH said:
The software delay seems like a very good idea. For many users the whole point of an EFI installation is to eliminate specific pilot procedure. They want it to crank like their car.

Those of us who can rub our bellies and pat our heads at the same time are perfectly happy with constant flow injection ;)
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Yes, but it is great to be able to trim an individual cylinder up or down for zero GAMI spread (or add a little extra fuel for cooling) and have instant hot starts every time. Being able to change the slope of the advance curve "on the fly" is nice, too. No high CHT's due to an overly aggressive curve.

What I found with my IO-540 is the cylinder trim ROP and LOP is quite different - so the new feature in SDS EM-6 to have different ROP and LOP fuel trims will be really helpful.

What is especially nice is the ability to build your airplane the way you want to!
 
For cryin' out loud, I know all that. I'm installing an EM-6 right now. I'll be using the cylinder balance function, setting up advance maps, and doing all the other cool gearhead stuff...but I remain sure the owner's primary interest is a start procedure something like his Tesla.
 
DanH said:
The software delay seems like a very good idea. For many users the whole point of an EFI installation is to eliminate specific pilot procedure. They want it to crank like their car.

Those of us who can rub our bellies and pat our heads at the same time are perfectly happy with constant flow injection ;)
Click to expand...

Agreed. We are looking at a user programmable delay for this function on the next software release.

One of the top 3 reasons people buy SDS is the inconsistent starting they experience with Bendix type FI. I'm surrounded here by several aircraft that sometimes do multiple cranking attempts before a successful one. Hot starting is much more problematical. It appears that many folks can't pat their heads and rub their bellies sufficiently well to produce enough Voodoo to make things happy inside the combustion chamber. Especially on R44 IIs which crank and crank, pop, spit and backfire around my hangar here all day. (2 maintenance facilities nearby).

Once properly programmed and with fuel pressure present, cold and hot starting should be very brisk with EFI in my experience.
 
Barry has written code now to delay the cold start injections on power up to allow time to get the pumps on and build pressure. Default is set at 4 seconds but it's user programmable in Setup Mode.

Alll EM-6s shipped as of today going forward will have this update.

We should be able to offer it next month to older EM-6s in the reflash version of software.
 
Sds efii on a lio360c1e6

Hi folks

I am now inline waiting for Ross to start producing a full double efii for my lio360c1e6

Anyone here having setup that on a left engine?
I am looking to have a super reliable start, hot or cold, and more important zero kickback.
I am building and actually flying my peers orion planes. The one with a 2 meters driveshaft.
I did measure the torque real-time in the driveshaft , and thanks to danH also worked on tuning the résonnant torsion frequencies.

What I discovered ( others knew that, me not) is that a non impulse coupled magneto, with 20 degrees advance all the time results in getting insane torque pulses at start - 6 times more that full power if not even more ….

So any experience is left engine, and kickbacks pkease talk!

Olivier
 
We are putting a slowdown on the free EM-5 to EM-6 board upgrades in Nov. until we have more boards in hand. We've gathered all the components and expect to have the bare PCBs in hand late next week. They'll be off to the loading facility right after that. Hopefully will have completed boards back sometime in early to mid Dec. and can re-start upgrades then.

Some people have asked about price increases. We don't expect any system price increases in 2024 as long as the USD stays strong which it has been of late. In fact, prices could actually be reduced if the USD continues its latest climb over the last 10 days or so.

I want to thank everyone again who has ordered SDS. We are slowly whittling down our backlogs although board upgrades slowed that a bit in Oct.

Just so people know, we don't accept deposits. We usually ask for payment on systems only when they are complete and about ready to ship.
 
How does one find out their place in line for the EM6 upgrade? I tried waiting patiently, but I really suck at it.
 
Jake, I'll make an announcement here as soon as we have the new batch of boards in hand. You can send your ECU and programmer in at that time and we'll get 'er done ASAP.
 
Tech Help Stories

We sometimes spend a lot of time on the phone and email helping customers out when they have problems. Fortunately, from our perspective, the problems are rarely with the equipment or something we've done (though we have screwed up wiring a few times too).

We are in the unenviable position of being the first one called when an engine doesn't start up or runs badly. Many folks are quick to blame the electronics first before checking out the mechanicals.

Here are a few things we've seen over the last few years:

Camshaft installed 180 degrees out- 2 Lycomings and one BBC in this year alone.

Plug wires not attached to the correct coil towers (yes, coils are all labeled)- 3 times this year alone

Injector relay switch inverted or incorrectly connected- multiple times

Non-resistor spark plugs installed- don't

Injectors installed backwards

Sensors cables tie wrapped to spark plugs leads- don't

Fuel pumps wired backwards

Stuck valves

Dropped valves

Disintegrated lifters

Bent pushrods

Broken valve springs

Hall sensor magnets installed inverted

Hall sensor cables inverted

Prop governor INOP- prop locked in coarse pitch

Diagnostic tip: compression or leak down testers are your friends in a lot of these cases and will save us both a whole bunch of time

Don't assume even brand new or low time engines don't have a mechanical problem. We've seen lots of them now. Ones that have been run in for a few hours on the test stand or dyno at least shouldn't have the cams out 180...
 
Must have been an interesting day.....;)

rv6ejguy said:
We sometimes spend a lot of time on the phone and email helping customers out when they have problems. Fortunately, from our perspective, the problems are rarely with the equipment or something we've done (though we have screwed up wiring a few times too).

We are in the unenviable position of being the first one called when an engine doesn't start up or runs badly. Many folks are quick to blame the electronics first before checking out the mechanicals. (snip)
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Is there any reason the throttle body can't be mounted with the throttle plate axis vertical, with the arm on bottom and TPS on top? I think that may be the only way I can get the geometry to work with my throttle cable and the exhaust and not bind something up.
 
rmartingt said:
Is there any reason the throttle body can't be mounted with the throttle plate axis vertical, with the arm on bottom and TPS on top? I think that may be the only way I can get the geometry to work with my throttle cable and the exhaust and not bind something up.
Click to expand...

If you have the clearance for the TPS against the sump, no reason you couldn't turn the TB 90 deg.
 
Update CPI-2

The next run of CPI-2 PCBs are in process now and we've gathered about 95% of the components now. Fortunately had bought excess CPU chips a few years back and good thing as they've gone up about 50% in price since then.

Hope to have the PCBs and stencil in hand just after Christmas and will get it all sent off for loading and soldering in the first part of Jan. '24.

Thanks to all those who have patiently waited for the nextCPI-2 run. 2023 was quite a ride with the EM-6 introduction and a ton of upgrades done.

Barry has been working on a new version of the downloader for user reflashing ECUs, just releasing this week. Also an updated SDS Dash version. We'll have more details on that stuff soon.

On the wideband O2 front, Ballenger Motorsports has unfortunately discontinued their V2 wideband and replaced it with a much more expensive V3 version. We are recommending people source the AEM 30-0310 blind unit instead. We can report the AFR through the SDS programmer.

Looking for a calmer year in '24, concentrating mainly on production and reducing backlogs.
 
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EM-6 Boards

We received our new batch of EM-6 ECU boards yesterday so are back into a good position to resume upgrades in the new year.
 
Holiday Hours

Closed Dec. 25 and 26. Open Dec. 27 and 28. Closed for inventory Dec. 29. Open Jan. 2/24. Thank you to all our fine customers for your support. Happy Holidays and best of health in 2024.
 
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