Minimum instruments for first engine start?

[rph142]

Due to my fear of debt, I?ve decided to pay off my car loan before purchasing my $6k Skyview system. This means I wont be able to purchase the EFIS until perhaps early fall. I expect to have everything else complete, including paint, by July or August. So my question is would it be possible to start the engine without the Skyview? Could I just rig up a cheap oil pressure and tachometer for the test run?

[bkthomps]

Originally Posted by rph142

Due to my fear of debt, I?ve decided to pay off my car loan before purchasing my $6k Skyview system.

i'd say that's due to being intelligent, financing any type of toy is never a winning formula

to own a skyview system and also have a carnote, is essentially the same as owning the car and financing the skyview system

[Sig600]

Originally Posted by rph142

Due to my fear of debt, I’ve decided to pay off my car loan before purchasing my $6k Skyview system. This means I wont be able to purchase the EFIS until perhaps early fall. I expect to have everything else complete, including paint, by July or August. So my question is would it be possible to start the engine without the Skyview? Could I just rig up a cheap oil pressure and tachometer for the test run?

Good plan, pay as I build is really slowing me down. Weather yesterday was 60, breezy, not a cloud in the sky. All I heard all day was airplanes ripping around while I was trying to install the flap actuator. Kind of depressing!!!

ANYWAY, whats the hurry on starting the engine (beyond just really wanting to start it)? I would say use that time you're waiting on the panel to keep tweaking and fine tuning, hitting all the little attention to detail items. Once you start it the first time, you don't want it to just sit for another few months. Plus you'll save yourself the work of hooking up a bunch of temp instrumentation which you'll just have to undo when your panel comes.

My .02, YMMV.