RV-7 360 engine questions

[JPalese]

IF you were building an RV-7 for IFR use, would you go with an O-360 or an IO-360 and why?

Who's 360 (Lycoming, Superior, Titan, or ???) would you pick and why?

Given our uncertain economic future, I would like to be able to burn MoGas as an option.

What about ignition - dual mags, total electronic, or one of each? Why?

[N208ET]

Lots of different theories, I went 0-360, cheaper and simple. From what little I gather, carbs are good for mogas, easy to maintain and fix myself. If you are going to be doing alot of IFR flying, fuel injection takes care of carb ice and thats what I would do. I initially went with dual mags for simplicity, I bought a used EMag and put that on recently, I am now a believer in one mag, one electronic ignition, smoother idle, very efficient and faster up high, 2 mph faster at 8000' for me. I don't think you get as much performance gain adding the second electronic ignition and I like knowing the mag has been around for a long time and works even when the power goes out. My Opinion, got your moneys worth.

Randy
8A

[Andy Hill]

IO-360 v Carb Ice / Aeros etc. (if you will not do aeros the next buyer might )

At least 1 EI. If redundancy / electrics concern you PMags are probably better than other flavours. Personally I'd do 2 x PMag since I think running costs are likely now lower than a Mag...

Which "model" - well at the end of the day, they are all the same. The priority becomes then cost, customisation, warranty.

Mogas pretty sure an option whatever until you get into HC pistons.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by JPalese

IF you were building an RV-7 for IFR use, would you go with an O-360 or an IO-360 and why?

IO-360. Economy is important to me and FI with its more even leaning aids in lean of peak operation. Then there's the bonus of no carburetor icing issues.

Who's 360 (Lycoming, Superior, Titan, or ???) would you pick and why?

Lycoming IO360-M1B from Van's. With anything other than a Lyc from Van's, the firewall forward becomes more complicated. The supplied hoses and mixture and throttle brackets just work -- no fabricating, no delays. I found that Van's OEM pricing plus the "Oshkosh special pricing" made this the lowest cost new IO360 I could find.

Originally Posted by JPalese

Given our uncertain economic future, I would like to be able to burn MoGas as an option.

Me too. The IO360-M1B with its 8.5:1 pistons will run mogas.

What about ignition - dual mags, total electronic, or one of each? Why?

Dual electronic ignitions. Again, it's about economy (fuel economy). The Lyc OEM deal from Van's can only be ordered with two magnetos but I sold them. The LSE is a good electronic ignition but expensive and needs a power source so I installed two P-Mags.

--
Joe

[Jim P]

+1 on the IO-360-M1A, 180HP with injection and c/s prop makes a really great combination on the -7, and with 8.5:1, you can burn mogas if needed. With full fuel, I find the airplane is just a little nose heavy in the pattern with the c/s prop, so I'd think that gets a little worse with the 200 HP anglevalve IO-360.

[Neal@F14]

IO-360 for no carb ice and LOP operations. Specifically forward induction so you can use the smooth cowl, and also a cold air induction intake & sump like ECI or Superior. Personally I prefer the ECI Titan, because of direct first-hand experience flying one that's still 100% trouble-free and it now has 300+ hours on it in 2.5 years.

Hartzell Blended Airfoil CS prop. I'd even use the 74" one on an RV-7. I think ground clearance is still enough.

Good old dual mags... proven reliability.

I've flown about 100 hours in an ECI Titan IO-360, 74" BA CS prop, dual mags RV-8 and it was pure awesome on performance, reliability, and even fuel economy.

WRT the choice for old-fashioned dual mags... I am as much as a technology fanatic as anyone, but I've just seen too many flaky problems with electronic ignitions on aircraft engines.... and lost a good friend as a result of a failed electronic ignition on a Subaru-powered homebuilt. (Technically the "impossible turn" is what actually killed him, but he wouldn't have attempted the turn if his engine stayed running). So yeah, I've got a negative bias there.

[Captain_John]

Originally Posted by Neal@F14

Hartzell Blended Airfoil CS prop. I'd even use the 74" one on an RV-7. I think ground clearance is still enough.

Data point: I got 9"+ from my prop blade to the ground with a Hartzell 72" unit as Van suggests. Another inch lower with a 74" wouldn't likely hit either.

Your choice.

Also, if you like standard mags and want electronic ignition, check out G3i ignitions. Thomas Spakow is on these forums and he sells them. Larry Vetterman (yah, the exhaust guy) uses it and loves it!

I installed my G3i boxes on the top of my firewall. It ran GREAT in Mattituck's test cell!



CJ

[Captain_John]

OH, and here it is mocked up in the test cell at Mattituck.

DAM, I am gonna miss those guys!

They were great! Thanks again, Mahlon!



CJ

[penguin]

+1 for Andy & Joe!

180hp IO-360 ('parallel valve') as 200hp ('angle valve') engines are much more expensive.

I wouldn't buy from Van's (they are an airframe shop), but from an engine shop that specialises in experimental engines (AeroSport, etc)

Pete

[gasman]

Originally Posted by penguin

+1 for Andy & Joe!

180hp IO-360 ('parallel valve') as 200hp ('angle valve') engines are much more expensive.

I wouldn't buy from Van's (they are an airframe shop), but from an engine shop that specialises in experimental engines (AeroSport, etc)

Pete

You make it sound like Van's builds their engines........ Nothing wrong with a NEW Lycoming.