jdeas

jdeas

Well Known Member
I noticed the franklin engine web site shows a future RV7 install kit for their 6 banger. I have an interest not for the extra HP but for a smoother engine that a O-360. Has anyone here installed a 6A-350-C1R in place of an O-360? If so, I would like your comments on the differences noted.
I also understand that this site is not the original Franklin Engines (it was sold?). Any information on the health of the new venture would also be appriciated.

http://www.franklinengines.com/rv7.cfm
 
Interesting! I looked at Franklin at Oshkosh last summer, but they didn't have anything to offer for RV's at the time. Looks like they are keeping updates going on their website regularly.

I called and left a message for more info, and sent an email...

:cool:
 
grantcarruthers said:
How much cowl rework do you think this would require??

Dimensions of the Franklin vs. lyc.?????
Click to expand...
There is a link on their website to a pdf with dimensions, but says the server cannot find it. I hope to get it thru an email maybe today...
 
Vans had an RV8 a few years ago that they engineered a Franklin installation in. I have't got their newsletter for a couple of years so I'm not sure of the present status...I do know that the enployees refered to the airplane as "Franlinstien" if that is any indication of how they liked it.

Joe Hine
RV4 C-FYTQ
 
The original blue RV-8 was modified for the Franklin engine. If I remember correctly, there wasn't enough interest or advantages to using the Franklin so Van dropped it. I think it also added weight (compared to the IO-360 angle valve). Van doesn't like adding weight and especially doesn't like it forward of the CG.

Seems like I heard the Franklin was being made in Eastern Europe and had gone out of production.

This is all from memory and I could be remembering wrong.

Karl
 
I found this article tonight while researching the Franklin engine. It's from Avweb in 2005 (written by Marc Cook), so it's fairly recent. But, it talks about the end of production at the time. Franklin Aircraft Engines, the US Distributor is mentioned. There's some good info, except the dry weight of the engine contradicts the published weight from the manufacturer (395 in the article vs. 297 from the manufacturer). Seems like maybe a typo... :confused: Any help on that Marc?

2005 Avweb Franklin write up
 
Franklin

I talked to the new owner of Franklin line. He is restarting production and plans on engine improvements and recertification in US. Last year he was working on a mount for Cessna 172 and as far as I know he has two Cessna 172s flying with his engines. I hope I will be able to visit his factory in Poland next month and see first hand how far he got. He says it is a slow process and he funds engine development with money from other businesses so he does not want to make a mistake by making a stupid decision. The weight he specifies is below 300 lb and he is working on bringing the weight down (oil pan change first). I also talked to David Brand and he likes the engine. He made his own engine mounts. He likes the engine a lot. He said the engine is very smooth and has low vibration and the sound is nice (more or less his words). I am planning on putting this engine into my RV-7. The price has to be very good though and I hope it will be for the engine to be a good alternative.
 
Franklin

By the way the website you were looking at is not the factory website. Even more there is no connection between the owner of the factory and the owner of the website.
 
grantcarruthers said:
How much cowl rework do you think this would require??

Dimensions of the Franklin vs. lyc.?????
Click to expand...
I went to the airport this morning to meet with my friend who has a 220 Franklin on his CH640, and I measured the engine very conservatively (with a tape measure...had to eyeball a couple of them, so the numbers listed here are bigger than actual if anything).

Length is 37.5" from the prop flange to the mags.

Height is 22" from the top of the flywheel/starter housing to the bottom of the oil pan. The carb is mounted at the back of the engine, and will probably hang down as far as the oil pan (he didn't have it mounted yet). The exhaust manifold on his engine was custom and did hang down another two inches.

Width is 32" at it's widest point which is the intake manifold runners.

The Lyc 360 compares...

Length 29.6" from the front of the flywheel to the mags.

Height is 24.8" from the bottom of the carb to the hoist ring on the case.

Width is 33.4".

So, the Franklin is a good eight inches longer, but compares well to the other dimensions. Perhaps the SJ cowl could be used? Also, the Franklin sits on a bed mount, so it can probably be set a little further back towards the firewall to make some additional room.

Hope that helps! :)

I did take some pictures of the CH640 installation if anyone would like to see them, I can post later when I get them off the camera.
 
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