[n38139]

Considering changing out an O320 with carb to a 0360. Any advice on staying with the carb setup vs going to Fuel injection?

thanks

 

[dan]

Do you have a good engine monitor with 4-cylinder EGT & CHT? If so, and if you plan to fly the airplane more than a few hundred hours over the next few years, FI is the way to go imho. It will pay for itself over time. I was saying that when we thought $3.00/gal was expensive. Now, a year later, we think $5.00/gal is expensive. What will we think is expensive next year?

With FI you can balance the injectors (Airflow Performance can help you out with that), which means you can run LOP (lean of peak), which can translate to significant fuel $ savings.

If you don't have a good engine monitor & you don't want to do panel surgery, forget about FI (imho). Or if you only fly 50 hours a year or don't plan to fly more than a few hundred hours before you sell the plane, I don't think you'd ever reach the "paid for itself" point for FI.

 

[Walt]

Carb vs FI...

Just as a point of ref, my friend and I filled up and flew together to OSH. He has a TD 7 with IO360 high compression, single EI. I have a 7A stock compression O360 with dual EI. Other than this we are very similar (same prop, 2 up, full of luggage etc.). We both filled up before we left, cruised about 65% and ran lean of peak together all the way. At the first stop about 3 hours later I took 27.1 and he took 27.3 gallons. . I "know" FI should be better but I fail to see the difference when it comes to real world fuel economy. Granted the dual EI is what lets me run lean of peak smoothly and with mags this would not have been possible. Even though most folks feel carbs are dinosaurs they still work pretty good, are are easy to fix and cheaper to maintain

 

[az_gila]

FI total cost delta?

......
If you don't have a good engine monitor & you don't want to do panel surgery, forget about FI (imho). Or if you only fly 50 hours a year or don't plan to fly more than a few hundred hours before you sell the plane, I don't think you'd ever reach the "paid for itself" point for FI.

Dan,
The delta for FI seems to be decreasing all of the time...

For a Mattituck Experimental O-360, as an example, the difference is only $700.

Can anyone give an estimate of the "ancillary" equipment cost delta for FI, i.e., stuff that is not provided by the engine manufacturer?

The high pressure electric boost pump comes to mind... what other items need purchase?

gil in Tucson