[David-aviator]

This past Friday I showed up at the Barrett skunk works in Tulsa to watch the first start and run of the engine I bought from them.

Promptly at 9 am, the appointed hour, I was in the control booth when the engine was started for the first time. It came to life immediately and sounded great. Just a steady smooth rumble. As it warmed up, one of the guys gave it a close inspection for leaks and anything else not normal. Two small leaks were noticed, one at the oil temp sensor and another at an oil pressure line. The engine was shut down and after about 5 minutes started again. This time it passed the walk around inspection and the test was underway.

The program calls for the engine to run for one hour and thirty minutes. The first part is warm up and then gradual increase to a theoretical cruise condition at 2300-2400 rpm. Every conceivable parameter of the engine is readable in the control booth and recorded in a computer data base. The thing even computes and records BSFC during the entire run. The final part of the run is at full power and then a cool down before shut down.

I have some 8 pages of recorded data, most of which I have not yet deciphered. The system takes a reading every 60 seconds during the run. But perhaps the bottom line is a notation in the log...engine tested after assembly and found to produce 187 BHPc leaned to best power mixture of .51 lb/hp/hr. Not bad for a stock parallel valve Lycoming. Perhaps the difference is the pistons being balanced to within 2 grams, the crank being balanced on whatever that machine is they use to check its spin and the cylinder flow porting. The service at BPE is very satisfying, very professional. They know engines, period.

The engine is solid. The next challenge will be getting in installed and up and running on the RV. That begins this week and with any luck at all, I will be flying in a month or so.

 

[RV7Guy]

Great information

Thanks David for that report. This is one of the reasons I selected BPE to build my engine for my new 7. I'm going with the IO390, fire breathing, take no prisoners version.

Sure beats mess'n with an auto conversion, huh???

 

[osxuser]

When you say lightweight, how light are we talking?

 

[David-aviator]

When you say lightweight, how light are we talking?

BPE says approximately 275 pounds.

 

[BlackRV7]

Great write up David. I too, have all those pages of test info. Great info on the engine from Barrett. Getting ready to start my Barrett up in Black Magic anytime.

In addition to the quality engine, I can't say enough good things about the level of support, friendship, level of contact...the list goes on, you get when you deal with Allen and Rhonda. I put them up there with the best of the best. Anybody out there looking at engine choices, do yourself a favor and give them a call.

 

[Epsound]

Interesting

Can we get a little more info on the uniqueness of this engine as well as other details such as where you got it and who built it for you. I googled Barrett Skunk Works and BPE but got nothing.

Thanks in advance.

cheers

Evans

 

[RVbySDI]

Can we get a little more info on the uniqueness of this engine as well as other details such as where you got it and who built it for you. I googled Barrett Skunk Works and BPE but got nothing.

Thanks in advance.

cheers

Evans

googling (wow is that really a word?) "Barret Engines" returns this link http://www.bpaengines.com/site.html

 

[mannanj]

BPE

Not to be a smart a--. Look at the advertisers column at the left of this page---- usually about the 3rd or 4th one down.

Great people and they support this site!

 

[AllanC]

Lightweight Lycoming

David,

I know your H-6 installation compensated for its weight by moving the 2 batteries to the rear. What have you done, if anything, to re-adjust the location of equipment to make up for the lighter FWF install?

What did Barret think about your choice of FP prop? Is the engine with a hollow crankshaft for later conversion to a CS or are you intending to keep things simple?

I appreciate your report. When I build againit will probably be a BPE engine as well.

Allan in Mongolia......

This past Friday I showed up at the Barrett skunk works in Tulsa to watch the first start and run of the engine I bought from them.

Promptly at 9 am, the appointed hour, I was in the control booth when the engine was started for the first time. It came to life immediately and sounded great. Just a steady smooth rumble. As it warmed up, one of the guys gave it a close inspection for leaks and anything else not normal. Two small leaks were noticed, one at the oil temp sensor and another at an oil pressure line. The engine was shut down and after about 5 minutes started again. This time it passed the walk around inspection and the test was underway.

The program calls for the engine to run for one hour and thirty minutes. The first part is warm up and then gradual increase to a theoretical cruise condition at 2300-2400 rpm. Every conceivable parameter of the engine is readable in the control booth and recorded in a computer data base. The thing even computes and records BSFC during the entire run. The final part of the run is at full power and then a cool down before shut down.

I have some 8 pages of recorded data, most of which I have not yet deciphered. The system takes a reading every 60 seconds during the run. But perhaps the bottom line is a notation in the log...engine tested after assembly and found to produce 187 BHPc leaned to best power mixture of .51 lb/hp/hr. Not bad for a stock parallel valve Lycoming. Perhaps the difference is the pistons being balanced to within 2 grams, the crank being balanced on whatever that machine is they use to check its spin and the cylinder flow porting. The service at BPE is very satisfying, very professional. They know engines, period.

The engine is solid. The next challenge will be getting in installed and up and running on the RV. That begins this week and with any luck at all, I will be flying in a month or so.

 

[David-aviator]

David,

I know your H-6 installation compensated for its weight by moving the 2 batteries to the rear. What have you done, if anything, to re-adjust the location of equipment to make up for the lighter FWF install?

What did Barret think about your choice of FP prop? Is the engine with a hollow crankshaft for later conversion to a CS or are you intending to keep things simple?

I appreciate your report. When I build againit will probably be a BPE engine as well.

Allan in Mongolia......

Hi Allan,

One battery is gone, the other is on the firewall as per Van's plan. Also 7# of ballast coming out at the HS. The airplane is on a diet and will be lighter for sure and I do not anticipate a cg problem as it will be pretty much per the original RV plan.

The overall objective here is "keep-it-simple-stupid". The crank is hollow but the internal plug was removed. Barrett had no opinion on which prop to use, actually, I did not ask. I am going fixed pitch. It will perform just fine.

One departure from the plan was to keep the big 20 vane NDM oil cooler from the Subby installation. It took some doing but a suitable location was found somewhat similar to the RV-10 install but not on the firewall. It does have the 4" flange from the 10 and will take air off the baffle aft of #4 cylinder. Oil cooling should not be an issue.

 

[Bill Wightman]

David, Fun reading your report. I too showed up back in about 1989, when Monty's brake was much simpler. My O360 did exactly 187 bhp also, with 9:1 pistons, flow balanced, and mass balanced.

Now days, BPA sports what might be the most advanced piston aircraft engine dyno in the country. I know Lycoming uses his test cell for some of the testing even they can't do.

Your FP setup will rock, I know cause that's what I had on my RV4. It was an Aymar-Demuth 68" prop with a whopping 84" of pitch. Flew like a bandit - great cruise prop!!