Rotax, geared, water cooled, turboed
prkaye said:
The Rotax 914 UL DCDI 115HP is an engine that can run on MOGAS. It actually looks to be more expensive than the O-235, although apparently Lycoming's prices go up next month.
I am not sure what you mean looks more expensive. I think it is more expensive at $24K or $30k (us). The expensive one is constant speed.
High strung?
Well the Rotax is turbo'ed, which is more mechanically.
The Rotax is geared and turns high RPMs to make power. Where the Lyc is a big bore (relatively speaking) direct drive air cooled engine.
simple.
The Rotax is water cooled. Where are you going to put the radiator? More weight, complexity.
The Rotax is less than 73 cubic inch displacement!
The Lyc is 235 cubic engine. Which one do you think is working harder to make 115 or 118 hp respectfully?
Where do you get a Rotax worked on? Lycoming any where any time, probably locally.
I can see where people would say the Rotax is high strung, they sound that way, like they are screaming. Leave the Rotax for the ultalights and LSA's. The RV-9(A) is a real plane. (I AM KIDDING, JOKE
).
However I got to be honest, I am not sure why people resist the obvious choice, the Lyc. At $22.5k BRAND new. It's a bargain in my opinion.
Too bad Van does not have a mount for a TCM IO-240, listed at $19.5k at Mattituck. I like Lyc's better, than Continentals, but the little TCM O-200 was a nice little engine, which the IO-240 is based. I believe aircraft makers like Diamond are going away from Rotax, in favor of the TCM IO-240.
Personally I don't think the Rotax makes the power they say they do, but that could be an ugly rumor. However at less than 73 cu-in, there is not much engine there. What did we say in hot rodding, there ain't no substitute for displacement.
What I would do (and did with my O-360)
There are so many O-235's in Yankees, C152's, Tomahawks, I am sure used cores are not impossible to find. Some elbow grease, a little wrenching, shipping parts to a overhaul/repair station, some new parts, more wrenching and elbow grease, you can come up with an overhauled O-235 cheaper than $22.5k. If you can't find and rebuild a O-235 for less than $15k, you are not trying.