First parts arrive

bmurrish · Post by **bmurrish** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 7:46 am

What are the engine specs and how much do they cost?

Dan A · Post by **Dan A** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:11 am

jim_geo wrote:Actually the pick looks to be based on weight. All the con rods are the same gram weight and the pistons are within one gram high or low. I don't remember the numbers off hand but two were something like 490 grams and two were 491 grams. Those numbers are just examples for this post not meant to be taken as an actual weight. Up close the parts look top notch. ECI castings are among the best I've seen.

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Wow! that accuracy on weight is amazing! I used ECI cylinders on the O200 I put on my T-carft and I found them to be of excellent quality. I think their complete engines should be great. When I had my engine built up by Aero Sport Power, ECI still had parts of their kit to be approved. So I went with the Superior parts. If I was doing one today I would go the same route you are.

Good luck,
Dan

jim_geo · Post by **jim_geo** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:31 pm

Well the answer to the how much $$ question is this. Had I gone with a carburetted engine the cost of the kit would be $13,500.00 for the engine components. The carburetter would be another $1,000.00 Your mags, alternator, starter, vacuum pump and anything else accessory wise is an added by you item. The engine I'm putting together is injected so that was extra. A different sump and tube assembly and of course the fuel injection system itself. Those changes added just over $5000.00 to the total cost. It's not a project for the faint of heart or self doubting types. I doubt that anyone getting to the point of seriously making a decision like this fits either of those categories though. Then CJ wants to know why a kit engine and a QB airframe. For me it's an easy question really. We've probably all watched the sales video Vans produced. In that video Ken Scott makes the statement that dollar for dollar nothing gets you further ahead than a QB kit. I believe that, it seemed terribly obvious that it was true and when I visited the FSDO in Hillsboro the field inspector I talked to said he believed the QB takes FIVE YEARS off of an average build. Of course the question being asked is how long to build an engine? The answer: I don't know. I think a couple of weeks to look the parts over and obtain a few specialized tools and couple of days of actual assembly should do it. Had I began getting the tools needed together before now time certainly could have been saved. In the grand scheme of things a couple of weeks or even a month is not that much to spend. This is a project I've always wanted to do and now being able to do it is a real charge. I've always been a bit of a motor head. In my hanger space under the wing of my Cessna I have an ancient O-320 that sat in our garage when I was a kid. It was a ground power unit and I'd never put it into an airplane, but someday it just might find it's way into an air boat. I've had a web site space for almost 9 months now and have done very little with it. Along with posting here and keeping you all informed of my progress I have decided to detail the assembly of this engine on that site. I will post an address to that site when I am ready for visitors.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 6:56 am

About $18,500 is a good price for a fulie engine!

As far as the QB taking 5 years off the build, that may apply to a -6 SB kit versus a -7 QB. The -7 SB, with it's prepunching is a huge step forward.

A more accurate statement is if the prepunched kit came out 20 years ago, IT would be called a QB!

My wings are almost at QB stage now and it has taken me almost a year. I expect the same for the fuse. One plus one is two. I can see the QB taking 2 years off the total build, not five.

Hmmmmm, I wonder if ECi is goinf to sell an IO-390 kit soon? Anyone know? I have an A&P here I could lean on for assistance!

I am looking forward to seeing the engine site, Jim!!!

CJ

jim_geo · Post by **jim_geo** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 1:37 pm

I don't know John, I'm thinking sites like Rivetbangers keeps builders like us on track and moving forward. If not for a group effort similar to this site it may be hard for some folks to keep up a pace that gets things done. It was a wild generality that the inspector was speaking in. However, the inspector is an RV builder himself along with at least one other of their team. Since they stick their noses in a lot of projects I would have to feel he knew something of the reality of a population. A point of interest to me was this. A few months ago I took my son (Tom_Geo, By the way Geo is short for George) with me to Vans and took a tour through the factory. As we walked past the emp. kit area we were told that Vans now makes parts for two hundred kits at a time. That's just to keep up with demand until they can cycle back and build more emp. Kits. Which makes me ask the question. How many emp. kits are there out in the world that will never be completed?

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:07 pm

Well Mr. George, all dat is true!

I am willing to bet that there are tens of thousands (mebbe 40 or 50,000) of projects currently under construction in either one stage or another. MANY MORE empennage kits suspended at 12' AGL for eternity in shops, hangars and garages all over the world.

The pop up builder contingient around New England is staggering!

We current builders are on the cusp of a whole new realm of GA!

This is going to be an exciting decade!!!

CJ