Yamma-Fox

Moderators
 View profile  See their activity

  • Content count

    712

  • Joined

  • Last visited


Everything posted by Yamma-Fox



  1. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic motor mount?   

    Hey Jared, I have some measurements for you over in a personal message I sent.  Find your message up in the user panel at the upper right of the page here.
    That way we can communicate without cluttering up the forum.
    Brett
    • 0


  2. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic YAMAHA RX-1 (140 HP) install in Kitfox 5   

    You're 100% right.
    It'll be under revving and running lower in the power curve.  Capable of more HP if I reclutched for more rpm.
    Hadn't thought of that.
    But, thinking a bit farther, the same could be said for a fixed pitch prop on a plane where you suddenly dropped a cyl.  So in that sense it would be an accurate test, or at least accurately representative of the performance loss you might enconter.
    Agree?
    • 1


  3. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic motor mount?   

    Can't argue with ya at all on your decision for DI as a personal requirement.  It is better to have that redundancy.
    But I am glad that you brought the question here because the rx1 engine choice is not one I took lightly.  You challenge one of the main premises I had made about that motor (that it would run well enough on 3 cyl to eek out a meager climb in my KF5 on lotus floats).
    But first my apology to Jared here for hikacking his thread!
    Give me a second to type and then lets hop over to my thread and I'll lay out my plan to test my premise:

    • 0


  4. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic YAMAHA RX-1 (140 HP) install in Kitfox 5   

    No problem.  I'll send you a PM here when I get home and we can figure out how it'd fit.
    Brett
    • 0


  5. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic motor mount?   

    Yep, it'll run.  But you are probably right that my 80 hp guess is a little high.  I'll say 70 or 75 hp for sure though.
    Here's my math:  In the snowmo forums I've guys chatted with guys that have had a coil go bad on the 3cyl rotax 1200 4tec (known problem with the connecting clip atop the coil).  With one failed, they have run home on 2/3.  They say max speed is about 65.  From all the little sleds I've owned, IMO that take around 60 hp on a 500 lb sled with a 200 lb rider.  So that is with 66% of cylinders working and about 46% of the 130hp the engine normally pumps out.
    So on the  4 cyl then with %75 of cylinders working, straight interpolation puts you at 72.45 hp, but (again IMO) I think some effeciency would be gained from 2/3 to 3/4.
    When I get her running I'll pull a coil connector for ya and video a little run up for ya.
    • 1


  6. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic motor mount?   

    Yep, true.  In any particular case there are still plenty of ways for a 4stroke to give out.  
    But I'll be in the 4stroke camp now with 5 2stroke failures in the last 10 years. (4 snowmo, 1 aircraft).  I'll own 2 of the failures myself (pushing too hard on a high time motor), but I'm very sure that I would have had zero failures had each of those motors been 4strokes subjected the same duty.
    And dont forget the yamaha has 4 independent coils/CDIs (one on each cyl).  If one were to fail, you'd still have approx 80HP available.
     
    • 0


  7. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic YAMAHA RX-1 (140 HP) install in Kitfox 5   

    I looked into the wire loom in detail.  
    Teal has full (one page!) instructions and has made it super simple:
    From Teals harness:  Hook up batt positive, ground engine to airframe (my airframe is common ground, I'll run a heavy wire to it from the starter mounting bolt on motor.  Hook up the ignition supply wire (I'm going to two switches for redundancy, one to hot batt, one to engine alternator/magneto).  Hook up starter solenoid wire to the start button in plane.
    That's it!  Teal also has one wire ready for the tach and the rest are plug and play connectors to the small weatherproof ECU and VR boxes, and also to the spark plug caps (with built in ign coil on each)
    I will add a fused switch to the electric carb heaters installed in the carbs on the yammy. This bird will fly all winter here in N Minnesota and the elect carb heat helps supplement the standard carb heat (heated by engine coolant) 
    • 0


  8. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic YAMAHA RX-1 (140 HP) install in Kitfox 5   

    Roughly lined up. .. 


    • 0


  9. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic YAMAHA RX-1 (140 HP) install in Kitfox 5   

    Mine is a carbureted (RX)-1 4cyl.  Teal Jenkins  (skytrax) sells the c box adapter and wire loom (which is very simple for that motor).   I believe he is working on an  adaptation for the EFI 4 cyl (Apex) as well, which requires a MUCH more complicated wire loom mod.
    More info on the RX-1:
    http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/4138-yamaha-rx1-engines/
     
    • 0


  10. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic YAMAHA RX-1 (140 HP) install in Kitfox 5   

    The easy part.
    (Decided that the soob mount wasn't even close to what I'd need for the yammy)
    Pic 2 shows tailwheel spring support.  With the motor off she'll be a wee bit tail heavy!
    Pic 3 is my quick little (sorry ass) attempt for a prop flange locator jig. (Bolted to firewall)



    • 0


  11. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Annual Condition Inspection (Engine and Airframe Separate?)   

    As far as verbage, here it is straight out of mt operating limitaions (that I  got from the faa document request for my plane)
    Note lines 17 and 18:
     

    • 1


  12. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Annual Condition Inspection (Engine and Airframe Separate?)   

    Wish I could reference it, but I researched the same question and remember learning that an engine log (or propeller for that matter) is not required, nor is a specific statement regarding the engine part of the CI signoff verbage (verbage spelled out in my op lims)
    • 0


  13. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Melted piston from overheat due to coolant loss- repair plan?   

    Seems like the people I get along with best are "just a little rough around the edges".
    Ones that are smooth around the edges make me start to squint my eyes and sniff for the "politician smell"!

     
    • 2


  14. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Break in high temps   

    That's what I ended up doing with my 532: tstat out in summer, in for the winter.  It had a somewhat marginal cooling system that you had to keep an eye on.
    Not sure everyone would agree on doing it that way since it would run a broader temp range (150-180), but in the summer it helped me know when the system was nearing capacity.  When it crept up I  knew it needed some airflow soon.  With the tstat in it would hold steady but you wouldn't get much warning when it reached cooling capacity and spiked up quickly. 
    • 0


  15. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Melted piston from overheat due to coolant loss- repair plan?   

    I'm guessing the rebuilder went through the rave valves right?
    Everyone can make a mistake.... but hopefully he stands behind his work and takes care of you on this deal!
    • 0


  16. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Melted piston from overheat due to coolant loss- repair plan?   

    Wow.  Guess they build them differently in the sleds.  Sure seems weird that they would make them more failproof in the snowmo engines.  The the ones I've worked with have a forged shoulder that stops travel (see pic below).
    Man, I sure wish I could buy ya a beer, and I really do feel your pain.  Especially with a new motor like that...  crap.
    But if the rave did it, then that helps a little i suppose.  You know that you found the problem and can get it right.
     

    • 0


  17. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Melted piston from overheat due to coolant loss- repair plan?   

    There is no way the rave valve can contact the piston... unless the wrong rave parts are installed.  I've had quite a few of these apart and am really sure about this.  The rave spring pushes it fully down where it seats in it's groove.
    I know the rave looks to be really close to the piston but it does not and can not protrude into the cyl.
    Oh man, yeah that looks like you had a bunch of crunching around there.  Maybe if it were a sled I'd take a chance, but if were mine, in a plane, I'd want to look in the case for debris... 
    • 0


  18. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Break in high temps   

    I have had sleds do that after a coolant refill.  It ended up bieng an air pocket somewhere in the cooling system that slowed flow.  I had to bleed the high points in the system.
    And I like jim's idea... get the guage calibrated with the sender.  
    Also consider trying with the thermostat out.
    • 0


  19. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Melted piston from overheat due to coolant loss- repair plan?   

    Man...  sorry to hear that happened.
    From my experience in Rotax snowmo rebuilding I have found that when you melt a little aluminum like that it gets smeared into the cyl wall (even if it is imperceptible and hard to see).  So if it were mine i'd make sure to clean the cyl walls up with muriatic acid before honing.  Then IMO definitely go with a full top rebuild.  If you didn't chunk off any material, your lower (upper LOL!) end is probably OK.
    Guess if it were mine I'd clean up the cyl walls with the acid and then send the jugs and head back to an expert like Rick to get spec'd out and reconditioned... have him send you new pistons, rings, gaskets.
    • 0


  20. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic EA-81   

    And I have a NSI subaru that was flown regularly until last fall when I found a small amount of metal in the filter.
    I decided against rebuilding it so I posted it for sale.
    It is complete with extra ignition parts, full logs, all the NSI manuals and the e81 service manual, and a lot of other extra spare parts.  See listing below, and PM me if you are interested.   Brett

    • 0


  21. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic The Jabiru runs   

    Sure have had some beautiful flying weather around here!   Glad ya got up and took advantage of it!
    • 0


  22. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Suitability for operations from a 40' Container   

    But I think he wants to hangar it in there regularly.
    • 0


  23. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Suitability for operations from a 40' Container   

    I'm wondering if the container is 8' inside, with the door frame taking away 3" on each side?
    If so could a guy cut a slot out of the door frame sides where the folded wings would pass?
    I suppose even then it'd be a near imposssible squeeze since I have to be super careful going in my 9' wide garage at home.  
    Guess you might make it work with some tight tolerance guide rails for the wheels.
    • 0


  24. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Hello from San Diego   

    Welcome Adam!
    It is fantastic that you located that training opportunity!!  With that in your pocket, someday you hopefully can pass some "old school" down to the next generation of pilots!
    And with a certificate full of type ratings and many a thousand hours in the logbook, I'm here to tell ya that you have made a great choice in a kitfox/avid type airplane for your goal because the most fun I've had in airplanes has been in slow and low taildraggers!
    Enjoy that training, and have fun when the time comes for ya to pick out that airplane!
    Brett
     
    • 0


  25. Yamma-Fox added a post in a topic Yamaha RX1 Engines   

    I was waiting for ya to tow that red truck into the garage!

    • 0