flywise

Flywise, I just found page 2. My email is: jbmaridon@centurylink.net. If you give me contact info I will send you what I have on the engine installation. Also I have some questions that you can probably answer easy by email rather than through the forum. I had to trim some of the rubber bushings for the engine mount to clear some tubing and I did not find any steel bushings that would go through the rubber bushings that are called out in the manual. I made short bushings for the large dia. mounts, 1/2 inch O.D. and 3/8 inch I.D,. and the 3/8 dia. bolt fills the hole in the small dia. rubbers when they are installed.

Your pictures have been very helpful but I am struggling with how and where to mount the ignition modules.  Also how do you check the engine oil level? Did you add an access door to the cowling? Any thoughts on the firewall?

That is an interesting discussion on the propeller. I have no problem going with a two blade as long as I can get off the water and it sounds like you have confirmed that is not an issue.

I am excited about this airplane . It is well along with the engine installation and related controls the major remaining project.

Again thanks for the help.

I made a quick trip to the hangar this morning and made a more careful measurement now that everything is tighten up and in final location and my centerline of prop to fuselage is a little over 37 inches. The info in my manual says" preliminary" 912 engine installation. But I think the fact that our measurements are the same indicates some change was made. I will send you a copy of what I have if you want it. I am a retired engineer and and an A&P. I am very aware of the importance of keeping the weight down. I put just enough Polyfiber spray, the silver coats on the wings, to block the light and eliminated a coat of the sprayed on Polybrush. the finish stills looks good. Today there are very light batteries, 4 lbs,, and digital instruments. I will probably initially fly with airspeed, compass and altimeter for flight instruments and a hand held radio. I have a water rudder that will not initially be installed. I have the forward retracting gear which helps with the C.G. I have the after market fuel tanks, two in each wing. I did use the plywood covers that came with then but I am sure that installation is heavier than the original set up. This kit came with a very a heavy galvanized steel fire wall. I changed it out for thinner aluminum. The fire wall made no sense to me. The Searey does not use one. Again I appreciate your input.

Flywise, thanks for the info. Do you have the manual from Avid on the 912 engine installation? There is a picture showing the top shock mount that bolts to the engine that clearly has a shorter vertical dimension than our mounts. I agree that Avid only made mounts for two engines but somewhere along the line they seem to have made some changes to the 912 mount.  My guess was to lower the thrust line. The original buyer bought the top and bottom shock frames some time after he bought the kit. His main engine mount may have been for the top shock mount shown in the Avid engine installation manual. Anyhow I think I am going to leave the engine where it is with the 36" dimension from prop centerline to fuselage. That is the easiest solution for me at this point. I only have to lower the bottom shock mount. I plan to use a three bladed propeller to get more thrust to get off the water.

I am still working on the spar stiffeners. I talked to the guy I bought the kit from and he said definitely they were not included with the kit. He has been very honest with me and as he told me he would have installed them if they were included. This seems to be another change that came along after he bought his kit. Again thanks for your help and input.

 

Flywise, I have a question. I bought an Avid Catalina project. I have engine mount parts that are not compatible. My top engine mount with the four rubber mounts looks like your part but the picture in the manual looks to be about 2 inches less in height.  With the top and bottom engine shock mounts bolted to the engine the assembly will not fit into the main engine mount frame. The lower single mount will have to be lowered about 2 inches. I can do that by cutting and welding in new tubing. If I do that I will have 36" from the prop shaft centerline to the fuselage. That will limit me to a bout a 68 inch dia. prop.  My thought is this was done by Avid to lower the thrust line by 2 inches. So my question is what is your prop dia.? Also do you have any insight into what changes the factory may have done to create this situation. Thanks for any help.

 

Hey jbmaridon

I have a 69in 2 bladed propeller. Note that you will have to include about 1 1/2 in clearance between the tip of the prop and the fuselage. From what I know there are only 2 engine mounts provided by avid ... one for the 2 stroke (the 582) and one for the 4 stroke 912. I have never heard of a modified / different 912 engine mount. Your engine should fit between the top 4 mounts and the lower single mount. Today I will measure the distance between the prop shaft centerline to fuselage to confirm.

Flywise, I have a question. I bought an Avid Catalina project. I have engine mount parts that are not compatible. My top engine mount with the four rubber mounts looks like your part but the picture in the manual looks to be about 2 inches less in height.  With the top and bottom engine shock mounts bolted to the engine the assembly will not fit into the main engine mount frame. The lower single mount will have to be lowered about 2 inches. I can do that by cutting and welding in new tubing. If I do that I will have 36" from the prop shaft centerline to the fuselage. That will limit me to a bout a 68 inch dia. prop.  My thought is this was done by Avid to lower the thrust line by 2 inches. So my question is what is your prop dia.? Also do you have any insight into what changes the factory may have done to create this situation. Thanks for any help.

 

Happy 4th of July. I am new to this forum. My name is Joe Maridon. I recently purchased an Avid Catalina project that was purchased in 1995 and never completed. I am on a fast track to get it flying and have and will have questions that I hope others on this site will be able to help me with.     My project has the forward swinging gear and and engine munt for the Rotax 912. I have purchased a used 100 HP 912 and awaiting delivery. I have not yet selected a propeller. That is one area I would like to get some input. The project is well along. It is on the gear and all controls are installed. I just finished covering the wings. I particularly need help with canopy details and the removable enclosure below the engine.

I am located in Spokane, WA and there are many lakes to operate from.

I am a retired mechanical engineer, I have a commercial pilot license, A&P and IA. I have built and restored a few airplanes and currently fly a Cessna 150 Texas taildragger with a 150 HP Lycoming 0-320 and a long list of other modes. 

I will post some pictures in the future

Wow, it sounds like your Rotax has been nothing but problems. It stinks that you have had so much trouble with yours. Mine runs great, I'm just tinkering. Even if I didn't do one thing to it i would still be happy with the way it operates. BTW what year was your engine produced? Some of the early ones had ignition wiring issues. Did you complete the 5 year rubber replacement? Mine was over due and my carb sockets still looked new.

Crossover doesn't seem to make much of a difference. The Ballence Master helped more. I have a slipper clutch on the way. By no means do I feel like my engine runs ruff. I just think it could be as  smooth with the ULS cylinders as it was with the 80hp

I tried a 1” tube without changing the elbows inlet and outlet but could not tell any difference.  I removed it after a trial period.  Let us know how it goes for you. Even with my new EFI there was a substantial imbalance but at least with tuning the ability to balance the cylinders at cruise is nice.

I am considering the crossover mod, but my engine idles so smoothly and down real low too. I believe it is primarily done to reduce sensitivity to carb balance at idle. Did you notice any midrange improvement in smoothness with the X-over mod?

 

Did you build your own crossover setup or buy the one from HAL? Can you take a picture for inquiring minds?

Yes, i used the pistons that come with the cylinders. First run was yesterday and i flew it today. More power for sure but not as smooth as the lower compression 80hp. I will work some more on the carb sync tomorrow, it was really good at 5k but not as close at 3 to 4k. I suspect the cable its self. Looking at a Propeller Balance Master , just want everything as good as i can get it first. 

Thanks for the reply Jim

That is what is screwing with what little grey matter I have left lol. When I was sitting in the plane one of my mates came over put two fingers on the spinner and tipped the plane back on its tail with virtually no force required???

yet when I took it up for its last flight after levelling out the flapperons I was fighting to get the nose up and had to put elevator trim full down to relieve the pressure, so unless flappers are set at the wrong angle ie: flaps down it will need more weight in the tail. Already 4lbs there and another 4 to go there.

To the best of my knowledge it has always been a nose wheel but has had an engine swap 582 to Jabiru but that was years ago.

the plane has had the big fin heads fitted and new pistons and rings but wouldn't think that would account for the handling issues or imbalance.

going to double check aileron/flapperons this evening and inspector coming down again Sunday need this sorted before the end of the month lol.

weight and balance done by inspector I have lead strips to fit if required

William Russell

Congratulations on your Amphibian!

I too am bringing a Catalina to life that suffered an engine out which resulted in a hard landing and some bent tubes and a poor repair of the main gear. Unfortunately in my case the people I bought it from did not tell me about the engine out and hid the damage by putting lipstick on the pig. Even with the experience I have with Avids, I was fooled by a combination of the "car salesman" I I bought it from and the beautiful look of the plane (even with a through look over). The damage was hidden under panels that had a lot of screws to remove, and everything else was PERFECT. So..... I am stuck with figuring out what to do. I am currently working on the strategy to make the landing gear OK with a minimum of reconstruction.

My goal is to have it in the air this summer.

I look forward to your posts and I too will share as I work on my bird! 

Chris

Yes, it is coming with the oil tank, voltage regulator, exhaust system , radiator, OIL COOLER, air filters and etc. The exhaust is for a pusher unfortunately. Why the bed type?

Thanks 1avid I think I will lean towards sr106 two blade. 

That is the same prop that I have.  It is a great LIGHTWEIGHT prop that performs very well.

It's kind of funny, but I remember a set of Catalina wings that were for sale a couple of years ago.  I think they had two sets of jury strut fittings.  I looked at some Catalina pictures last night, and never saw any with two sets of jury struts.  May have been someone's better idea on just one set of wings.  JImChuk

Hey Jim, indeed the Catalina wings have two sets of jury struts each side......I am the one who bought the catalina wings as I thought it be a good idea to have a spare If I where to ding my wings into a dock...

Are you saying that particular set of Cat wings has two sets of jury struts, or do they all have two sets per side?  JImChuk

It's kind of funny, but I remember a set of Catalina wings that were for sale a couple of years ago.  I think they had two sets of jury strut fittings.  I looked at some Catalina pictures last night, and never saw any with two sets of jury struts.  May have been someone's better idea on just one set of wings.  JImChuk