acceptable dual ignition

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tomstorey
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 6:11 pm

acceptable dual ignition

Post by tomstorey » Thu Apr 09, 2015 5:48 pm

I was going to instal a Revmaster VW based engine in my project but the USD and the GBP seem to be drifting further apart. In France the project uses Peugeot or Citroen diesel or petrol engines. I'm quite taken with the fuel injected petrol engine but it only has single spark plugs although it can have two separate ignition systems. Are the single plugs a show stopper? I can't find anything on the LAA website.
Thanks,
Tom

Brian Hope
Posts: 1271
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:28 pm
Location: Sheerness Kent

Re: acceptable dual ignition

Post by Brian Hope » Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:46 am

Hi Tom, it is possible to get away with single plugs. We have a Pietenpol at our strip with a Subaru engine, it has single plugs but the rest of the system is dual and can be switched from one to the other and fires the one set of plugs.
With fuel injection you may also have issues with redundancy (fuel pumps and ECUs for instance) to consider as well.
I'd certainly check with Engineering before making any firm decisions, and I'd certainly consider the diesel option. From the limited info you give I'd guess you're looking at something like the Gazaile, which will cruise at 100mph on about 6 lph with the diesel engine.
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tomstorey
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 6:11 pm

Re: acceptable dual ignition

Post by tomstorey » Fri Apr 10, 2015 10:00 am

Thanks, Brian,
Yes, I am fiddling with a Gazaile but the petrol engine is 75-80hp and the diesel is a good deal less and I am mainly worried about take off performance. I did fly the diesel version in France and it had a good cruise speed. I'll definitely get some guidelines from engineering before commencing. Thanks again.

ian herdis
Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 3:45 pm

Re: acceptable dual ignition

Post by ian herdis » Sat Apr 11, 2015 9:49 pm

Hi. Tom.

Let us know how you get on if you don't mind, new engine options are always of interest.

I like one of the points made on the Gazaile web site that you can build the aircraft with the engine all for less than the cost of a Rotax 912 engine. Now that can't be bad.

The diesel option certainly keeps thing simple, with a mechanical injection pump you have no electronic ECU to worry about. But how would engineering view that with only one pump. The fuel economy certainly looks great. They seem to use the PSA 1.4L alloy block diesel which is a pretty rare beast now as it was only available from about 1992 to 1996 they then switched to a cast iron block 1.5L engine. The 1.4 engine uses cylinder liners which are easy to replace so it's an easy block to refurb.

Good luck with your project the Gazaile is certainly a pretty aircraft.

Regards. Ian.
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Macleesh
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 8:01 pm

Re: acceptable dual ignition

Post by Macleesh » Mon Apr 27, 2015 8:50 pm

The PSA TUD engine isn't impossible to find but I believe the designer has been evaluating fitting the newer 1.4 HDI engine. This too is all aluminium, has he obvious advantage of forced induction and is available in just about every small Diesel Citroen, Peugeot or Ford. There are 8v or 16v variants and capacity has been stretched to 1.6 litres. Known as the DV4/DV6 family within PSA or DLD 414/DLD 416 within Ford. If running an ECU controlled engine is a concern conversion to mechanical pump is possible.

Sean

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