McCullich 0-100 on Avid C?

[High Country]

My wife and I are about to start building an Avid C kit and we are looking to see if there are any changes we should make along the way seeing as this is such an old kit, i currently have a new Rotax 532 complete w gear box and prop but have been looking at other options i have the oppertunity to purchase a 0 time smoh McCullich 0-100 which is lighter and more power 72 hp for $600.00 is this a good option money is to tight to go to nice engines that everyone else is running so i thought this may be a good upgrade that we can afford. Are they reliable, how long on overhauls, are parts available, and reasonably priced?
Thanks
Robert

[akflyer]

While it may say its 72 HP, it is direct drive and swinging a little prop. You will not get the thrust out of it that you need for anything resembling STOL performance. I would be saving up for a good used 582 instead of messing with the Mac..

[rogerh12]

Robert;

I find your McCullich 0-100 engine option very interesting. I am not familiar with this engine, but it looks like it might do well in a smaller kitfox or the like. Although many folks think only a Rotax belongs in a Kitfox or Avid, folks have install other experimental engines and done pretty well, and for a fraction of the price of a new Rotax 912.

I personally would not install another 2-stroke in any plane I fly (but that’s just me), so the big plus for the engine is that it is a direct drive 4-stroke, making simple, rugged and fairly light (no re-drive required). However, the Kitfox type aircraft do better with engines capable of spinning a fairly large diameter prop, and my concern is prop selection for this engine would be limited. I think you are looking for at least a 60” prop, because of the largish frontal area of the kitfox and Avid. Also, parts might be a problem (do you know where you can get parts)?

[desertfox1]

The McCulloch 0-100 engine is a 2-Cycle engine built
for drone use. Designed as a 50 hour engine as it was
meant to be shot down. It has been used in gyrocopters
with some success.

[akflyer]

You care to point out where you gathered that lil tid bit of info from?? You must have found the only 4 stroke Mac ever made for drones..

[rogerh12]

We have one of these McCullich 0-100 here in our local Aviation Museum (in Topeka Kansas), it's where are EAA group meets on occasion. Here is the link with a picture of the display.

http://www.combatairmuseum.org/exhib...ch0-100-1.html

I was told before it was a 4-stroke, is that wrong?
(I must admit, I never really looked to close at it, we have a bunch of cooling things at this place, so maybe its' a 2-stroke, it kinda looks like one now that I see it again).

If you want a two-stroke on your plane, go ahead but I have not had good luck with them in general. I have had them quit on me before (not the Rotax, though the guy that I bought my model two had his seize in flight) but boats, motorcycles and other small engines. They general end up making me cuss.

Roger

[High Country]

Thanks for all the great imput, so we've decided to stay away from the mccullich so the question is do i use the 532 or change with something else, keeping in mind that finance is my biggest factor, where is a good place to purchase the nippondenso ignition system for the 532 and is there any other upgrades that will make it more reliable? I had the 447 on my skyraider and was very pleased with its performance for the lighter airplane. I would really like to go to a four stroke such as an 0-200 but the cost is a bit much, im a certified welder so building engine mounts etc is no problem for me if i can find an affordable 4 stroke.

[av8rps]

My wife and I are about to start building an Avid C kit and we are looking to see if there are any changes we should make along the way seeing as this is such an old kit, i currently have a new Rotax 532 complete w gear box and prop but have been looking at other options i have the oppertunity to purchase a 0 time smoh McCullich 0-100 which is lighter and more power 72 hp for $600.00 is this a good option money is to tight to go to nice engines that everyone else is running so i thought this may be a good upgrade that we can afford. Are they reliable, how long on overhauls, are parts available, and reasonably priced?
Thanks
Robert

Don't underestimate that little 532. I put 880 hours on a 532 without ever overhauling it, and it ran great the entire time. Plus, at 880 hours I lent it to a friend that was working on some mods for Rotax 2 strokes and used my engine for dyno testing before and after results, and found that little 532 dyon'd at 74 horsepower. He then dyno'd a 582 shortly after that and found it only did 62 horsepower. So the 532 makes power, runs good, and is a bargain for what it does for power. I wouldn't hesitate to use that engine, they are good engines. Might be worth putting a nippondenso ignition system on it so you don't have to screw around with point adjustments (which you normally do once you have 25+ hours on motor, and then it is good for a long time). Also, fwiw, the Avid flown from France to the North Poloe in 1987 was powered by a 532 Rotax. So even though many will not get too excited about a 532 Rotax, they work well.

Paul S