Cost of Five-Year Rubber Replacement

[sotexkitfox]

Hello All,

I'm new to the Kitfox world and I'm trying to learn as much as possible.

I'm looking at buying a '96 Model IV with 750 hours on a Rotax 912 (I don't know which model 912). Although I'm waiting on a copy of the logbooks, I don't believe the five-year items are current and I'll have to get them done myself, including the carburetor inspection.

In speaking with an A&P who is Rotax certified, he says that on a certified aircraft (not experimental) the five-year items and carburetor inspection can run as much as $6000 to $7000. I'm hoping he is incorrect for this Kitfox.

Can any of you shed some light on what the cost should be before I purchase the aircraft?

Thank you,

Will
La Vernia, TX

[Slyfox]

OMG are you serious... 6 to 7 thousand. wow! I think I can do mine for under 200 but that's me. I do all the work. wow, I can't believe that one

[Slyfox]

oh, one more thing, I would be learning real quick how to work on airplanes.

[sotexkitfox]

Yep, that's not a misprint. $6000 to $7000 for a certified aircraft with a Rotax. What's the difference? How can you do it for $200? Of course, that includes his labor rate of $65 per hour, but still...Something doesn't jive here.

Will

[Slyfox]

for one, the kitfox is NOT a certified aircraft. first I do all the work.
second all the parts can be bought at NAPA. take the hose to the radiator, that's 2" radiator hose. I just replace mine and I got a 2 foot hose and installed it with clamps. real cheap. I replaced my fuel hose last year. I think again I used 2 ft of 1/8 auto fuel injection line. forget the firesleeve that most people like to put on, the engine area only goes maybe to 180 degrees maybe less because air is going through there all the time. Also I like to keep an eye on the main hose, that firesleeve stuff hides it. oil hose, again double braided rubber transmission line works really good on this, don't know the size I use, but can be gotten. then it's just a matter of changing them out. not to bad really.

the carb, remove the bowl and inspect. leave the fuel in it and check the floats, do they float nice and even between the two. if one is bad you will know, it will sink. usually the mid range circuit is the trouble maker, you take a straight screw driver and unscrew that and chase some brake cleaner in there and watch out the inlet where the filter is and watch for it to come out then hit some air in there. done. time to go fly.

yes YOU can do all this. nothing stopping you but maybe your fear and your mechanical ability. you can log the repair and sign it off. but then again, it's best to have a local FSDO give you the latest greatest paperwork for experimentals, sorry at the moment my brain is in fade mode. My 96 model had to have them upgraded. AH! operating limitations. That's just a process of having someone in the FAA FSDO issue the newest set. at least for me.

hope this helps

[sotexkitfox]

You can log the repair and sign it off. But then again, it's best to have a local FSDO give you the latest greatest paperwork for experimentals, sorry at the moment my brain is in fade mode. My 96 model had to have them upgraded. AH! operating limitations. That's just a process of having someone in the FAA FSDO issue the newest set. at least for me.

hope this helps

Ok, I get that I can do all the work myself, but I don't understand what you wrote here about the local FSDO. Can you explain this? I'm a little slow.

Thanks,
Will

[Dave S]

Sotexkitfox,

If we are talking about parts......a fair extimate would be in the neighborhood of $1,000. You can shop around for some things...the 1" hose for the radiator is a standard auto parts hose. Same with the heater hose if you have a heater installed. The pricy stuff where there isn't many options are things specific to Rotax like the carb diaphrams and the carb flanges. Rotax has a new fuel pump which is an improvement in that it has a drain spigot to hook to a line to divert gasoling away from the engine in the case of a diaphragm ruptures on the fuel pump...not all that pricy for the pump - about $100.

There are a couple Rotax dealers around like LEAF indicated on the sponsor's column to the left on this list and Califoirnia Power systems plus maybe a couple more a person can get price quotes....probably wouldn't save a whole lot but someRotax parts may be less expensive from one dealer to dealer. Kitfox can supply many parts.

All on all, a person should be able to get all the parts for around $1,000. Of course, others mileage may vary and I can't guarantee it's the same as the last time I got the parts.

It takes some work and care to install the parts so sweat equity can save a lot on labor.

Another thing to keep in mind....Rotax only cares about rubber parts on the engine.....they could give a rat's elbow about other system parts like the fuel line, tanks, & associated rubber parts etc which can bite one in tne tochous too if they break.

Sincerely,

Dave S

[Slyfox]

I went to a flyin down in McCall Idaho one year and the FAA was there doing inspections on aircraft with NO action if they found things out of sorts. the aircraft passed ok but my operating limitations were way out of date so to speak. I think it even said in them that I couldn't do any repair as an owner. so when I got back home, I went into the FSDO, the mini FAA office at my airport. At that time the fella inside went and updated all the wording to current which gave me a lot of freedoms for doing repairs and such on the aircraft. you still have to get the annual signed off by an A&P but everything else was super cool. glad I got it done. I'm sure your limitations in this airplane is of vintage.

Operating limitations are a couple pages of things that experimentals have to go by. they also have to be in the aircraft with registration and such.

[sotexkitfox]

Ok, Thanks Dave.

[Slyfox]

Dave not trying to undermine anything. but 1000 is, I think a little high, but then again if nothing has ever been done, then yes. possibly.

those diaphragms. like anything else, you can remove them and check very carefully for rips. the carb sockets, most likely they are damaged. but get the good ones that have the metal inside, then they will last a good long time.

Yes Dave, you could be right, 1000 dollars. if this aircraft has not been touched. but then again, lets think of all parts hanging on the motor is subject.

I found that the older fuel pump is a whole bunch better than that newer bad pump. I think it has A/C on it or something. the older one is from Germany I think. but that one will start leaking out the vent, then it's time to replace. that thing is expensive. so adding that for the 1000 yup, again you're right