Info needed for Rotec radial install in Model 4

[Lynn Matteson]

I bit the bullet, and am installing an R2800 radial in my Model 4. The Jabiru finally gave it up last Saturday, and I'm going the round motor route this time. I sent out an email to Joe Meyers, just now, and figured I'd mention it here as well.

Lynn Matteson

[avidflyer]

Hi Lynn, can't help on the radial install, but am curious what happened to the Jabiru? Jim Chuk

[Lynn Matteson]

Hi Jim-
I was hoping someone would ask...quite a story.

Myself and a friend (Fred) lifted off at 7:40am and by 7:51am we were stopped in a hay field...all of 11 minutes for the flight. We were headed to Sturgis, Michigan for a fly-in b'fast, and had just started to settle in for the roughly 1-hour flight, when I was setting the red knob for LOP operation, and the engine started to pop and bang. I'd never had this response from the engine in the previous 1100 hours of LOP operation, so this came as a surprise. Before anybody thinks this was a result of LOP, it wasn't...an exhaust valve head had popped off, it turned out, and then the racket started. About 6 seconds after the noise started, it got very quiet...I was busy looking down at my retract pressure gauges, as I had the floats on, and the wheels were up at the time. Fred said "There goes the prop!" I got the wheels down, and started looking for a field to land in...we were in farm country, and there was a slightly undulating field ahead and below, and I slipped it down, avoiding the first dip in the "runway" and greased it in just like I knew what I was doing. A close-by neighbor came over and helped us fold the wings back and drain the fuel tanks. During this operation, a Sheriff deputy arrived, and asked if we were ok, and of course we were. He left to follow up on the props' whereabouts, but didn't come up with anything but an address where we later inquired about it. I called my flight instructor, who called in help in the form of two guys and a trailer, and while Fred and I were heading back home to get stuff, they had the plane loaded on the trailer, we secured the wings, and headed for home. All in all, the whole ordeal took just around 5 hours from lift-off to having it back in the hangar.
When the engine finally seized from the piston hammering on the valve head, the prop flange bolts...all six of them...sheared off due to the inertia of the spinning prop...all six, cleanly sheared off.
Looking at the engine when I got home, I noticed that the starter looked like it was cocked up. Then I saw the bulge in the crankcase half. The force of the internal damage had bent the rod up to where it pushed a portion of the crankcase up, tearing a hole in the 'case. Taking the head off, I saw that the con rod was bent nearly 180 degrees...enough that the pin end was laying right over one of the two rod bolts. The piston pin was split end-for-end, and I found one piece laying in the cylinder bore, along with chunks of the piston. I later found another long piece of pin in the exhaust megaphone. I haven't found the rest of the piston pin yet...probably in the pan.
No word yet on the prop, but we visited the folks who saw the plane coming down and saw the prop go off on it's own flight plan. They said they'd look for it, a I posted a $100 reward if they can find it...another object for my man cave.
The man who came over to help shot a video, and sent it in the local channel 10 news, and it was on the air within a few hours of the incident. Oh, by the way, we were at 1100 feet agl at the time of the failure.

Lynn

[Esser]

Glad you are safe and sound Lynn. Any communication with Jabiru?

[Lynn Matteson]

Not much point in talking to Jabiru, as I've got 1698 hours on the engine, and this is WAY beyond the point where any help would be forthcoming from them. I'm just going to chalk this up to experience, and move on. Hell, they were of no help when I broke a timing gear at 500-some hours.
Lynn

[avidflyer]

Glad things went well for you Lynn with the engine out. At least you have a plane to hang an engine on to. I'll bet a 80 HP 912 would do wonders on you Fox, but that of course is up to you. Jim Chuk

[DesertFox4]

Great save Lynn.

Best of luck on the Rotec install.
Here is some visual insperation.

image.jpg

[efwd]

Yeh, Thanks Desertfox4. Man, the Kitfox never looks better than when a Rotec is up front. Im jealous Lynn. Glad to hear your safe. The Kitfox with the Rotec on the Kitfox website is what provoked my Kitfox purchase however Im trying to keep it inside the LSA parameters so Im spending more but going Rotax 912is. I wish the Rotec were lighter. I know I will be doing a lot of solo flying but I would certainly be over 1320# with someone along for the ride and that beautiful engine up front.
Eddie

[Lynn Matteson]

Glad things went well for you Lynn with the engine out. At least you have a plane to hang an engine on to. I'll bet a 80 HP 912 would do wonders on you Fox, but that of course is up to you. Jim Chuk

Thanks, Jim...I've just never been a big fan of the Rotax...too many horror stories of shaking, carbs falling off, radiator placement, etc., when I first got into Kitfoxes. I know there are thousands of them flying all over the world, but once I got "a bad taste in my mouth" it was hard to let go of that notion.
And I really didn't like the notion of a high-revving engine with a geared prop...so what do I do, but order the Rotec radial, with a moderate speed engine and a geared prop...go figure.

Lynn

[Lynn Matteson]

[QUOTE=DesertFox4;58221]Great save Lynn.

Best of luck on the Rotec install.
Here is some visual insperation.

Thanks...what I'm looking for is engine mount dimensions for the Model 4. I live about 4 miles from an under-construction Model 7, with a Rotec 2800. But the mount dimensions are different between the 4 and the 7, and I'm not sure just how much stuff will get in the way down near the footwells. I could tell the mount-maker to space the engine out a bit, but that's not a good approach from a CG point of view. Also, I'm not sure how low to mount the engine from a thrust-line point of view. Was hoping to hear from somebody who has a Model 4, like Joe Meyers. Maybe I need to give John McBean a call, and ask if he has any advice.

Lynn