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<< Lancair Builders' Mail List >>
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I have finished the preliminary installation of the first Eagle 540 from
American Engine in my Lancair IV-P. For those unfamiliar with this engine,
I will give a little background. This is a scratch built aircraft engine
based on a V-8 configuration rather than an auto engine conversion. The
engine is water cooled with the radiator mounted in a belly nacelle(P-51
style) in the Lancair installation. The engine has dual redundant
computers for control of all engine functions. There are dual fuel
injectors for each cylinder and each cylinder has its own ignition coil.
Ther are twin turbos and dual intercoolers. Displacement is 540 ci. The
engine made over 800hp in the test cell but has been derated to 500hp for
the LIV installation. With the dual turbos the engine will be able to make
its rated power to >24,000 ft. This is a geared
engine with helical gears and a torsional vibration isolator. For more
details check the American Engine web site.
The engine was run at low power settings for the fist several runs to check
basic engine parameters and to check for leaks in the oil and cooling
systems. I do not have my tach interfaced with the engine computer yet so
I can not give specifics as to the exact power settings at which the engine
was run. I hope to get the tach interface wired today and will be able to
give more specific data in the future. Thus far the engine was run at idle
which is reported as 1000 RPM on the engine and 560RPM on the prop based on
test cell runs. It was run up to about 1/4 throttle for the first runs on
the airframe. The engine is amazingly smooth at idle and through the power
settings thus far. It is more suggestive of a turbine than a typical
aircraft engine. I was also supprised that the noise was not as loud as I
expected with the engine running at these low power settings( prior running
of the engine has always been in the test cell with large mufflers
conducting exhaust to the outside).
I hope to keep you updated on the progress. This is an exciting time for me
as I have been waiting for this engine for several years. It sure was good
to finally see that prop spinning.
Rick Van Grouw
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LML website: http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html
Builders' Bookstore: http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair
Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.
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