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Thread: Ultralight Engine Options

  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Heffelfinger View Post
    The MZ is a fine engine - the reports of the MZ being a bad engine come from 12 years ago with disgruntled PPC owners who didn't know how to tune the carbs. ( Rotax has the same problem - they just did a better job of addressing it) It is true that the owner is not a salesman and there is not a distribution network. His machine work is excellent. The PPG people like his engine. I have the MZ-201. Rotax 337, 447 , 503s are readily available with plenty plenty of parts worldwide and a lot of people skilled in maintaining them.
    Jim I agree but you could have the best product in the world but if you treat your customers badly you have junk. I am impressed with the line of engines Compact Radial has, but after my dealings with this companies owner I will not even look at them.

    Tony

  2. #12

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    I will give you some history:

    Compact radial build a reduction unit that was held on by 3 bolts. After having these units in service everyone of these failed. Leon recalled these units but he had some that never did get returned. They went on new airplanes and sold to customers like me. After loosing my prop and reduction unit at 1000' to say I was upset was not saying enough.
    I call and speak with some man whom answered the phone, he was the one who informed me about these failures. It was not Leon the owner. When I mentioned this to him he cussed me up one wall then down the other. He was upset or pissed.
    He blamed everyone but his product for my incident that could have killed me. It cost me over 1300 bucks to repair this engine. This was a brand new engine and airplane. 4 hrs total time on both.
    He should have replaced my parts and no charge to me and smiled doing it. He bitched as I forked over 1300 bucks to repair my engine. Never again. I will not fly behind two strokes. You can have them.

    Tony

  3. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr_Intensity View Post
    Ooooooohhhhhhh....Sexy Italian Affordaplane! :-D

    Guys, I want to thank all of you for the comments and suggestions. I hope the belite engine is for real. Usually, when it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
    Just wanted to state for the record the James Wiebe of Belite is one of the most straight-up guys around. It's not "his" engine, he just found it. Engine-wise, he's certainly kissed enough toads over the years, maybe he finally found a prince!

  4. #14
    zaitcev's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr_Intensity View Post
    1/2 VW is iffy.
    I see Tony isn't biting, but what's iffy about 1/2 WV? If you listen to Sam or any other Legal Eagle flier, 1/2 WV is the best engine ever made.

  5. #15

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    I do like the 1/2 vw or the vw line of aviation engines. I would never pass up a 4 stroke.

    Tony

  6. #16
    Sam Buchanan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by zaitcev View Post
    I see Tony isn't biting, but what's iffy about 1/2 WV? If you listen to Sam or any other Legal Eagle flier, 1/2 WV is the best engine ever made.
    Don't know about "best engine ever made", but the 1/2 VW is an excellent option for a plane that can use a direct drive engine.
    Sam Buchanan
    The RV Journal RV-6 build log
    Fokker D.VII semi-replica build log

  7. #17

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    Aug 2011
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Finney View Post
    Just wanted to state for the record the James Wiebe of Belite is one of the most straight-up guys around. It's not "his" engine, he just found it. Engine-wise, he's certainly kissed enough toads over the years, maybe he finally found a prince!
    Isn't James in Wichita?
    I think that's just the "Bible belt" attitude.

  8. #18

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    I believe the Italian engine in question might be a Polini. I have a recent trike with a Polini Thor-250 that runs like a champ. It is only 36 hp, but is water-cooled, and has been flawless in the first ten hours. I will post any interesting results as the hours start to add up. So far, so good.

  9. #19
    sonex293's Avatar
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    Engine Picture from facebook....

    https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/...77237326_o.jpg

    Definitely a Polini.

    ==
    Michael

  10. #20

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    Sep 2013
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    So on the subject of engines. I have a Rotax 503 from a snowmobile. Is it comparable with the gear drives for use in an airframe? I've read there are some differences in the case that would affect the bolt patterns.

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