Roost Air Lounge => General Discussion => Topic started by: Nutsnbolts on September 01, 2006, 04:45:37 AM
Title: Diesel engines for homebuilts
Post by: Nutsnbolts on September 01, 2006, 04:45:37 AM
G'day future statistics, my first time in any sort of chat forum. My name is Fred and I fly out of Archerfield in Brisbane. I am looking for any info on new technology for an engine design to suit a homebuilt twin, 2 place, 150kts, preferably diesel and able to use jet A1. can anybody help?
Title: Re: Diesel engines for homebuilts
Post by: Mike on September 01, 2006, 06:46:21 PM
Wow?! A real technical question..... I am out, sorry. (more of a turbine guy)
Anybody?
veljoym maybe?!
Title: Re: Diesel engines for homebuilts
Post by: Baradium on September 01, 2006, 06:55:38 PM
Only diesel I know of is the Theilert Centrurian, which the Diamond Twinstar (as well as a few STC'd Cessna 172s) uses.
There might be something else out now, but I'm not sure.
IIRC the Centurian is a modified automotive engine. Might be a bit big unless you mean a big two place.
Might be easier to build it as a single. ;)
If you do a web search you might come up with something.
Title: Re: Diesel engines for homebuilts
Post by: Frank N. O. on September 01, 2006, 09:18:29 PM
The Theilert engines were to my knowledge based on a 1.9L Mercedes-Benz A-Class engine (tiny 1-box model only sold in Europe I believe, the one that flipped over during a german magazine Elk-test (fast double evasive manouver, out and quickly in again) and was then halted in production and refitted with stiff springs and ESP as std. that couldn't be switched off).
Doesn't Roland actually work with the company that makes these things btw? He could probably tell a lot on the subject. But a diesel-engine is heavy due to the strong block needed because of the very high compression some of them run at and of course then there's the water-cooling, but it's worth a shot to check out in any case. There are smaller advanced diesel-engines out there though, like a joint Peugeot-Ford (Europe) 1.4L turbo-unit but that's just for the automotive market and not rebuilt/tested/certified for aviation.
Good luck Frank
Title: Re: Diesel engines for homebuilts
Post by: fireflyr on September 01, 2006, 09:55:05 PM
I'm with Mike on that one too---(just another dumb pilot) Roland would probably a wealth of knowledge (he had something to do with Diamond A/C previously?) ???
JUST KIDDING, MIKE, put the gun down!!!
Title: Re: Diesel engines for homebuilts
Post by: Mike on September 02, 2006, 04:25:15 AM
no guns drawn there Jim... sometimes it looks like pilots who fly as a hobby know more about aviation in general than us "professional" pilots.... ;) Take Frank for example: His theroetical knowledge about aviation and his ability to retain all this information blows me away all the time! (I mean it...not being sarcastic for a change...)
....all I know is how to fly the damn thing.... :-\
Title: Re: Diesel engines for homebuilts
Post by: spacer on September 02, 2006, 04:34:49 PM
I understand the Theilert is a good engine, though the FAA is being rather conservative with the requirements on everything. At Central, they're still waiting for a DA-42 to show up. They've been promised 'next year' for a few years now. The engines, on certificated aircraft, have a Time Between Replacement at the moment, and they aren't allowed an overhaul. This may change in the future, and if it doesn't, perhaps it'll be a nice source for experimental builder/pilots. You can also go to http://dieselair.com/ for news and reports on different manufacturers. There are a few out there now. One reason I'm starting to think about the idea more is the feared shortage of 100LL (which I can avoid with an XP360, which will use Mogas if you're picky) and the relative ease of processing Jet-A (as well as the much larger market for it). I think there's a great future for diesel engines in aviation, and there will certainly be a market for it.
Title: Re: Diesel engines for homebuilts
Post by: Nutsnbolts on September 07, 2006, 03:01:25 AM
Thanks You Guys, I have googled it a few times and I will look up diesel.com it may be three years before I actually get to deciding on a final engine spec but in between time I will keep looking.
