Paul Lee - SQ2000 Project, Pierre SD USA

Engine:

Originally I made a deposit on a 200 HP Jabiru 6000 engine which was supposed to be available mid 2002.

At Oshkosh '02 the Jabiru rep indicated that the engine will not be producing until 2003 - too late for my project. Spring 2003 update: Jabiru started producing its engine about mid April but it turns out that it was derated down to 180HP which is slightly low for my plans.

I decided to get a 6 cyl. 200+ hp Franklin engine. Velocity aircraft has successfully installed Franklins and stocks an engine baffling shroud.

09-23-2002 Update: Purchased a low time logged (1430 hrs) Franklin 6A-350-C2 6 cyl engine from Franklin Aircraft Engines Inc. highly recommended by the company owner. Will install new cylinder liners and valve guides checked/replaced, the camshaft checked/surfaced and all new rings and camshaft/crankshaft bearings. The engine came with a rebuilt, yellow tagged crankshaft.

The camshaft turned out to be a reject beyond repair and somehow I wished that the engine seller warned me about it. The problem is obvious enough after I got more experience with it. Managed to get a reasonably priced good used cam from A-1 Service in Jewett, TX (903-626-5115 Susan). I also found Bruce Kown, another Franklin dealer (Cartersville, GA 770-386-7435) very helpful and willing to give advice even when I made no purchases from him.

11/12/02 The total price of basic rebuilt engine (without accessories) came out to $9,900. A factory new one was about $16,300.

Fuel pump(s): For some reason, Franklin had a recall on fuel pumps and they were expensive and hard to get. So I am going for a dual Facet electric pump setup.

Ignition system: Dual LightSpeedEngineering Plasma II ignition.

Electrical system: Dual independent electrical systems with double battery: First battery for main fuel pump, avionics, RG power and left ignition; second battery for starter, second fuel pump and right ignition. The alternator will charge both batteries through a simplified battery isolator circuit (see circuit details)

05/26/2010 update: Rotec TBI and new 8.5 pistons installed - see TBI and 8.5 pistons installation description.

Franklin engine mods.  - includes some by John Burnaby (March 2011 +).

TCM IO-360-C engine:
06/06/2011 Purchased experimental remanufactured 0 time TCM IO-360-C engine to replace the Franklin after some issues with the new 8.5 piston and TBI that could not be resolved in reasonable time and funds.

Propeller:

First prop: IVO 66" in-flight adjustable prop from Paul Peterson who discontinued his project and gave me a price cut. IVO was kind enough to exchange his previous prop for the size/type I needed. Sold 01/22/2009. I was unhappy with some vibrations which seemed beyond what I seen in other planes. Perhaps the particular prop construction did not agree with the SQ2000 turbulence behind the wings.

01/13/2009: Ordered a 3 blade from Craig Catto. Craig said he would get it out by March, but......?

03/22/2009: I contacted some half dozen propeller makers in my search and it seems they were all behind in production at least 4 weeks. Some of them were 6 months behind (like Prince props, albeit they would turn it out fast if you pay a 50% premium). Sensenich props advertised a special prior Sun-N-Fun. But after contacting them and expressing interest they never got back to me. That is amazing for serious recession time. More people should go into propeller making.

Avionics:

Click here for original panel.

09/13/2010 Panel Revision. The free use ePanel.com I used for previous panel illustration gave up the ghost.
I sold the Garmin 300XL/King 950/NARCO 122D/GPS IFR package since I never got an IFR rating as I planed to.
The new additions are MGL Mini EFIS/EIS combo, Flightline FL-760 radio and Anywhere Map Quadra GPS - later replaced with Bendix/King AV8OR. I sold some of the redundant steam gauge avionics and moved the Dynon D10 to the right as a backup. The MGL replaced the RMI engine monitor and saved a ton of wiring and saved a lot of cost since it adapted to most engine sensors I already had. The EFIS has a GPS flight attitude simulator which seems good enough for VFR flying. This eliminates the need for purchasing the expensive AHRS addon. The Dynon D10 backup EFIS has an AHRS built in.
Return to main page