Real World Solutions, Inc
Home of RA Classic Apex Seals and RA Super Seals
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Aero Products - FAQ's(also see General FAQ page and Apex seal FAQ page)
Aero Product FAQs at a glance (click on the question to JUMP to the answer). Avionics Questions Why is your EC2 better than the automotive ECU that I can get free with my engine? How should I wire my FLIGHT CRITICAL STUFF in my plane? Can I use the EC2 with a variable pitch and/or constant speed prop? Can you tell me an estimated amperage load of
the EC2, EM2, 4 I have your engine controller and my engine won't start. What do I do? Gear Drive Questions I plan to use your gear reduction drive. What do I need to supply to install the drive? What starter fits the RD-1B/C drives? Where does the oil feed for the gear drive come from?
Avionics Questions Q. Why is your EC2 better than the automotive ECU that I can get free with my engine?
A. 1. The EC2 is redundant. Modern auto ECUs are very reliable but
they are complex and can fail. I like having a 'Plan B' if it should
happen. The EC2 provides a back up system not found in an auto ECU.
2. The stock ECU is a closed loop system which uses an O2 sensor to
control mixture. Avgas degrades the sensor causing the ECU to default to
a rich mixture. This will adversely affect fuel burn. The EC2 does NOT use an
o2 sensor to control fuel mixture, so running AVGAS has no negative impact on
the EC2 (only on your wallet...)
3. The stock ECU is designed to run at 14.7 - 1 air - fuel ratio for
emissions reasons. Better power for takeoff & climb can be achieved
with an optimized richer mixture. Lower fuel burn can be had at
cruising conditions at much leaner mixtures. The EC2 gives the pilot
complete control of the mixture.
4. Late model stock ECUs are tied into just about every system in the
car. Anti theft, ABS, traction and stability control, auto transmission
control and many others. You must disable or simulate many of these
functions in order to use the ECU in our application. This can be a VERY
time consuming process. Many of them also have engine protection
features which we would not want (I.e. over temp shutdown). the EC2 is
designed specifically for use in aircraft - you get exactly what you need and
nothing that you DON'T need.
5. Many stock ECUs require a mass airflow sensor which takes up valuable
room under the cowl. The EC2 is a speed-density type EFI system
which requires no mass airflow sensor. It also eliminates the need for a
TPS (throttle position sensor).
6. The stock ECU (RX-8) uses a fly-by-wire (FBW) throttle system.
this can be a challenging thing to implement in an aircraft. (There are,
however, advantages to this and future versions of the EC2 will include FBW.)
7. The complexity of the stock ECU requires a very complex (and
relatively heavy) wiring harness. The EC2 requires a small fraction of
the wiring required by the stock ECU.
Q. How should I wire the FLIGHT CRITICAL stuff in my airplane? A. The following answer was contributed by Chris Mallory: THANKS, CHRIS!!
Q. I plan to use a turbo 20B engine on my plane. Do I need larger injectors? How will this impact the EC2/EC3 engine controller? A. Tracy does not suggest using larger injectors. You do not need them. IF you decide to use them anyway, you can, and the EC2 will work. However, depending on how large the injectors are, it will make tuning at idle and low RPM more difficult. The large the injectors, the more difficult the tuning will become at low RPM. Q. Can I use the EC2/EC3 with a variable pitch and/or constant speed prop? A. YES YES YES- the EC2/EC3 WILL WORK with a variable pitch and/or constant speed prop. We understand that there is an "arm chair engineer" out there who is spreading the story that the EC2 will not work with these props. That is untrue - it will work fine. Q. Can you tell me an estimated amperage load of the
EC2/3, EM2/3, 4
A. EC2 .25 amp
EM2 1.5 amps
Injectors about .75 amp each (exact load depends on rpm)
Coil 1.5 amp average but depends on RPM
(PEAK coil current CAN be as much as 9 amps each but that is not the average.
In other words, do not put tiny fuses in, thinking that is OK)
Q. I have the EC2/EC3 and my engine will not start. What do I do? If you have trouble starting your engine and want to ask for assistance, be sure you have checked the usual things and can answer the following questions. EMAIL the questions and responses to Tracy. Have you tried the backup controller? Have you run the diagnostics? Are you getting spark at the plugs during cranking? Are the fuel injectors firing and delivering fuel to the engine? Is the engine flooding? Is the fuel pressure normal (32-40 psi)? Have you double checked the timing? Does the engine have normal cranking compression? (75-100 PSI) Have you tried a NEW set of spark plugs after verifying all the above and correcting any problems? The rotary is extremely sensitive to flooding fouled spark plugs. We are not clairvoyant, so please DO NOT call after the starting attempt and say "My engine will not start.. why not?" Be SURE to have all the answers to the above questions before calling. If you have given it your all and still have no joy, give us a call on a customer support day or better yet, send an email to Tracy@rotaryaviation.com and include your symptoms and test results.
Gear Drive Questions Q. I plan to use your gear drive on my plane. What parts do I need to provide? A. You need to provide a FLY WHEEL (also called a Flex Plate) from a 1986-1991 AUTOMATIC engine. It MUST be from an automatic and NOT a manual transmission engine. If you are using a 1993/1995 OR Renesis engine, you still need to get a flex plate from a 1986-1991 automatic engine. You will NOT USE the manual transmission fly wheel. You will NOT USE the manual transmission counterweight. You also need the COUNTERWEIGHT from an AUTOMATIC car. Your counterweight MUST match the series of your engine as defined below:
* Series 5 and Series 6 engines use the SAME counterweight, so if you have a Series 5 engine you can use a Series 6 counterweight, and visa verse. You do NOT need any other parts from the transmission of the engine. You will NOT use the bell housing. We supply all the other parts to bolt the RD-1B/C drive to your plane. We include the adaptor plate (for rotary engine installations only); the spacers and even all the bolts and hardware.
Q. What starter fits the RD-1B/C drives? A. The 1988 RX-7 manual transmission non turbo starter
Q. Where does the oil feed for the gear drive come from? A. You can supply oil to the gear drive from any point in the oil system AFTER the oil filter and oil cooler. |
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