From: enns@waterloo.hp.com (Roger Enns)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.homebuilt
Subject: Re: VW engine conversion (by HAPI) & a few questions
Date: 15 Oct 92 21:26:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: waterloo.Bw6M8D.FEz
Organization: HP Panacom Div Waterloo ON Canada
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]

Filip M. Gieszczykiewicz (fmgst+@pitt.edu) (karol+@pitt.edu) wrote:
: 
: 	Greetings. Went out on a limb and bought a Jeanie's Teenie I.
: 	Wings & empenage have been already rebuilt. Cockpit & front 
: 	gear (this is a tricicle) need SERIOUS help - but that's not
: 	why I'm writing ;-)

Congrats on your new purchase!

: 
: 	I also got a VW 1500 engine with it. It has 50 hours on it and
: 	comes with a HAPI (Homebuilt Aircraft Products International)
: 	booklet titled "How to build a reliabale volks aero engine"
: 	and all the parts necessare for the conversion - less the
: 	turbocharger which I would not install even if I did get it ;-)

If the engine has not run in years, I would suggest a tear-down
and inspection.  The nice thing with VW's is that while they are
apart, it only costs a couple hundred bucks, and you can have the
engine rebuilt! (asuming no major damage, of course).  You might
want to consider bumping up engine size a bit.  The extra power
is always nice to have, although perhaps not entirely necessary
as the Teenie is indeed teeny.
I have read HAPI's book as well.  It is a well thought out
document certainly worth keeping a hold of.

: 	About the same time as the front landing gear got CRUNCHED
: 	during a wind gust, the carburator was reduced to ashes ;-)
: 	Does anyone know what carb I can use with this engine. I will

You can use any of a number of carbs on your engine.  Two basic
varieties are the throttle body injector type, or constant
velocity carb, and the regular venturi type carb.  If your intake
is set up as per std. VW aero practise, with the carb below the
engine, then carb ice is a very real concern.  The intake and
carb can collect ice very easily, so be sure to set up a very
ample source of carb heat.
Using a CV carb will minimize carb icing problems, but not
eliminate them (I had an incident of carb ice on my Ellison 2
weeks ago).  If you are flying in areas where carb ice is not
generally a concern (Arizona, for instance), a venturi carb would
do the trick for you.  If you plan to fly in areas prone to carb
ice, then I strongly recommend a CV type carb, as a safety
precaution only.

CV carbs for VW's come in two major types: 1) POSA and variants,
2) Ellison TBI.
They both operate on the same principle, with
the Ellison being the 'Cadillac' IMHO, and the POSA being a
somewhat crude but workable alternative.  You could probably get
a used POSA for 50-100 bucks, Ellison new is ~$400.         

Several diffent types of venturi carbs have been used sucessfully
on the VW.  The Tillotson is one, and I believe a stock VW carb
has also been used in some applications.

Fuel pressure requirements vary from carb to carb.  I believe the
POSA requires a fuel pump and regulator.  I am running an Ellison
gravity fed with no problems.  The Tillotson can be used
sans-pump as well.

I have experience with the Ellison, Tillotson, and indirectly
with POSA.  We used a Tillotson initially on the DF, but had
severe carb icing problems, and switched to the Ellison.

: 	post a more detailed account (such as which type & # this engine
: 	is and what slipped throught the bottom of the cartoon before I
: 	got it :-) The plane was designed for a gravity-feed gas tank
: 	so please take that into account... If we add an electrical 
: 	system - most likely just a battery that we recharge before

The battery is used for communications radio?

: 	the flight (this being a "Sunday plane" :-) - I may add either
: 	a primary (!!) or at least a backup fuel system (mainly because
: 	fuel supply is all we can control when the engine dies (!!) since
: 	there isn't enough space for an engine starter...and milling of
: 	the prop lasts only so long :-)

I haven't heard of backup fuel systems being used in aircraft
such as this.  Perhaps it might be best to have a very solid main
system, backed up with frequent inspections and maintenance
(filter changes, gascolator checks, etc).  As long as the
compression is set to some wildly high value, you should be able
to keep the prop windmilling without trouble.  A friend did some
power-out glide tests in his Dragonfly, and said that the prop
stops at about 80mph, but it takes 140mph to get it spinning
again!

: 	QUESTION:
: 
: 	The Tel number in the HAPI manual is disconnected. The address
: 	given is:
: 
: 	Homebuilt Aircraft Products International
: 	Hangar 4, Calexico Intl. Airport 
: 	Box 5951 
: 	Calexico, CA. 92231

This company went belly up a couple of years ago.  The remains
was purchased by Mosler.  Mosler continues to sell VW based
powerplants along with a couple of VW powered aircraft designs.
The address I have is the following:

MOSLER Airframes and Powerplants
140 Ashwood Rd.
Hendersonville, NC
28739     Phone:  704-692-7713

Also, Great Plains is another VW conversion company, sorry no
address on hand for this one.

: 	Is there anyone local who can get me a number for the airport, or
: 	better yet, knows if ANY of these people are still in business

Rex is no longer in the aviation business.  His son Patrick is
running Viking Aircraft, selling parts and plans for the
Dragonfly.

: 	I would really appreciate any help that anyone can provide.
: 	Please e-mail your reples to "fmgst+@pitt.edu" or post them!
: 	Take care.
: 	PLEASE REPLY TO "fmgst+@pitt.edu" NOT THIS ACCOUNT. THANK YOU.
: -- 

Your welcome,

Roger Enns (enns@waterloo.hp.com) Panacom Automation Division, HP
C-GIIV Dragonfly, 1979 RX7 13B, 1985 Colt
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.homebuilt