View Full Version : Engine analyzer C172sp
pmh1234
8th Oct 2008, 22:47
We own a C172sp year 2000 with an IO-360
We are considering to install a EDM 700 engine analyzer.
The engine is app 1750 hours and we are planing/hoping to continue to 2500. Further more we are awaiting news in the lycoming mogas story. Could be an option to run it on maybee high octane shell v-power or a combination of avgas an regular gas.
Is it a good idea to invest in an engine analyzer (even on a basic engine like this)?
The unit is TSO'ed an have a base cost off app. 1300$. What about EASA. Do we need a lot of extra cost for EASA ppaer work? Anybody have an idea what install cost is?
You need to get it installed by an avionics shop, so I would get some quotes from them.
You can find the prices at JPI (http://www.jpinstruments.com)but the European prices will be something else :)
The installation time for a 4-cylinder EDM700 (no fuel flow option) is about a day.
It is a highly worthwhile product. Along with an accurate fuel flow totaliser, these are the two most essential bits of avionics if one is flying any real distances.
S-Works
9th Oct 2008, 08:10
I paid about a grand for mine fitted. Got the unit from Harry M and my engineer fitted it with my help in a day.
vanHorck
9th Oct 2008, 08:21
I had a 760 fitted with GAMI injectors in my Seneca. One of the probes turned out to be slightly faulty and was replaced. But because it was only slightly off in terms of reading it took a while to figure out it was the probe and not the cylinder. So be cautious at the beginning!
Apart from that, best investment i ever made! She runs great LOP and saves money.
The fuel flow too in my airplane is much more accurate than the original dial
dirkdj
9th Oct 2008, 10:53
May I suggest you do the online Advanced Pilots Seminar? It deals with running the engine with the help of an all-cylinder engine analyser and understanding what's behind the numbers.
I greatly recommend hooking up the EDM to your installed GPS if you have one. Its a two-way RS232 and very simple. My GPS knows how much fuel is on board from the EDM and the EDM knows the groundspeed and time to next waypoint/destination from the GPS so I have a running fuel log updated as the wind changes.
I can also pinpoint bad sparkplugs and leads even before landing. Giving the exact cylinder and magneto saves time after having a mag drop on runup. I do additional magchecks LOP in flight at the end of the flight so no surprises at next runup.
You do airborne mag checks, dirkj?
You do airborne mag checks
Thread hijack......yes I do airborne mag checks.
Every once in a while as a habit or if I think I hear something funny such as rough runnin or other noises.
Caught several bad mags that way, even those that show a normal mag drop in the run up.
dirkdj
9th Oct 2008, 18:48
IO540, LOP inflight magchecks are very revealing. If a mag would drop out completely don't switch back to BOTH, first pull mixture to idle cut off, then mag switch to BOTH, then mixture slowly back to normal. Bad plugs show up dozens of hours before they would show up on a ground ROP runup.
pmh1234
9th Oct 2008, 19:16
Thanks for the answers:)
It is tempting to have also the fuel flow option. Is that a much more complicated install?
Anybody knows if we need EASA paperwork on this or not? I like to know before asking the shop. It seems that everytime we want something done they add on top an EASA paperwork fee :(
You will need EASA paperwork. I don't know if this is a major mod or a minor mod though.
It would pay to phone several avionics shops and ask them if they have done this installation before - specifically the fuel flow option if you go for that, since that is less than trivial and requires some pipes and stuff that has to be done right. Try avoid paying others to go up learning curves at your expense.
You have disabled PMs but if you send me a PM with your email address I can send you some info on fuel flow stuff.
The fuel flow option involves installing a commonly used Flo-Scan 201 fuel flow transducer between the engine driven fuel pump and the carb (or fuel servo if fuel injected). The transducer assembly replaces the single pipe which is currently in there, with two pipes and the transducer between them. And some wiring (must be shielded cable - my last avionics shop did that wrong). The two new pipes are usually easy but there is a small chance of needing weird threads (unlikely on a Cessna). The pipes are about £50 each, the transducer about £300, labour about 1 day. Very important for the pipe going into the flow transducer to be the right (minimum) length and be very gently curving otherwise you get flow turbulence and errors (been there, done that).
S-Works
9th Oct 2008, 19:37
It is a minor mod and a pretty standard affair on Cessna's. I have a FS450 and an EDM 700 installed and all done as a minor mod and flight manula supplement. I have a cessna with a continental IO360K.
PM and I will give you the engineer details. I went for the 2 seperates as I bought the FS450 first. That was £400 and included the transducer. Fitting took about 4hrs.