flywheel drive starter

[pilotsailing]

I was thinking about the starter setup on the Great Plains flywheel drive engine and was wondering. If I wanted to hand prop the engine could I leave both the starter and flywheel off ? This seems to save about 13 lbs. Taking a Great Plains engine at 158 lbs, less 13 lbs and 10 lbs for the $950 light weight cylinders would give an engine weighing 135 lbs. That seems pretty light. Can the engine be hand propped using the 009 ignition system ?

 

[Sk8]

I may be wrong but...
I know of no engine that will run without a flywheel in place as it balances the engine.

 

[nik.kruhmin]

R.S. Hoover suggested using the Great Plains flywheel drive setup without the flex plate and ring gear and hand propping on his blog.

 

[Gaston]

I use no flywheel.
I only have X casting kit as per GPASC catalog on page 49 and it works great...

Gaston

 

[pilotsailing]

So Gaston with no flywheel or starter your engine is 13 lbs lighter, is that right ?

 

[Gaston]

Ken
Can't tell precisely but GPASC catalog says their starter is 8.5 # and the flywheel is 5.5#
plus an adequate battery of at least 10#,plus the case needed for a starter is heavier than the small X casting,plus sufficient wiringplus support, which may be considerable if you have to install the battery behind pilot seat for W&B.
all this is way too heavy for me...
and hand propping is so easy and safe on this bird when done properly...

Gaston

 

[pilotsailing]

Thanks for the info Gaston, I live just down the road from you in P.E.I. and am building a stretch. Looking ahead a little bit and wondering about engines. Did I read on the fourm somewhere you are using Nikasil cylinders ? If so, your engine must be light . What kind of ignition are you using ?

 

[Gaston]

Ken I almost flew there ,a few years ago ,but the low ceiling kept me from crossing the channel,I'm scared of flying low over water ...
so I flew direct to Charlo NB...
I'll probably try again later this summer...

By the GPASC number ,a 2276 with nikasil ,is about 5# lighter than a stock 2180.
I never had the idea of weighing it complete ,ready to run,I'm curious...
I use a 4316 mag and a GPASC secondary ignition...

 

[pilotsailing]

Hope you can make it this summer Gaston. Charlottetown airport needs a good looking airplane once in a while.

 

[Sk8]

I'm confused....
How do you balance the engine without a flywheel?
Is it that much different than a V8 or other motors?

 

[soneraifred]

The primary function of a flywheel is to absorb the engine's energy pulses to provide smooth power delivery to a drive train. In the case of the basic, non-starter equipped VW, the propellor acts as the flywheel. This is true of the small Continental flat fours as well. They don't have a flywheel because that prop is the flywheel.

 

[cajan]

i use a 009 ignition with the x-casting just make sure you use a primer, but its real easy to start.

 

[Sk8]

Thanks Soneraifred.