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QuickTalk 25 - QUICKIE HINTS

From John Bingham

Quickie #297. Current status: Crashed from Onan engine failure; canard rebuilt but not yet attached. Awaiting Pong Dragon or another reliable 4-cycle powerplant.


From J. P. Stroud

The latest QAC newsletter did discuss engines, but ended up noting "that only Onan powered Quickies flew to Oshkosh this year." That of course suggests that the Onan is the only reliable power available. That may be true, but I believe the only reason is due to the Anderson/Little research and articles published in QUICKTALK. Somehow Gene is still "peddling" the 22.5 hp option, but fails to mention that it hasn't worked for most people in the field. Also unmentioned in the same newsletter is that Vic Turner's Quickie, which won the Chevron efficiency award in the CAFE 400 was won in a Quickie NOT powered by an Onan. How about it Vic, let's hear about the pro and cons of the Wisconsin 4-cylinder engine you have in your Quickie.

(ED. NOTE: About 3 years ago I personally talked to Mr. Turner who had flown his Onan Quickie (at that time) to Oshkosh. He is a rare individual in many ways, but most fortunately rare in that he was not interested in sharing his findings with QBA inasmuch as he considered QUICKTALK a newsletter for complainers.)


From Jerome Fueslein N19Q

Difficulties noticed, overheating and vibration. The plans built baffling restricts airflow too much. The prop hub (the biggest source of my vibration) was way out of balance. Cylinder warpage: had to grind .008 in off top of cylinders to make flat. Left cylinder is .004 out of round resulting in compression leakage.

I am installing a 35 hp OMC rotary engine and will keep you informed. I considered a couple of 2-cycle snowmobile engines before this one.


From Robert Godbe #397

There was reportedly a 503 Rotax powered Quickie using Molt Taylor's cockpit adjustable prop flying in the Washington state area 2 yrs. ago. Rate of climb was about 2000 fpm.

My faithful Konig engine finally quit on me. At the 150 hr. mark the main bearing failed. It seems that about the time we all bought our engines from Stubbs, Konig received some bad bearings from his supplier. A number of them have failed besides mine and it's a factory job to fix.

My symptoms were a fouled plug in the left lower cylinder that caused an engine miss. Replacing it did no good, it would just foul again. Removing the cylinder revealed a BADLY scored piston where pieces of the bearing had gotten into it. It's a credit to the designer that the engine continued to run.

I have welded up a new engine mount that is 4 lbs. lighter than the one Stubbs made. This will move the CG 4/10 ths of an inch aft for better handling. Flight tests await clear skies.

Konig is finally starting production of his big engine. It weighs 36 Kilos with belted reduction drive, slightly less for direct drive and delivers 46-48 hp...now let's see...if I could shorten the engine mount, move the battery, make a lighter carbon fiber cowling......


From Merv Brookman

Although the time for engine installation is far off, I am thinking about the Magnum 4-50. Is anyone else considering this one for a Quickie?

The material I received from INAV is a bit shy on details in their engine drawings, but it would appear that the engine will fit (with new cowl and some lengthening). I am interested in corresponding with anyone of similar intentions.


From Ed Weaver

I am preparing a report on my N80EB (#297). I faced all problems I read about in QUICKTALK with the added problem of engine seizure over mountainous terrain (crashed, broke both legs).

I am about ready to fly with a Dawn Star Wankel engine. I have been tinkering for a year to eliminate vibration and other small problems. It now looks and performs well static. I am using a 2:1 gear box from a Nova and am swinging a 44D x 63" pitch prop. The engine will pull 6,000 rpm static with this prop (scares me when I look at the 42x29 prop I used with the Onan. Complete report following soon.


From Christopher Young, 1717 Erast Landry A101, Lafayette, LA 70506

This is a request to our members who are competent in mechanical engineering to assist in the design of a motor mount and crankshaft extension for the installation of a BMW motorcycle engine in a Quickie. This motor is a 745 cc opposed twin with pushrod operated overhead valves. It has a high-pressure oil pump (as does the Onan) and produces 57 hp at 6,400 rpm and 45 hp at its 1.5 gph normal cruise rpm of 4,500 (it cruises on the freeway at 67 mph, incidentally). Without starter it weighs 85 lbs and has 2 Bing carbs, requiring 2 heat boxes. The motor unbolts from the transmission as opposed to normal motorcycle practice, which has integrally cast transmission cases. The crankshaft terminates approx. 1/2" beyond the crankcase in an automotive-type flange, which bolts directly to the flywheel. Thus you can see why it needs a crankshaft extension.

The thrust bearing for the crankshaft is slightly larger (10%?) than the Onan's, so it appears that it can take the axial load of a tractor prop. However, what I need is someone more knowledgeable than myself to determine if it can take the gyroscopically induced radial loads produced by a turning propeller, and if not, what type of additional crankshaft support might be required.

I am planning to use my Quickie and my BMW for this test bed. If anyone sends me any of their ideas on this installation, I will share all of them with QBA. I believe this is a highly promising powerplant because it is a thoroughly proven motor in motorcycle use, is fuel efficient, and best of all, vibrates less than the Onan.


From Steve Hickam

It's been 5 months since I ordered the 35 hp Global. I am trying to remain optimistic (they promise 6 week delivery). The Global folks have been very nice about it; in many conversations with them they assure me of a finished engine in 1 week, and then one more week, and then one more week, etc., etc., etc.

(ED. NOTE: I know a local dealer getting the same runaround. Last we heard Global was expecting mags from a subcontractor who most recently died. They're reportedly scrambling now to get out of this fix.)


From Jim Masal, Editor

HALLELUJAH!! After hours of flight test in Giles' Global Quickie, I finally talked him through the procedures and feelings and he took to the air in his own airplane. It's always exciting to see that.

On the flip side, the week before his flight, the welded steel tube mount broke during taxi. That was fixed but the next week just after one of my takeoffs the cowling vibrations changed slightly and it turned out that one of the 4 "ears" cast into the case to bolt the engine to the mount had broken off. This is the third one we've heard of and on one it was noticed that there appeared to be a casting flaw at that point. The engine and mount are now on the way to Global for a thorough working over.


From Will Hubin

Our Onan Quickie has been perfectly nice to us since the weak cylinder was fixed (leaky intake valve). I'm hoping to design and install a long-planned-for solid-state, digital instrument panel this summer if...the moon is right and I break a leg.

The climb prop really is working and it feels so good to clear the trees better that I'll live with the poorer cruise (or the same cruise at higher fuel consumption) for a while longer. I do like all the alternate engine news that we're hearing!


From John Hicks N401JH

My bird has recently had its second annual. Flight time was 250 hrs., 278 landings with no operational problems whatever. Just completed my second top end job - carbon cleaned - valves reseated necessitated by deposits under the valve seats which hurt power. I found that on both cylinders the third head bolt down on the rear of the cylinders had pulled the threads and could not be retorqued to specs. I applied Helicoils. I am not aware of anyone else reporting this problem with the 20 hp heads. This showed heat at the rear of the cylinders so I added baffles to increase airflow there.


From Eric Mehlhase

I have one big question: How to restart a hot Onan engine? If anyone has an answer, I sure would like to know.

I have installed a T-tail and I'm waiting for sunny skies to find out how it will work.

(ED. NOTE: A key consideration here is whether the tail fin is strong enough to handle the forces applied to it through the T.)


From Dick Pettit N13RP #374

I'm the guy that flew his Quickie thru some wires, dropped it in a field and suffered quite a bit of damage - especially to my pride. Well, it took me 6 months to get the ambition to start the repair and 7 months to do the job, but it was finished last spring and I now have 58 hours on it with no problems except the ones you hear about every day. My climb rate is slow, 250 fpm on a 75-degree day and field elevation 700 msl. Empty weight is 293 (I gained 5 on the rebuild) and I have made the 20 hp conversion. I have found a wide range of temperatures for the heads; depending on which stud I place the sensor. I made this discovery when I installed a brace to one on the studs for the exhaust stack after having the right one break in flight ( the repair seems to be holding fine). The sensor is on the stud closest to and aft of the plug. My CHT now stabilizes at 290-300. I had some problem with higher oil temp and I solved this by cutting a small oval hole under the prop and directly in front of the engine case measuring about 1.5"x2.5".

I have been trying to assemble a good list of performance figures using the Cowley "climb" prop and then I intend trying a different prop. I'll report on my performance figures.


From Stephen Eckrich

I have flown my Quickie once with a new Peery propeller and it seems to be an improvement over the Cowley in terms of vibration, rate of climb, and top speed. I also switched to Bel Ray oil and on the ground noted a detectable difference in engine smoothness (better) and a 100-rpm increase. I'll tell you more after I fly it more.


From Jim Prell N10KK

The bugs have finally begun to disappear from my plane and every subsequent flight has become longer and more enjoyable. The only engine problems I have had are leaky oil sump and back cover plate gaskets. I replaced both and the leaks have stopped. To prevent leaks around the 4 bolts that connect the engine to the Kevlar mount, I filled the threaded holes in the crankcase with GE high temperature silicone (orange). I strongly advise that all builders use a throttle "suicide spring" (the one which pulls the Onan to full throttle in the event the throttle linkage breaks). I consider this mandatory before flight. There is NOTHING more embarrassing than to get a broken airframe (and maybe a broken body) because you didn't attach a lousy 40-cent spring. (ED. NOTE: by phone Jim reports having a couple recent "frights" in his plane and is in the midst of converting to a Rotax with Ed Miller's help.)


From Harold Little

We're still deeply involved in the ultralight business so the Quickie still languishes. However, I'm still keeping active, this time assisting Maj. Terry Hall with something that needs considerable evaluation - Propellers. Terry has been flying quite successfully with a 44x27 Cowley that he had modified. His Quickie is about 300 lbs and he is about 200 so he has done well with the Cowley. However, he damaged the prop while it was stationary so I loaned him my Tennessee Propellers 43x27, which he later flew at a low density altitude. The takeoff was most leisurely, but cruise exceeded 120 mph. Terry and I then started a skull session on props which has not yet concluded.

Since it is obvious that one manufacturer's 44x27 is quite different from another's 42x27, both props are going to be measured, laid out and evaluated. Based on the outcome, another prop will be obtained as a test bed to attempt to define a good, year-round prop with good climb characteristics yet adequate cruise. With any luck at all, I'll be able to get Terry to write it up for the newsletter.



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