"Dave Driscoll" wrote in message ...
(snipped) Corky,

I'm pretty sure I've read the article that you are describing in the past and absolutely agree that testing in the automotive world is quite severe.

(snipped)

Given that the original poster in this thread was asking about the converting an automotive diesel its perhaps appropriate to examine the modifications that were made to the Thielert Centurion.

(snipped)

Personally, potential commercial competition aside, I'd love to see the original poster successfully convert a 10 cylinder VW diesel for aviation. I think it would be a really cool project. I'd also do my best as a citizen of the homebuilding community to help him do it safely and successfully. That said, I've been down the path you're on regarding your static test installation. If you're interested, shoot me your e-mail with your number, I think I can save you some grief on that project.

Dave Driscoll
DeltaHawk Engines LLC

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Truer words were never spoken. This is an admirable attitude that all manufacturers should adopt. Thank you Mr. Driscoll.
If it were not for the cost, the DeltaHawk engine would be my first choice too. With its increased ground clearance, inverted in a Cozy MK-IV, it would be the ideal engine. Its price, however, even though justified, compared to Lycoming and Continetal offerings, would represent half a year's income for me, making it esentially unreachable. As potential alternatives I regard the new common-rail, double or variable geometry turbo-diesels that have recently appeared on the world market. The Isuzu 3.0 liter V6 176 HP, the Ford-Jaguar-Peugeot 2.7 liter V6 207 HP and weighing 202 kg, the VW 2.5 or 3.0 liters V6 TDI 180 - 225 HP 220 kg diesels would all be viable options with their HP to weight ratio of 1/1. Just a quick search on mobile.de for low-mileage, intact motor, accident total write-offs yields several potential donor vehicles for under EUR 5.000. You buy the donor vehicle, remove engine and electronics and sell off the rest to recover some of the initial cost. The cost of the engine alone would be one to two thousand EUR. Then of course, as others in this thread have mentioned, comes the hard part. The Isuzu 3.0 liters V6 with its 177 HP would definitely require a redrive, the Jaguar with its 207 HP and the VW 3.0 liters V6 with its 225 HP and massive torque maybe not. "Die Qual der Wahl". The good thing is that since the airframe won't be ready for another 2-3 years, by that time there will be a reliable track record for these engines. After configuring the engine package there comes the testing. I would never fly behind (er... I mean in front) of an untested junker engine. My test-bed for the next one hundred or more hours, with diligent collection of all pertinent data on my laptop, would be a bayou style air-boat, built on the basis of my little catamaran. If the engine plus redrive plus propeller package survives this ordeal, then it's time for taxiing, eventually flying.
Useful links:
1) Isuzu 3.0 liters V6: http://www.isuzu.co.jp/world/corpora...ne/lineup.html
2) Ford-Jaguar-Peugeot 2.7 liters V6: http://www.histomobile.com/histomob/tech/2/112.htm
3) VW Audi 2.5 - 3.0 liters V6 TDI:
english: http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/...tid=22231&pg=5
german: http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/d/48696
4) And because these are really "schöne Motoren": http://homepage.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/r...r/motoren.shtm
Thank you for reading my ramblings.
Kumaros
It's all Greek to me