Over the past few weeks I've been working with a couple of the RV guys here who bought identical TITAN ECI 360 engines. Both have dual LIGHT SPEED ignitions and TITAN EXP Fuel Injection Systems. I will pass along what I have learned about these systems and engines so it may be of some help if anyone is considering them.
The first builder called me because he could not get the engine to run properly and at some point in his attempts the engine had attempted to run backwards and in so doing popped the end off the SKY TEC starter.
The source of the initial problem was that the builder managed to get the #1 and #3 plug wires crossed on the top cylinders. This caused the kick back that led to the engine trying to run backwards. Since the LIGHT SPEED Ignition doesn't care which way the engine is turning, the engine continued to attempt to run backwards not letting the starter disengage and the result was a broken starter casting. (The LS ignition is of the wasted spark variety meaning that #1 and #2 fire at the same time. This is just a note and has nothing to do with the problem.)
Once the plug wire issue was sorted out the engine fired right up but would not continue to run without the boost pump on and the engine was horribly rich.
Knowing that both of these engines had been assembled and run at the factory "as equipped" I made a call to ECIs tech line. These guys are good to talk with and more than willing to help.
The ECI Fuel Injection System is similar to the Continental injection system. It is a return to tank system with an AN style fuel pump which requires an accessory case with an AN pump mounting pad. This pump responds to engine speed increasing pump output as engine speed increases.
The normal start procedure is to turn the boost pump on and start the engine. Once the engine starts the boost pump is turned off and the AN pump takes over.
On the back of the AN pump is a pressure set screw that controls the idle pressure of the pump. In talking with the tech people at ECI and with them talking with the facility that assembled and ran the engine it was discovered that the test facility was feeding the engine with an electric pump from their fuel supply which prevented the proper idle pressure setting of the engine driven pump. With that problem discovered it was a simple matter of turning in the idle pressure screw until the engine ran properly.
The recommended boost pump is the one sold by VANS which is valved to about 35psi. Also the recommended fuel valve for multiple tanks is the Andair valve which along with selecting tanks also directs the return fuel to the tank that is selected. This valve would not be needed in the typical single tank Biplane but if you have a second tank, like a center section tank and only return fuel to the main tank the fuel management issue becomes quite a pilot work load as the system returns more fuel than the engine can use. What could happen is that if you burned about 10 gallons out of the main tank and your return line only went to the main you would use 5 gallons out of a 15 gallon header tank and the header tank would be dry and the main full. If you had taken off on the wing tank, 10 gallons would have pumped out through the main vent and the wing tank would be dry.
The engine will not run properly with the boost pump on. At full throttle you can lean the mixture enough to get the engine to run well enough to get you home. I'm told the Continental is similar.
The mixture control is incorporated into the engine driven pump. The throttle body has only the throttle cable attached to it to operate the butterfly. There is a metering valve in the throttle body that allows increased fuel supply relative to throttle opening.
There are high speed and low speed mixture settings on the throttle body. There are high speed and low speed pressure adjustments on the engine driven pump.
Once set, and the idle pump pressure has been the only issue so far, the systems run well.
In the case of the second airplane, the same two plug wires were somehow reversed and the starter broke on the first start attempt. The same idle pump pressure needed to be corrected.
Both airplanes have Catto 3 blade props installed so there is very little flywheel affect.
The ECI engines have tapered fins on the cylinders that posed some issues with the cooling baffles but it wasn't too big a deal. The small baffle under the cylinders was a bit hard to fit though as the standard baffle could not be used as is.
The dual Light Speed ignitions run well. These engines use the crankshaft trigger which should be more reliable than the units that fit in the magneto location.
As a personal note, I would not use the dual Light Speeds because they are battery dependent and their is the kick back issue. I would prefer to use the left (impulse)mag for starting and a single LS that would be turned on after the start. There are differing opinions on this.
An additional note on Light Speed Ignition is that the battery power should be taken directly from the battery ahead of the master solenoid so that it will continue to operate if a need to shut down the master should arise.
Neil
The first builder called me because he could not get the engine to run properly and at some point in his attempts the engine had attempted to run backwards and in so doing popped the end off the SKY TEC starter.
The source of the initial problem was that the builder managed to get the #1 and #3 plug wires crossed on the top cylinders. This caused the kick back that led to the engine trying to run backwards. Since the LIGHT SPEED Ignition doesn't care which way the engine is turning, the engine continued to attempt to run backwards not letting the starter disengage and the result was a broken starter casting. (The LS ignition is of the wasted spark variety meaning that #1 and #2 fire at the same time. This is just a note and has nothing to do with the problem.)
Once the plug wire issue was sorted out the engine fired right up but would not continue to run without the boost pump on and the engine was horribly rich.
Knowing that both of these engines had been assembled and run at the factory "as equipped" I made a call to ECIs tech line. These guys are good to talk with and more than willing to help.
The ECI Fuel Injection System is similar to the Continental injection system. It is a return to tank system with an AN style fuel pump which requires an accessory case with an AN pump mounting pad. This pump responds to engine speed increasing pump output as engine speed increases.
The normal start procedure is to turn the boost pump on and start the engine. Once the engine starts the boost pump is turned off and the AN pump takes over.
On the back of the AN pump is a pressure set screw that controls the idle pressure of the pump. In talking with the tech people at ECI and with them talking with the facility that assembled and ran the engine it was discovered that the test facility was feeding the engine with an electric pump from their fuel supply which prevented the proper idle pressure setting of the engine driven pump. With that problem discovered it was a simple matter of turning in the idle pressure screw until the engine ran properly.
The recommended boost pump is the one sold by VANS which is valved to about 35psi. Also the recommended fuel valve for multiple tanks is the Andair valve which along with selecting tanks also directs the return fuel to the tank that is selected. This valve would not be needed in the typical single tank Biplane but if you have a second tank, like a center section tank and only return fuel to the main tank the fuel management issue becomes quite a pilot work load as the system returns more fuel than the engine can use. What could happen is that if you burned about 10 gallons out of the main tank and your return line only went to the main you would use 5 gallons out of a 15 gallon header tank and the header tank would be dry and the main full. If you had taken off on the wing tank, 10 gallons would have pumped out through the main vent and the wing tank would be dry.
The engine will not run properly with the boost pump on. At full throttle you can lean the mixture enough to get the engine to run well enough to get you home. I'm told the Continental is similar.
The mixture control is incorporated into the engine driven pump. The throttle body has only the throttle cable attached to it to operate the butterfly. There is a metering valve in the throttle body that allows increased fuel supply relative to throttle opening.
There are high speed and low speed mixture settings on the throttle body. There are high speed and low speed pressure adjustments on the engine driven pump.
Once set, and the idle pump pressure has been the only issue so far, the systems run well.
In the case of the second airplane, the same two plug wires were somehow reversed and the starter broke on the first start attempt. The same idle pump pressure needed to be corrected.
Both airplanes have Catto 3 blade props installed so there is very little flywheel affect.
The ECI engines have tapered fins on the cylinders that posed some issues with the cooling baffles but it wasn't too big a deal. The small baffle under the cylinders was a bit hard to fit though as the standard baffle could not be used as is.
The dual Light Speed ignitions run well. These engines use the crankshaft trigger which should be more reliable than the units that fit in the magneto location.
As a personal note, I would not use the dual Light Speeds because they are battery dependent and their is the kick back issue. I would prefer to use the left (impulse)mag for starting and a single LS that would be turned on after the start. There are differing opinions on this.
An additional note on Light Speed Ignition is that the battery power should be taken directly from the battery ahead of the master solenoid so that it will continue to operate if a need to shut down the master should arise.
Neil
