Hello. Hello!
Back here in Blighty I know several people who power their Europas with
912S's. None of them report the problems which have been experienced by you
Terry.
We don't fly so high, and generally we don't fly at 139kts (approx), but we
do have short grass strips and a max weight requirement of 1370 pounds. This
engine is ideal for the Europa in the UK. It weighs less than the 912, and
far less than the 914, leaving plenty of spare payload for luggage. The
common concern with XS/912S combination is that it runs too cool, so that
blanking is often required.
Since most of the engine problem correspondence has involved the more
complex 914, I have always assumed that the silent majority were satisfied
912/912S types. Perhaps I was wrong.
I have reluctantly join this thread of debate, and will now happily rejoin
those silent ranks 'till the subject finally expires into the ether.
Ta Ta. Bryan.
----- Original Message -----
From: <terrys@cisco.com>
Subject: RE: Europa-List: Fwf Prices
>
> Hi All,
>
> I have been watching this engine thread now for a while, and finally
> feel the need to make a few comments.
>
> 1) It has been suggested that people each believe THEIR engine is the
> best, not true. After 4 years and 400+ hours flying behind a Rotax
> 912S, I would almost certainly not buy that engine again, for a variety
> of reasons.
> 2) It has been suggested that the Rotax is a good choice because it is
> the standard package from Europa. We found the XS cowl design to be
> VERY poor, with serious heating problems, in the air and on the ground,
> that took many months of careful work to improve (I cannot to say
> FIXED), and drag issues that have yet to be resolved.
> 3) It has been suggested that the 912S gets better gas mileage than X.
> Without the ability to adjust the mixture, the 912S is unable to take
> advantage of altitude for more efficient cruise. Here is the Western US
> we are often forced to 9,000+ feet by the terrain, and I would prefer
> getting my money worth from the engine at this altitude.
> 4) We have had serious reliability problems with our 912S, mostly due to
> the horrible starting issues. This has only been solved recently with
> upgraded starter and slipper clutch installation, both of which were not
> available when we bought our kit. Others have reported problems with
> sprag clutches, etc.
> 5) Our 912S leaks coolant most of the time. We tighten all the hose
> clamps, maybe is stops for a little while, then you look down and there
> is coolant on the floor again. I have heard newer engines have better
> hose clamps, I hope so.
>
> Items 4) and 5) may have been fixed in the years since we bought out
> engine, items 2) and 3) are still issues today, in my opinion.
>
> Regards,
> Terry Seaver
> A135 / N135TD
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
> [mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of KARL HEINDL
> To: europa-list@matronics.com
> Subject: Europa-List: Fwf Prices
>
>
> Nigel,
>
> Very good engine summary. I was always glad I chose the obvious: a 912S,
> and a trigear.
>
> A quick comparison on prices for fwf kits: according to Andy the Jabiru
> kit is $ 18,100; I assume that includes every nut and bolt, and assuming
> a current exchange rate of 1.8 for the Rotax kits I see that the 912S
> kit is an additional $ 2,500, not the end of the world. But then you
> look at the 914, and it is an extra 50%, a whopping $ 9000. It is ideal
> for high alltitude cruising and obviously aimed at this specialized
> market. For a long time the 914 was the only alternative to the 912, but
> when the 912S version came out, it in my opinion made the 914 largely
> obsolete.
> I get the impression that many builders are in a very high income
> bracket, and spending an extra ten or even twenty grand means nothing to
> them (i.e.
> airline pilots, whether current or retired).
>
> p.s. the Rotax kit prices on the Europa website may not include the Warp
> Drive propeller, as none are listed. I remember, when I bought my kit,
> the prop was included, and every nut and bolt and rivet.
>
> Karl
>
>
>
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