Swap 912ULS for 915IS on Kitfox 7SS

[Shadowrider]

“I wish I had less horsepower,” said no one, ever.🙂

[michaega]

Richard at AJO (Corona, CA) Kitfox 7 installing 915is from 912. Let me just say do not remove your flyable engine until you have every part you need to convert to the 915 as parts are promised but not delivered. You can catch his first YouTube install of 915. Also mind you the cowling will need to be extended do to the extra 4” added to mount and prop hub or better yet go with the carbon fiber cowl to offset the extra 40lbs the engine and accessories add. Eddie I think you met Richard in Corona, he had monster shocks and 29” tires.
George

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPOi7SpgNP4

[littlecricket]

Seems like this might be a better candidate for an Edge engine...

[patrick.hvac]

Part of the price of admission with a 915 swap is the prop. The MT prop is about $18,000.

I was watching the EAA webinar (link below) on the 915is recently and they mentioned the "Version 2" is now available for order with a fixed pitch setup.

https://www.eaa.org/videos/615828197...hpRlJGeVwvdyJ9

[robertwidmer]

Value of the ULS depends on how old it is, how long was it sitting. You could price out a new one and compare. If it is a few years old and has not been sitting may be worth 50-75% of new to someone. The lack of warranty would be a factor to some also, along with what the books look like for it.

Swapping to an iS would be a little bit of work. Different setup with the iS parts - ECU, fuel, fuse box. I think not terribly hard but not a direct bolt in. You could search some builds on here that have a 912iS, similar in terms of ECU, fuse box, etc. Then look at yours and compare.

Just spoke to the owner and the 912ULS was built in 2007 - apparently it was "pickled" and the first start was in 2019 - he tells me there is no warranty.

[Okent]

I looked at the Edge conversions and the horsepower is tempting, but the lack of a warranty and the lack of redundancy in the electronics made it a no go for me.

[Meyer]

Pickled can mean alot of things. If it started in 2019 and has 150 hours on it that is one thing (good), if it has 19 hours that tells you something else. Sitting like that is not good for an engine, even though in the case of a rotax the cylinders will not rust. If it is demonstrated that it has run consistently and all is ok, someone may pay you half of a new one, hard to say.

Another way to see what you are in for is download both rotax install manuals - 915iS and 912ULS. If you can find the individual who is in the middle of the swap that would be good too. You could search threads from others who have similar engines. Many of the concepts that differ from a ULS are the same - fuse box, ECU, etc. You could also call Kitfox and get a quote on the package to convert.

Good luck