McCullich 0-100 on Avid C?

[High Country]

My wife and I are about to start building an Avid C kit and we are looking to see if there are any changes we should make along the way seeing as this is such an old kit, i currently have a new Rotax 532 complete w gear box and prop but have been looking at other options i have the oppertunity to purchase a 0 time smoh McCullich 0-100 which is lighter and more power 72 hp for $600.00 is this a good option money is to tight to go to nice engines that everyone else is running so i thought this may be a good upgrade that we can afford. Are they reliable, how long on overhauls, are parts available, and reasonably priced?
Thanks
Robert

[akflyer]

While it may say its 72 HP, it is direct drive and swinging a little prop. You will not get the thrust out of it that you need for anything resembling STOL performance. I would be saving up for a good used 582 instead of messing with the Mac..

[rogerh12]

Robert;

I find your McCullich 0-100 engine option very interesting. I am not familiar with this engine, but it looks like it might do well in a smaller kitfox or the like. Although many folks think only a Rotax belongs in a Kitfox or Avid, folks have install other experimental engines and done pretty well, and for a fraction of the price of a new Rotax 912.

I personally would not install another 2-stroke in any plane I fly (but that’s just me), so the big plus for the engine is that it is a direct drive 4-stroke, making simple, rugged and fairly light (no re-drive required). However, the Kitfox type aircraft do better with engines capable of spinning a fairly large diameter prop, and my concern is prop selection for this engine would be limited. I think you are looking for at least a 60” prop, because of the largish frontal area of the kitfox and Avid. Also, parts might be a problem (do you know where you can get parts)?

[desertfox1]

The McCulloch 0-100 engine is a 2-Cycle engine built
for drone use. Designed as a 50 hour engine as it was
meant to be shot down. It has been used in gyrocopters
with some success.

[av8rps]

My wife and I are about to start building an Avid C kit and we are looking to see if there are any changes we should make along the way seeing as this is such an old kit, i currently have a new Rotax 532 complete w gear box and prop but have been looking at other options i have the oppertunity to purchase a 0 time smoh McCullich 0-100 which is lighter and more power 72 hp for $600.00 is this a good option money is to tight to go to nice engines that everyone else is running so i thought this may be a good upgrade that we can afford. Are they reliable, how long on overhauls, are parts available, and reasonably priced?
Thanks
Robert

Don't underestimate that little 532. I put 880 hours on a 532 without ever overhauling it, and it ran great the entire time. Plus, at 880 hours I lent it to a friend that was working on some mods for Rotax 2 strokes and used my engine for dyno testing before and after results, and found that little 532 dyon'd at 74 horsepower. He then dyno'd a 582 shortly after that and found it only did 62 horsepower. So the 532 makes power, runs good, and is a bargain for what it does for power. I wouldn't hesitate to use that engine, they are good engines. Might be worth putting a nippondenso ignition system on it so you don't have to screw around with point adjustments (which you normally do once you have 25+ hours on motor, and then it is good for a long time). Also, fwiw, the Avid flown from France to the North Poloe in 1987 was powered by a 532 Rotax. So even though many will not get too excited about a 532 Rotax, they work well.

Paul S

[akflyer]

You care to point out where you gathered that lil tid bit of info from?? You must have found the only 4 stroke Mac ever made for drones..

[rogerh12]

We have one of these McCullich 0-100 here in our local Aviation Museum (in Topeka Kansas), it's where are EAA group meets on occasion. Here is the link with a picture of the display.

http://www.combatairmuseum.org/exhib...ch0-100-1.html

I was told before it was a 4-stroke, is that wrong?
(I must admit, I never really looked to close at it, we have a bunch of cooling things at this place, so maybe its' a 2-stroke, it kinda looks like one now that I see it again).

If you want a two-stroke on your plane, go ahead but I have not had good luck with them in general. I have had them quit on me before (not the Rotax, though the guy that I bought my model two had his seize in flight) but boats, motorcycles and other small engines. They general end up making me cuss.

Roger

[High Country]

Thanks for all the great imput, so we've decided to stay away from the mccullich so the question is do i use the 532 or change with something else, keeping in mind that finance is my biggest factor, where is a good place to purchase the nippondenso ignition system for the 532 and is there any other upgrades that will make it more reliable? I had the 447 on my skyraider and was very pleased with its performance for the lighter airplane. I would really like to go to a four stroke such as an 0-200 but the cost is a bit much, im a certified welder so building engine mounts etc is no problem for me if i can find an affordable 4 stroke.

[akflyer]

Lots of people have succesfully used the 532. I think rotax rick may do the conversion for you, or there are several other engine builders who will do it. You have to notch the crank etc when you install it so it takes a little bit of doing. Your engine choice should be based on your mission. Are looking for back country super STOL or more CC cruising around the country side just flying airport to airport?

[avidflyer]

Airscrew Performance in Arizona can do the electronic ignition change for you, he has been doing them for many, many years. Some benifits of sticking with the points ignition is it is real easy to hand prop for starting with the points setup. You have to spin it much faster with the CDI to make spark. Also, on single ignition, some feel that points are more dependable than CDI, if they are going bad, the engine might still run, just not as good as it should, but when CDI goes, it's gone. I had a 532 with points in my last B model Avid and it was just fine and made lots of power. Take care, Jim Chuk