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Thread: D-motor from Belgium

  1. #1
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    Default D-motor from Belgium

    Anyone seen the new engine being sold through Renegade Light Sport Aircraft in Lees Summit, Mo.? 95HP and light weight with a 2,000 TBO. Saw it on my weekly Barnstormers email.

  2. #2
    Senior Member t j's Avatar
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    Default Re: D-motor from Belgium

    It looks interesting. Priced too high for me to ever afford one though.
    http://www.barnstormers.com/classifi...FT+ENGINE.html
    Tom Jones
    Classic 4 builder

  3. #3
    Senior Member Geowitz's Avatar
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    Default Re: D-motor from Belgium

    Does look interesting. Initial drawback for me, at least specifically with the Kitfox, is that it is direct drive which would limit your prop diameter for our draggy airframe. That being said, on paper it looks like one of the best direct drive options(potentially without cooling issues) for the Kitfox.
    Last edited by Geowitz; 10-23-2012 at 07:06 AM.

  4. #4
    Super Moderator Av8r3400's Avatar
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    Default Re: D-motor from Belgium

    Flat head? Really? Wow.
    Av8r3400
    Kitfox Model IV
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    Default Re: D-motor from Belgium

    I saw that too. 125 lbs. "complete" including "exhaust, radiator and oil." With electronic fuel injection. The "low" price is good for the first 10 units sold. I wonder if it sounds like a Harley? NAH. Time to "Google" D-Motor. If it is a legit 95-horse it would have at least as much HP as a Continental O-200A.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: D-motor from Belgium

    Same mount as a jabiru. 2.9 gal/hr 80 hp.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxK_G...eature=related

    Weight sounds optimistic, as does the fuel flow.

  7. #7

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    Default Re: D-motor from Belgium

    After further looking at the d-Motor (LF26) I'm finding it quite interesting. Especially interesting when you consider the d-Motor is a flat-head design. It just doesn't compare to those flat-head engines last produced by Detroit around 1953. First, the LF26 is a short stroke engine (bore 103.6 mm/stroke 80 mm). Wild. Vastly different from my Grandfather's 1950 Dodge!

    Secondly, it is very high compression (8:1) compared to the flat-heads last produced. The last Ford flat-head V-8's may have been juiced up to about 7.3:1 or so.

    It took some low-speed torque to get those heavy cars moving smoothly back then; hence, a nice LONG stroke to produce a torque peak of say, 1400 rpm.

    What would be MORE interesting, though would some real-world thrust testing.

  8. #8
    Super Moderator Av8r3400's Avatar
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    Default Re: D-motor from Belgium

    I saw this motor run at Airventure. Intriguing to say the least. I don't think I'm sold on the "flat head" idea, yet. But it did look interesting.

    Lets see a few out flying and a support network established here in the 'States and we may be able to talk....
    Av8r3400
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  9. #9
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    Default Re: D-motor from Belgium

    This one was also on my preliminary engine list, so I've checked into it a fair bit. Clarification of a few things already mentioned:

    D-Motors site indicates a 1500 Hr TBO not 2000 and a 300 HR warranty.

    The 125 Lb weight includes the oil radiator but not the cooling radiator or associated piping and mounting hardware. None the less, it still seems light, which makes me wonder if some internals have been reduced in weight which might affect longevity/reliability. I'm not willing to be the PAYing test pilot to find out.

    The current price is 12,600 Euros plus 125 for crating plus shipping to you. So at today's rate 12725 Euros = $17,250 plus shipping from Belgium.

    D-Motors HP & Torque curve are in metric units - DIN HP and Newton Meters torque. Factory rated at 91.7 HP @ 3000 RPM. This equals 90.5 US HP and 158.4 Ft Lb of torque at 3000 RPM. (Not very torquie - new word).

    Also their site states "max" at 3000, but does not say you can run it there or if you can, for how long? They state 2800 RPM continuous. Which is 87.5 HP (US) and 164.1 Ft. Lbs of torque. Still not very torquie!

    Fuel consumption is listed as 12 L/Hr (3.17 gallons per hour) at 75%. So is that 75% of rated or 75% of max continuous?

    75% of 3000 = 2250 = 68.4 HP US and 159.7 Ft Lb torque
    75% of 2800 = 2100 = 60.3 HP US and 150.8 Ft Lb of torque

    This is a direct drive motor, so the engine rpm's are also prop rpms. In other words - you don't get any increased torque available as you would with a reduction drive/geared motor. It is what it is.

    So it seems conceivable that it could be sipping fuel at those numbers. So the real question is, are those numbers high enough to get you where you want to be, when you want to be there - the way you fly?

    Would be nice to see the full fuel flow data - one point is not enough to draw a line, no less a curve, so their single point is pretty useless. They had enough data to plot hp/torque curves - yet only publish a single fuel flow point - why do manufacturers do this? Every dyno I know of pulls the fuel flow numbers at the same time - so why don't they give them to us?

    Anyway, this ones not for me either. But the LF39 6 cylinder that is in the works might. That one is not as far along though and I'm still not willing to be a paying test pilot for any engine manufacturer.

    I touch on all this, because mostly what I hear is "rated HP" and it really doesn't matter! It is always at an unusable point in the curve and never close to where anyone is going to fly it anyway. Torque@rpm/fuel flow/prop diameter/prop pitch/LD ratio/altitude density - lots of real important variables & HP isn't one of them!

    So, I'm still evaluating power plants.
    Greg
    Last edited by Danzer1; 10-11-2013 at 05:49 PM.

  10. #10

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    Default Re: D-motor from Belgium

    I have been watching the dollar get handed its lunch by the Euro slowly but surely over the last year. Not good.

    D-Motor is quite the enigma from a marketing perspective. It's easy to get the impression that there is almost no interest in selling those things over here -- perplexing at best. BUT if you call or email Doc he will be happy to discuss the power plant and even provide you with some very interesting info you couldn't possibly find on the internet.

    I like the idea of cooling cylinders with water. It works much better than air.

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