To oil inject or not to oil inject; that is the question

[jsimmo97]

Folks.... I just bought a nice little Kitfox IV-1050. The previous owner removed the oil injection system off of the 582. He thought the system blocked at one point and burnt the back cylinder so why not eliminate a failure point. Ever since then he's been pre-mixing.

Question... is anyone else out there following the same logic? I ask because I am concerned about premix sitting in the tanks for more than 4 weeks or so between flights. I think it has a tendency to seperate and what-knot.

Please let me know what you know.

[Mnflyer]

I wouldn't worry about the gas & oil separating, but premixing is a hassle and a messy job and not fun at all on trips away from your home base. With oil injection its just check the oil and add went needed and just put gas in the fuel tank nice and easy when at an airport that isn't where your based, you can easily carry 1 or 2 qts of oil, but a mixing jug isn't easy and its messy.
I ran my 582 for 297 hrs with out a problem.

[SkyPirate]

I agree with mnflyer ,..I had the model 2 with the 582 blue head ,..oil injected,.I carried a couple quarts of oil in my storage compartment ,no problems with the oil injection ,..I always checked the oil level prior to a day of flying too.
,..the thing I didn't like about the 2 cycle was the jetting had to be changed 3 to 4 times a year,..improper jetting will melt a piston quick.

Chase

[Robin G]

My mod 3 with 582 ran for about 60 hours and then experienced an injection malfunction resulting in immediate and total seizure. It was, however not the fault of the engine but rather the injection cable. The clamp that secured it failed allowing the sheath to move with the cable. When the throttle advanced on touch and go the cable and sheath slid into a loop rather than advancing the cable against the pump arm. Engine ran strong and without warning for about 30 seconds or just to the downwind turn at 650'.

I used the incident to upgrade to a blue head and redesigned throttle and injection cable system. Seems to be working just fine, although, at least for a while, its hard not to have one eyeball perminently glued to the temp gages.

I think the 582 is a pretty good engine, but take very seriously its lubrication and temprature limits as it will not forgive.

robin g

[jsimmo97]

Robin... thanks for the experience. Any reason to not just eliminate the system altogether. The former owner of mine had decent logic when he removed his. He is thinking that now if the engine is running you are assured that it is getting oil.

[Robin G]

That's your call. Prior to removing the system, I think it might be interesting to know what kind of failure rates actually occur. Not sure where one might go to find those figures, but just about any mechanical system can/will experience some degree of failure. I chose to stay with the injection system and believe that with proper maintenance it will deliver.

robin g