@WesRagle whats the best way to contact you? Email maybe?
Hi Shawn,
I’ll shoot you an email.
Wes
Hi Guys,
Well, it’s been a while since my last update so here is what’s going on.
I received and tested the prototype intake logs. Honestly, the prototypes didn’t work out as well as I had hoped.
They were not a drop-in replacement, too tall.
The VeeCU fully addresses balancing fuel distribution so there is no need to extend the port divider as was done on the prototype intakes. Extending the divider reduces the cross-sectional area by a factor of two and reduced static runup by about 80 RPM.
While testing/comparing the intakes I had to remove and reinstall the baffling. During one test I left the front piece in place without the side pieces installed. Anyone familiar with Sonex baffling knows that without the sides installed there is nothing holding the front lip in place. Well, I neglected that fact and decided to do one more full static runup before changing intakes. A minor catastrophe ensued. Baffling destroyed. Luckily the prop bolts did the bulk of the damage, but the prop was scratched up.
I rebuilt the baffling and sealed the scratches with epoxy.
To avoid the delay of another design/procurement cycle, I decided to adapt the Sonex logs I have to accept the fuel rail provided with the prototype intakes. The Sonex logs and the GPAS logs provide virtually identical static RPM.
The baffling has been modified with a cutout for the injector assy.
Cutouts were made in the cowl allowing for engine wiggle room.
BTW, the holes in the prototype rail had to be tapped 1/8" NPT. Whatever material the rails were printed from, it’s allergic to a tap. It took four hours of tap the holes to adequate depth.
There will be more cowl surgery to get the fuel to the rail. I have some fittings “Out for Delivery”. Can’t wait to run the system on my Onex.
Wes
1 Like
May I present:
1 Like
Thanks Bryan,
Not a bad idea at all. That would work especially well for me since I really on a compression seal on the front.
Wes
1 Like
Hi Guys,
Well finally, it’s alive!!
I’ll run to the airport for a load of fuel in the morning so I can tune the engine. Hopefully I’ll get the airplane back to the airport Sunday and start testing.
The first flights will be with the VeeCU providing secondary ignition and the AeroInjector providing fuel. That to verify the AeroInjector tune and idle. I will also switch fuel pumps (etc.) on and off in flight as an abbreviated Electromagnetic Compatibility test. If the light on the VeeCU illuminates that indicates a reset. I don’t expect any problems.
After I’m sure the AeroInjector is well tuned, I’ll fly the pattern and, abeam my touchdown point, I’ll switch to EFI.
Then …, test, test, and test some more.
The installation would have been much neater if I had a two place. 
Wes
2 Likes
Hi Guys,
The ground tuning went well. I tuned all the way to 3000 RPM. At higher power settings the tuning gets a lot easier. The fuel trim varies less and less between points as RPM increases. Still, it is somewhat tedious because the engine temps increase quickly at high power so only a couple of points could be tuned before temps approached the limit. So, tune a couple of points, shut down and stick a leaf blower in the nose, wait and tune a couple more points. Wash, rinse, and repeat.
We had some time left so we decided to go ahead return the Onex to the airport.
Forever Forward,
Wes
3 Likes
I have some time to kill this evening so I’m redoing my start and runup procedures. I’ll laminate them and keep them in the side pocket of the Onex. I’ll follow them religiously. The order of the switches is a little odd, but it keeps me moving left to right and is OK for my electronics. Anyone see a problem?
**[u]ENGINE START PROCEEDURE[/u]**
- Canopy Closed
- Parking Brake Set
- AeroInjector Mixture to Idle Cutoff
- VeeCU Mixture Knob to 12 O’Clock
- AeroInjector Fuel On
- EFI Fuel On
- Injector Switch On
- Master Switch On
- Primary Ignition On
- Secondary Ignition On
- Avionics On
- Fuel Pump #1 On
- VeeCU Power On
- Crack Throttle
- Engage Starter
- Radio Set
- Altimeter Set
RUNUP PROCEEDURE
- Apply Parking Brake
- Flaps Retracted
- Trim Neutral
- Canopy Latched and Pinned
- Advance throttle to 1500 RPM
- Cycle Primary Ignition
- Cycle Secondary Ignition
- Switch to Carb Fueling
- Switch Back to EFI Fueling
- Throttle to Idle
- Fuel Pump #2 On
- Radio Call
- Release Parking Brake
- Go
Wes
1 Like
Well, I forgot “Flaps Retracted”. My airport is getting busy. I think I’ll move Radio Set and Altimeter Set to the start procedure. That way I’ll be monitoring pattern traffic during taxi.
Hi wes! on the start proceedure, you are turning on several things prior to master on. IMHO, this may cause higher inrush current to power buss breaker/fuse due to things already turned on. I might suggest turning the master on as a first step, then the other things in sequence. if something fails, you would know quickly which one it is/was. just a thought!! but still looking really great, and I am very glad you are back at airport!!
Hi Joe,
The only “electrical” thing turned on before the Master are the injectors. They don’t draw any current until the VeeCU is turned on and the primer pulse is applied. The secondary ignition coils aren’t energized until the starter is engaged.
Really, the fuel pump is the only thing that draws significant current until the engine begins to rotate.
I’m glad to be back at the airport too. Try not to drown in the next few days 
Wes
1 Like
Hi Guys,
I spent a couple of days working with the AeroInjector. I thought I had it tuned but on the first test flight I ran into this:
I tried to tune around it but to no avail. So, in the end I had to limit the slide movement at full throttle.
BTW, someone needs to explain how, on a pull to open throttle, stopping the movement short of full throttle is accomplished by shortening the throttle cable
I didn’t measure the distance between the throttle quadrant and the mixture cable. I assumed my pointer would fit between the cable and the quadrant. I was wrong. That makes switching from AeroInjector to EFI fueling awkward. The good news is that the switch from EFI to AeroInjector fueling only requires a thumb to press the mixture. Very easy.
Next the Wx went down for four days. Then, all at once, the drought broke and Fall arrived.
Now I had a decision to make. Should I take off on AeroInjector fueling and risk turning myself into a pretzel trying to switch to EFI, or should I take off with EFI knowing the switch to Carb fueling is easy. We can argue about it, but I decided to take off on EFI.
It was awesome. Smooth, powerful, and no threat of EGT busting the limit. It was nothing but confidence inspiring. So much so that I fueled up and flew from KMWL to KBKD.
I flew again this morning for 1.3 Hrs. I don’t have any hard numbers yet since I’m still deciding how I want to set the engine up for cruise. One thing I did do was line up the EGTs at 1300 with RPM at 3000, at 3500 ft, and checked the fuel flow. It was 4.4 GPH. It was 5.2 GPH while running the Zenith Carb.
One odd thing happened, with the EGTs balanced my hottest cylinder is now one of the front cylinders. It was cruising at about 325. A couple of cylinders were in the 290s.
Something that I hadn’t thought of before, but which is much appreciated, is how crisp and predictable the throttle response is. That is much appreciated while making fine adjustments on final. I know I shouldn’t need to make adjustments on final, but I’m not that good (yet).
I could go on and on about smooth, powerful, predictable, … I’ll be back at the airport tomorrow learning more about flying with EFI.
More When I Know More,
Wes
3 Likes
Wes … I’m certain that you are quite busy with project testing but if you could find time to get some video … we’d all be much appreciative! Sounds exciting!
Hi Dale,
The Onex is a busy little airplane. The only way I think I could get good video is a goPro. What exactly would you like to see?
Wes
“What exactly would you like to see?”
The smile on your face at how good your project turned out!
I’m just old and ugly. Nobody wants to see that.
Seriously, what would you like to see?
Wes
I dunno … thought maybe your results on CHTs, EGTs, and fuel flow would be of interest to a few folks.
When you talk about old & ugly you can see why my videos are shot from behind me:
Here’s one I posted just a few hours ago … FWIW
2 Likes
Loops and rolls. Would be interesting to see the engine run steady when pulling 4G without faffing around with the mixture.
OK, I’ll see what I can do.
Wes
Well Bryan, you won’t see that from me. The next time my airplane is upside down will be the first time. I just like relaxed flight out to country airports.
So, you’ll have to prove that one yourself
Wes
1 Like