Viking Engines

[SNX1454]

Why is the viking engine thread locked? What happened? SNX1454

[MichaelFarley56]

There were no useful discussions on the engine; only continued people bashing.

If this thread is to continue, please keep things focused on the engine and/or any new developments relating to the engine.

Thank you!

[SNX1454]

I will start this with a disclosure, which needs to be considered in my Viking experience. I am a professional mechanical engineer with a fairly well equipped machine shop. I am able to fabricate things a typical homebuilder may not.

I received my Sonex kit 12-2010. Ordered a Viking a couple weeks later for April delivery.

The airplane was ready for the engine in April but the engine never showed. It would be 2 years, (April 2013), before the last piece of the engine was delivered. Viking has never quibbled about keeping a deal (except for delivery dates) about details, shipping costs or anything else.

There are no DARs in this state (Hawaii) and it took the FAA 8 months to get me an airworthiness certificate (government shut down and all). I got the airplane to the airport early Feb 2014.

Very little of my engine installation is as suggested by Viking but none these variations have been a problem. The engine is longer than the Jabiru so the CG is forward. I put 10 Lb. of lead in the tail.

First failure was a fuel pump. Not a Viking problem. Second was the fact the engine didn’t like idling below 1900 rpm. At 1900 rpm the airplane taxied at 21 kts. The hand operated Sonex brakes would barely slow the airplane down with the engine running. Consequently I designed a toe brake system using Matco parts and installed it (pricy).

I had a nose wheel shimmy. I don’t think this was an issue associated with the engine. This still exists and worries me some.

Viking recalled all the older ECUs so I got the update. The engine idles much better but it starts funny. Once going it is a sweetheart at almost any RPM. I could probably live with the poor brakes now but the toe brakes are wonderful.

The first flight I had on the data logger. At 950 gross I had 800 FPM climb at 90 Kts, Probably 500 ft. T/O run. Not Bad, but I thought it would be better.

After a half hour of flight, I reset the pitch on the 60” Warp Drive 3-blade to 20° from 22°.

T/O run was then about half and the climb was about 1200 FPM at 90 KTS. If I kept the power in (I did once) I had 3500 feet AGL before I did a complete airport pattern (9500 ft. runway). This is the performance I expected. Still haven’t hit max RPM Yet (5800). Haven’t done the high-speed work yet.

Hard to complain about the engine, good power and economy, uses less expensive auto gas, ethanol or otherwise, simple operation, a go-knob and a stop switch, no carb heat, no mixture, no worries about shock cooling, no switching of anything unless there is a failure. The engine never misses a beat and takes care of itself in flight. The temperatures in Hawaii or any other parameter ever got out of the green no matter what I have done. Pretty cool if you want to concentrate on flying the airplane instead of the engine. Coupled with toe brakes you can keep your hands on the power and the stick except for the flap usage. Pilot workload reduction.

I am now in the middle of trying to fix an oil leak, possibly from the front bearing. This is the only serious problem I have encountered and no one else appears to have had this issue. I plan to add a shimmy damper and a 2-battery system (Shorai lithium-iron) in the tail eliminating the 10 Lb of lead.

The latest version of this engine with all the fixes should be an asset in any cowling.

[Sonex1517]

Thanks for that informative post!

I think that may be the best post about the engine I have read, and you provided lots of detail I had not seen previously.

Did I read you correctly - it took two years to deliver the last engine piece?


Robbie Culver
Sonex 1517
Chicagoland
Tails and Wings complete - finishing fuselage.
N1517S reserved

[Don Bowen]

I ordered my Viking in late 2012 and received the engine, cowls, prop, ECU, etc. on time as promised. I think Viking has made some improvements in this area. As you mentioned, the 2014 Viking production run incorporates a number of improvements and looks to be a fine engine.

I have not yet run my engine as I am now doing the wiring and will have to install the Dynon system before I can run the engine. Your high idle problem is something I have not heard about from other Viking owners. I hope you can resolve this without too much difficulty. I do not think this high idle is normal or acceptable. Things like this do pop up in phase 1.

I did a preliminary weight and balance and decided to put my dual Shorai batteries in the tail. This requires more work, but I went that route rather than using lead ballast. I have completed the installation but have yet to route the battery cables and install the contactors. The installation is documented in my web page.

My installation is pretty much along the lines of the Viking manual and DVD, with the exception of added cooling for the fuel pumps and ECU. The installation is taking longer than I planned, but that is due to the facts that my plane is in a hangar 20 miles from my home and I can only work on it on the weekends. My installation was also slowed down as I decided I really don't like the stock Sonex instrument panel and I built up a new, larger, and vertical instrument panel. I also took about a month of weekend work to do the dreaded Waiex service bulletin #1.

Good luck with your phase 1 flight program and keep us posted as to your progress. Your is, I believe, the forth Viking Sonex to fly. Those of us following you could benefit greatly from hearing your experiences. I hope to have my plane finished in June or July.

Fly safe,

Don Bowen
Viking Waiex N49YX
KMCC
http://www.mykitlog.com/donbowen

[SNX1454]

Yes it took almost exactly 2 years from the promised delivery date to getting the last piece.

I installed both the pumps and the computer in the cockpit. Too bad the pigtail isn’t 2 inches longer. This has worked quite well. I know some might question the safety of that but you know immediately if something is wrong and everything runs cooler and more reliably there. I use the MGL Enigma with a RDAC on the firewall. I use the tap at the top rear of the tank for the fuel return. No problem. I used the stock Sonex inst. Panel except I made a duplicate, which is bolted with nut plates over the hole cut in the original. The duplicate, which has all the instruments can be removed and swung to the side for maintenance. All the wiring except for the antennas come into the panel from the right side.

Where I live and fly it rains 125 inches a year. The airplane will see water. I just couldn’t bring myself to cut a hole in what I consider the engine roof. I ran a sceet tube to the oil cooler inlet. The air temp probe is mounted in this tube also. Wasn’t sure how this was going to work but it’s great.

I also just couldn’t mount the oil cooler dangling on the side of the engine. I mounted it on the engine mount tubes and fed air to it with 3” sceet. This also facilitates the above.

I couldn’t stand all that wiring complication he had for my engine. Interestingly enough the new wiring diagram is almost exactly what I installed. So obviously I approve. I would add several flywheel diodes to it for switch and component reliability though.

I had a lot of issues with the engine when I bought it but figured I would just fix what I didn’t like. When I finally got all my stuff 2 years later he had fixed all my complaints. The engine is steadily being improved.

[SNX1454]

I forgot to mention that the new computer upgrade fixed the idle problem. indeed quite well.

[swen]

[quote="SNX1454"]I will start this with a disclosure, which needs to be considered in my Viking experience. I am a professional mechanical engineer with a fairly well equipped machine shop. I am able to fabricate things a typical homebuilder may not.
quote]

I was thinking, that in fact the Honda engine was designed to run in an upright position, now, slanting the engine to 90 degrees one would think the water jackets would create a void on the attic and oil galleries would have some problem in the return of it ? Speaking to some Japanese Honda gurus and mentioned the Viking engine they raised the eye browns and said, well in America some funny thinks happens. What would be your opinion about this..?
Swen

[SNX1454]

Apparently when running WOT the coolant velocity is such that it will carry away any air bubbles trapped in the horizontal engine. At least the velocity is high enough that would carry away bubbles in the little coolant tank on the engine coolant inlet line. I know of no problems with the 90 degree layout that have not been resolved as is born out in many hundreds of hours running by ken robbers. Snx1454

[aferddaberts]

I have had only a couple of inquires regarding my Waiex progress, which is for sale. In the meantime I am continueing with building. I have the seat situated and hinges riveted in. working on the building tree page WIX F-10 just one more thing holding me up on this, it's getting a number 12 drill bit needed to finish the idler assembly, then on to page WIX F-9. Seems funny that page 9 would come after page 10 according to the building tree. Should be the other way around, oh well. Will be ordering the Firewall forward package soon. If and when I get the fuselage up on it's gear (tail dregger) I may change my mind about selling it.

AL Roberts W0209 robbieal2011@att.net