Jabiru 3300 Installation tricks/tips/gotchas

[N111YX]

Just did a "check up" Today on the 3300. It's got almost 300 hours on it with pretty much just gas, oil, and spark plugs.

I'm planning a 2500 mile out of the way trip to OSH this year so I thought that I would get a pro to check it out. I flew to Jabiru USA in TN as it's only a 1.5 hour flight for me.

My main concern was the ignition components. I had new caps and rotors installed but the wires seemed good enough to go another two years. Caps and rotors are an easy install but little things like...they are glued on...was something that was nice to learn.

Performed a compression check (I do it every oil change anyway) and I have one cylinder that is lower than the others for the second test in a row and the leakage is through the rings. Something to trend monitor.

Tried to access the flywheel bolts. Impossible on the Sonex as the top bolt will contact the fuel filler neck while removed from the aft direction. However, one can turn this bolt 180 degrees and it can slide out from the front side before engine install to fix this problem. Something to consider. The mechanic eyeballed my bolts with a mirror and saw no movement. That, combined with the fact that he has never seen any back out left me feeling OK about them.

I'll say this...I saw some newer 3300's at the facility and there are many nice upgrades since mine was manufactured in 2007. You guys that pony up 19K are getting a sweet motor... 8-)

[MichaelFarley56]

I'm glad to hear all is well with the engine Kip. Does it burn any oil? Hopefully you're all set for your trip now. When are you setting out on the journey?

[N111YX]

Mike, it uses about 1 oz per hour. Makes it pretty easy. If I fly four hours, I add four ounces.

I'm departing Wednesday, July 18th and heading to New England. I want to touch down in every state and shoot the Hudson Corridor, and check out Niagara Falls then the upper penn of Michigan with the plan of arriving at the Sonex open house on Sunday, July 22nd. See you there...!

I'm glad to hear all is well with the engine Kip. Does it burn any oil? Hopefully you're all set for your trip now. When are you setting out on the journey?

[142YX]

I'll say this...I saw some newer 3300's at the facility and there are many nice upgrades since mine was manufactured in 2007. You guys that pony up 19K are getting a sweet motor... 8-)

The first thing that i noticed when i opened my crate last month was the case bolt nuts that there is an AD out on. They weren't the old style that they tell you to replace with 12 points.. and they weren't 12 points either.. they were some new style that i am not familiar with.

What else did you notice has changed?

Tried to access the flywheel bolts. Impossible on the Sonex as the top bolt will contact the fuel filler neck while removed from the aft direction. However, one can turn this bolt 180 degrees and it can slide out from the front side before engine install to fix this problem.

thanks for this tip.. i will definitely look into this for my installation

[N111YX]

I'll say this...I saw some newer 3300's at the facility and there are many nice upgrades since mine was manufactured in 2007. You guys that pony up 19K are getting a sweet motor... 8-)

The first thing that i noticed when i opened my crate last month was the case bolt nuts that there is an AD out on. They weren't the old style that they tell you to replace with 12 points.. and they weren't 12 points either.. they were some new style that i am not familiar with.

What else did you notice has changed?

Tried to access the flywheel bolts. Impossible on the Sonex as the top bolt will contact the fuel filler neck while removed from the aft direction. However, one can turn this bolt 180 degrees and it can slide out from the front side before engine install to fix this problem.

thanks for this tip.. i will definitely look into this for my installation

The major changes that I noticed are the huge nuts that hold the case halves together and the elimination of the external oil lines to the top of the cylinders.

[SonexEZ]

Great tip on the Jegs High performance automotive fittings instead of the AN stuff... I didnt realize those AN fittings were so expensive!

i am thinking about the 3300 for my sonex my questin is do they have a muff for cabin heat , i wont need it much in florida only the few days of cold we have but if i install this 3300 will be doing some traveling to up north

[ldmill]

I live in Iowa and don't have cabin heat. I fly pretty regularly down to +20f, and haven't found a need for it. When the sun is out, the canopy is like a magnifying glass - it keeps you pretty warm. Having the big engine up front helps also - it seems like you pick up some heat radiated through the firewall - which also seems to keep frost from occurring on the canopy during flight. I do have an EZ heat engine warmer that I use to preheat the engine - and love it. About 1/3 the price of the Tannis system and every bit as effective. It keeps my block and heads at just shy of 60f when it's 0f out.

There are several different methods of cabin heat:
1) If you happen to have a muffler, they make a heater attachment for it.
2) There is a set of drawings on the previous Sonex run Jabiru Yahoo pages. I actually made this but it didn't fit my setup.
3) An individual on this group made heat muffs to wrap around his lower pipes. I personally am not comfortable with this due to the amount of exhaust gasses that escape the pipe joint just above it.
4) I did fabricate an exhaust muff to go around the #1 exhaust pipe, it is an aluminum pipe split in half with 1.5" tubes welded on the sides for the inlet/outlet hoses. It's still a pretty tight fit and is only about 5" long. I didn't think I could get enough heat out of it to justify cutting a big hole in my firewall for - so just gave up.

Good Luck
Lorin Miller
N81YX
187 hours and having fun!

[oynif]

Cabin heat:
Another way would be to use an heated auto seat cushion , it heats the parts not reached by the sun !!
Mine uses only 300 watts in low position, my 10A alternator has no problem with that.
It is light, very cheap and no exhaust fumes in the cockpitt.
A Google search will show you many different brands.

warm greetings
Kurt Nielsen

[DCASonex]

The best cabin heater is bright sun on canopy. Have flown comfortably at 20°F with that and normal winter clothes. If you live in Florida, the heat muff is not worth the fuss.

David A.

[wlarson861]

I have just installed a Generation 4 Jabiru 3300 in Sonex 0861. I must tell you it has been a chore for the last 2 1/2 months. The outward dimensions of the engine are not like the previous generations. I bought the baffle kit from Sonex and spent two weeks modifying them for the new engine. This is no way Sonex's problem but the base of the cylinders are more square than the old engines so the baffles needed to be cut to fit. The rocker boxes have moved so the lower attachment for the baffle is different. My solution was to use Jeff Schultz"s hinged baffles. The exhaust pipe penetration to the lower cowel had to be modified to get the cowel on and off. I have overcome the obsticales and have now flown the engine/airplane for 3 hours and am impressed with the performance. The Jabiru makes the Sonex into a true airplane. If anyone else has a gen 4 install let me know I would like talk to you.