More performance?

Group opinion recorded by the community.

Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray

Are you interested in higher performace in their AVGAS DA40?

Yes: Under $20,000 STC for a TA normalized IO360
23
30%
Yes: Small mods getting another 10 kts $10,000 or less
22
29%
Yes: IO390 (200hp) engine ($25,000)
16
21%
No: Love it the way it is
10
13%
No: I'd use another aircraft for that mission
5
7%
 
Total votes: 76
Antoine
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Re: More performance?

Post by Antoine »

well I believe the truth is in the middle: yes Lyco problably rates the engine at 180 with a free flowing straight pipe exhaust, but a tuned exhaust does increase power beyond the free flowing level.

And above all, "200" is a faaaaaar nicer answer when your passenger asks about horsepower ;)
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Jean
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Re: More performance?

Post by Jean »

How about an new paint to reduce our DA40 drag ?
http://www.netnewspublisher.com/easyjet ... echnology/
40.446, G1000, KAP 140, Hartzell Metal
Antoine
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Re: More performance?

Post by Antoine »

Great! I have just recently tried to find some good nano coating as a way to retard icing. was not successful... lets see what comes out.
I think in our operating speeds the drag benefit versus a good wax would be negligible though.
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Graham
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Re: More performance?

Post by Graham »

One potential issue with a larger engine is the range impact. My quick back of a napkin calculations are a 7kt increase in speed with a 20% increase in fuel burn would result in a lower range for the DA40 with 50 gal tanks. I seems that the MPG would decrease. The cooling drag impact would also factor into this but I thought I would throw this into the mix.

I would like the extra performance kick so I am interested in how this works out. The turbo option might have been good option but I heard somewhere the IO-360 wouldn't handle the turbo well, although I don't recall why.
Antoine
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Re: More performance?

Post by Antoine »

Graham wrote:One potential issue with a larger engine is the range impact. My quick back of a napkin calculations are a 7kt increase in speed with a 20% increase in fuel burn would result in a lower range for the DA40 with 50 gal tanks. I seems that the MPG would decrease. The cooling drag impact would also factor into this but I thought I would throw this into the mix.

I would like the extra performance kick so I am interested in how this works out. The turbo option might have been good option but I heard somewhere the IO-360 wouldn't handle the turbo well, although I don't recall why.
Yup, no free lunch... if we use the extra 30 horsepower to achieve a higher speed, we will spend more energy per mile in fighting drag, so range will decrease - and that's without factoring in a poorly designed cooling system (which we dont want to even consider in the first place ;) )

The nice thing, though, is that the IO390 is a higher compression engine than the 360. So at equivalent horsepower output, it should be at least as fuel-efficient as the 360, maybe even a tad more.

A turbocharged engine is very heavy, and it would require complex changes to the avionics software to monitor it properly. I dont believe in this option. A fellow DA40 owner called Brock is having a supercharger fitted to his DA40 and STC'd. So that would be an option too. News soon!
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Graham
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Re: More performance?

Post by Graham »

Why can't there ever be a free lunch!!!!

The Delta Hawk post from Kai yesterday looked interesting, if it works out, vs the IO-390. Althought the Delta Hawk looks like it would cost more, the IO-390 is a higher compression engine which could pose a challenge with the upcoming 100LL change. The higher compression engines won't run on lower octane fuel (ie MOGAS) and some of the alternative fuel concepts still need to be worked on plus could be more expensive. Being able to run Jet A may be an easier alternative.

Just some extra thoughts.
Antoine
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Re: More performance?

Post by Antoine »

folks did you see the new poll? I have SOME news!
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rwtucker
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Re: More performance?

Post by rwtucker »

I couldn't find a compression ratio on the IO-390 but if it gets you 210 hp with an 8.5:1 compression ratio so you can still burn Mogas, it would be an attractive choice at rebuild time. If you don't care about Mogas, a simpler and less expensive way to get 220-230 hp is via engine mods on your IO-360 (high compression, blueprinting and porting/polishing, etc.). A few reputable shops specialize in this. I don't know what the XLS tuned exhaust stack adds but most claims are in the 8-12% range. That alone gets you close to 200 hp. Add the mods and the guys who have done it around here (none on Diamonds) report dynos of 230 hp. That's probably worth another 10-15 kts. I like the mod option because the IO-360 is a proven engine vs. not much of a track record yet for the IO-390.
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Lance Murray
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Re: More performance?

Post by Lance Murray »

AOPA just uploaded a video test of the nano-coating. I may give this stuff a try. I will put it on some 3M leading edge tape and give it a test.
Antoine wrote:Great! I have just recently tried to find some good nano coating as a way to retard icing. was not successful... lets see what comes out.
I think in our operating speeds the drag benefit versus a good wax would be negligible though.
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Kai
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Re: More performance?

Post by Kai »

Lance, can you send a link of the video? I couldn't find it.
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