1290 N Broad Street
Fairborn OH 45324
937-878-2598
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| McCulloch engine statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The McCulloch drone engine is a horizantaly opposed 4 cylinder 2 stroke. In its stock configuration it weighs 79 lbs and produces 72 hp @ 4200rpm. It is a direct drive and does not have a starter. It has a magneto ignition and a mechanical fuel pump The original fuel system can be best described as a controlled fuel leak! It was the equivolent of a Cox 049 needle jet. Tune for highest rpm and let er rip! Obviously not suitable for manned flight. It would have been very easy for me to simply use the single barrle Holly that most gyrocopter boys use since its tried and proven, and if you can use it by all means it works. But remeber that gyro copters use this engine in the pusher configuration and have no cowling or space requirements around the engine. But for me that would not work. There was only 2 airplanes that I could find that have used this engine ( I seen pictures of actual flight.) in its original configuration. 1 Was in a BD-5 ! Yes he cut the nose off and installed it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| You can see these pictures at the yahoo egroup website link on this page. I know of no particulars of this installation. But perhaps the most notable use of this engine in tractor configuration is that of Phil Howell who used it on a Mignet Flea (yeah I know) and had flown it in excess of 400 hours. That was back in 1975. There was really nothing he did either (beside give me encouragment) that I could use for my Hummelbird as his Flea is a very open and draggy design compared to my little bird. So therfore I really am on my own when it comes to setting this up. The engine itself is a very robust design. And really designed as an aircraft engine right from the start.Nickle Cell cylinders with the heads cast right into the cylinder. Very light very strong as they have no head gasket to blow. The one piece forged crank is bullet proof and I have never heard of one breaking. It even has a prop hub designed just like it big brothers Lycoming and Continetal. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Modifications for our use. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Originally these engines were designed to be shot out of the sky. (I understand it was no easy feat as they flew 200+ mph) So they were sent out of the factory with main and rod bearings that only lasted 50hrs. Not to worry EAA enthusiast tracted down the high hour counter parts and had them installed. The engine infact is still produced today and can be bought new. Of course they already have the good bearings. And you can buy all the spares you need to keep em going. They come with aircraft plugs but take up a lot of space and I am using the common plug that all the gyro boys use. Its a champion tractor plug, that works just fine (much cheaper to) Now the stock magneto is one of the culprits of many a flame outs while exploring the wild blue yonder. And as such may have contributed to the Mac getting a bad rap years ago. In enters the name Advanced Rotor Designs. Rick will take your stock mag rewire it and supply you with a pointless dual coil CDI ignition. He claims he has never had a failure. You might think his price of $500 is a bit pricey but when you consider how inexpesivly you get get one of theses engnes in the air for its really not.He is also a wealth of information on this engine a good guy to consult with. Hes been flying them for a while, and knows what he knows and doesnt know... Ya know? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I have 10 hrs on mine and it has never even missed a beat. Now when you talk to various users of the engine you will get different setups concerning fuel delivery. But the gyros generally do need to move fuel from a lowwer location to the carb on top of the engine. Some use the stock fuel pump in conjuction (for back up) a diaphram pump run off of one of the 2 crank cases in the engine (the engine is essentialy 2 / 2 cylinder engines mated together with seperate crankcases). And some use 2 diaphram pumps all together. I choose to use 2 diaphram pumps one off of each crankcase. My plane has wing tanks (low wing) and I have to pump my fuel upward. What ever you choose it does not seem to be a problem with this engine. The gyro boys have been using it with a J-3 Cub style airscoop to cool the engine. Remember though they sit in front of the engine and push the prop air away from the engine and thus do have a cooling problem. I have not seen any problem with no tin installed on my engine what so ever. So you say "I want electric starter though" Its been done. There is a guy who will sell you the brackets and gear. The cylinders can be rotated 180 degree and mounted upside down as well as the engine block. Not to usefull for tractor configuration guys but the gyro boys make full use of it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How I am using the McCulloch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As I write I have built a new intake manifold that mounts the carburator (a S&S Super E for Harleys) on the bottom of the engine and wraps towards the back then up to the inlet. Because of the remote place it is in it was necessary to disconect the acclerator pump and install an aircraft style primer. It works just fine. The reason for this new set up is clearance on the upper cowling. I did not want a big bulge in the top. It has been run but not flown yet as there are a few things to finalize since it past the run test. The other possitives are that the carb (air inlet side) now faces forward so I can take advantage of the ram air effect. I will post pictures soon. 1/2/06 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/bd5/photos/browse/616e | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Advanced Rotor Design 1290 N Broad Street Fairborn OH 45324 937-878-2598 |
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