Help with SDS EFI

[Coen]

I want to buy a SDS system for my ship, want to know what will it intail since she is already built. Will i need to strip her down to the last bolt or will it be a quick cut of a few wires and installation of the new ssystem?
Does anybody have any reason to think that the system has any negative efects like shortening the engine life or anything like that?

Any comment welcome
Regards Coen

[r.coplen]

Coen,

I am running the SDS system. I stripped off all the extra wires left when I installed the SDS system. It is a little confusing as the instructions are generic for a number of engine configurations. The guys in Canada were very helpful and walked me through the installation.

We have about 50 hours on the engine with the SDS on it and no problems.

[Sparks LeBaue]

I read the request for the SDS system and also another using the SDS. Why do you think this is required?

Thanks Sparks

[Coen]

I heard that it gives better performance and helps with optimising fuel economy, since the mixture can be controlled manualy or set so that computer runs aotomaticaly. I use strips of between 3500-5500 ft above sea level and temperatures of 35 degC. At gross weight the performance is NOT good and the SH then effectively becomes a SINGLE SEAT gyro. Lots of money for flying a big ship that in reality carrys pilot only?

[r.coplen]

Coen and Sparks,

The reasons I installed the SDS was that it gave me the ability to use av-gas and it was more dependable than the 12 year old electrical system that came with the 2.2 engine. My understanding is that the newer 2.5 engines have been just about bomb proof and they have a different computor system and can use some av-gas.

I have had good performance with either system in my SparrowHawk. We have trained people approaching 300 lbs and David, our CFI is over 225 lbs. With the SDS you can adjust the fuel mixture even after you have set up the computer to run the engine. It will give you better fuel economy and higher performance.

Coen, are you running the 2.2 or the 2.5? My understanding is that the 2.5 has worked very well for training at Buckeye which get over 100 degrees a great deal of the time and has a lot higher elevation than my 50 feet asl airport.

[Coen]

Hi
I've got the 2.5, the motor runs very smooth but our terain is very mountenous so need good rate of climb to make for a safe "stock theft patrol vehicle" since looking in valleys and then having to climb out again in a marginal ship is looking for trouble aspecially when there is a bit of a breese.
Is Mr Coplin the only person who can comment on the use of the SDS system on a 2.5 SH, i want as much feedback on this since if im not happy a lot of freight money has been spent and a lot of time waisted back and forth from South Africa to Canada.

Thanks for the comment already given!
Regards Coen

[Sparks LeBaue]

Hello,

Well I asked to see if either of you had the same issues that another SH has. I takeoff at altitudes of no less then 5100'. I fly the front range of Colorado and I use all the stock components sent with my kit.

After speaking to the factory many times, it sounded like they were going to let others know of what I have accomplished. There is another SH that arrived to Colorado a couple of months ago. That SH has the camshaft upgrade, SDS system and had an IVO PRO prop. After a couple of weeks of flying it, I was contacted and was asked, "What pitch are you using with your Warpdrive prop? How much would you charge to remove the SDS and install the stock Subaru harness and ECM and make it run like yours?" That pilot has flown many SH's, RAF's and other craft. He tells me there is not another SH or RAF that performs or fly’s as nice as the one I fly. That was a very nice complement and I feel that I need to let all the others know what is missing.

When I fly solo; I climb out at 800-1300 FPM at 75 mph. When I get to cruising, I throttle back to ~4400 rpm and have a burn rate of 4.2-4.5 GPH. When I fly with Skypuppy, a full load of fuel and DA of 9000+' we still climb out at ~ 400 FPM and still only burn ~5.5-5.8 GPH. I never have to adjust anything at any time, as it is all taken care of by the ECM. If you wire your craft exactly like the Groen Bros. factory shows on the wiring diagram, you are missing a couple of connections that are required to run in the "closed loop" design intended from the Subaru factory. This creates a few error codes being fired off and then the ECM operates in "limp home mode" only providing about 67% of the available performance, meaning there is no timing adjustment, no altitude compensation and more.

I was approached by the factory a year ago telling me they would purchase and help get installed the camshaft upgrade stating an increase to 190 hp, if I would take my SH to the local fly in and be available to give rides. I kindly explained that I believe my stock 2.5 engine wired as intended from the Subaru factory would still outperform a cam-modified engine, and I would like to prove that.

I have proven that and the Groen Bros. factory knows this. I fly most of the time from 6500' to 8000' and can fly on the hottest of days fully loaded. I believe with little work I can help either of you (providing you have the stock harness and ECM still) with a very cost effective solution. I have tweaked mine in a few other areas that help on idle and mid to top end performance.

If either you have any interest, pm me and we'll take it from there.

Best regards,
Sparks

[Heather Poe]

I flew Randy Coplen's 2.2L Sparrowhawk when it was quite cold and during normal weather. Subjectively, when Randy converted to the SDS system, the new normal weather climb felt just as peppy as the old cold weather climb. I do not believe that the ECM modifications you mention were ever implemented in the original configuration.
Heather

[Coen]

Thanks for replying, it sound like you have the answers i have been waiting for. As soon as i'm finished posting this il be contacting you.
Many Thanks Coen

[TKorrison]

I have installed two SDS systems on my last two builds. The install is simple and the system works great. The reason is that you can tune your engine to run exact at every 250 RPM. Over all we see an increase of between 250 and 300 rpm at thre top end of the engine. It also runs very smooth at all RPM s. If you use this system with a proper tunned eghaust system for the 2.5 liter engine we see a 80 lbs increase in thrust on a 2.5 liter engine..

Ovewrall we love it...If you buy it instead of the stock subrau modual it is actually $200 cheaper....

Tom korriosn
gbagyros of San Diego