Better half vw engine weight LSA Videos and Plans Leonard Milholland has created nine videos – Wing Construction, Start Construction, Steel Tail Construction, Finishing, Engine Assembling, and Cabin Eagle™ Information – to Jan 29, 2020 · This engine is based on Volkswagen mechanics. S. The half heads are made from a dual port head cut in half to make two half heads. used the flywheel side pistons and cylinders , because I wanted torque I used 2 96 MM pistons = 955 CC. 2 "plugs" in the set. Given the amount of engine modification (i. PDF file It gives information on how to modify the VW engine to make a better-half VW Aero engine of 30 hp for the Legal Eagle and The XL. LSA Videos and Plans Leonard Milholland has created nine videos – Wing Construction, Start Construction, Steel Tail Construction, Finishing, Engine Assembling, and Cabin Eagle™ Information – to Looking for a way to mount a 4-stroke engine to your ultralight or light aircraft? The economic solution is to take a full-case Volkswagon engine and modify it from four cylinders to using only the front two! There are various plans available from different sources for converting a full VW … Continue reading → Feb 10, 2015 · Both the industrial V-Twins and the 1/2 VW are rated at 3600rpm. The design is from 1993. Landing Distance ~ 300 ft. It is a Force One from Great Plains. All 2 CYLINDER EGNINES CAN BE MADE WITH THE CUT CASE OR FULL CASE VERSION ----- 4 CYLINDER ENGINES . " All of the control systems are located outside the fuselage and the wings are completely sealed to prevent "those creepy crawly things" from getting in. The engine should have dual-port heads and case savers for the cylinder hold-down studs. Options - New case, Battery Ignition, Dual Ignition,Starter,Alternator Bed, Radial or Mosler Mounting. 2 counterweights. Oct 5, 2023 · VW RNS 510 Built - in Car Sat Nav Devices, VW RNS 315 Built - in Car Sat Nav Devices, Volkswagen VW RNS 315 Built - in Car Sat Nav Devices, Aviation Engine Plans, Aircraft, Complete Engines for Mazda 2, Project & Experimental Aircraft, Half Helmets, Aircraft Tires & Tubes Whats the weight of a Better half vw engine? I'm surprised the Hummel 1/2 VW engine can be balanced with only only a single predetermined offset weight. Since the industrial engine and the 1/2VW are so similar in performance, the direct drive prophub should work as well on the industrial engine as it does on the 1/2VW. It is not the only one that uses "half engine" for obtaining reduced power. $30. 00 or more commonly, they were for sale but I had a May 27, 2025 · Four stroke 1/2 VW alternative for the UltraCriuser! Electric start and tri-cycle gear capable for Part 103. Complete Plans to Build ½ VW Engine – Prepaid U. There have been some issues with oil control and oil heat with the cut cases, which somewhat are related to crankcase pulsating pressures. . I think it's a pretty good idea and look forward to seeing this project come together. ENGINE IS COMPLETE AND TEST RUN. The estimated cost to build is $4000 to USD 6000, depending on your scrounging ability. com/lightsportandultralightflyer - Help support the Light Sport & Ultralight Flyer by becoming a Patron, contributions start at as littl The plane is powered by a "better half" VW engine. A slightly enlarged version of the original, the Legal Eagle XL Ultralight can handle a 275 pound pilot yet has an empty weight of just 246 pounds …so it also makes the grade as an ultralight. The 4-stroke engine can avoid these issues. [1] [6] [7] [13] [14] Legal Eagle XL Model for larger pilots with a wider and taller seat, greater wing area and longer tail. 246 lb (112 kg) empty weight [6] [7] [11] Double Eagle ENGINE SELECTION Generally, look for a 1600 cc engine from a 1970 VW or later. Legal speed 55 K (63Mph), Stall Speed 27 Mph. It employs coil ignition and produces about 30 hp (22 kW). patreon. It gives 30 hp. The Hummel 2 Cylinder VW — Powering the Hummelbird, Ultra Cruiser and other Experimental Amateur Built and Ultralight aircraft, Morry Hummel's 1/2 VW engine conversion plans have become a trusted standard in the aviation community. I have always wanted to build a 2 cylinder air cooled motor ever since I read about it in the 70s in Dune Buggies and Hot VW. Either they were running engines and were going for around $1,500. " Elsewhere in the manual they say 90#, which may be a flying weight including oil and the basic exhaust shown in the catalog? I have a Better Half engine that was begun by someone else. I never weighed mine, but Mosler gave 85# as the weight of their half VW engines. So, knowing that 1/2 VW's come in at 81 to 103Lbs (I'm sure this is basic bare engine to one fully ready to go with alternator, exhaust manifold, fuel pump etc. There are lots of Baja buggies putting out 200 to 300 HP for the full 4 cylinders, or if we split that in half, 100-150 HP if it were a 2 cylinder motor. It is said to fly like a slow Cub which is a pretty good recommendation. Warren Mosler specialized in racing engines and added the engine to the list of products eventually marketed under the company name Total Engine Concepts. The three axis aircraft is designed around the four stroke half VW engine producing 30 horsepower, more than enough power for most applications. Better Half VW Engine Video. $20. The engine is a twin cylinder four-stroke, horizontally-opposed air-cooled, direct-drive gasoline engine design based on the Volkswagen air-cooled engine. With the intake, exhaust, ignition, and fuel pump my engine weighs about 90 lb. This is the prop hub I am using for this engine. Empty weight: 385 lbs (175 kg) MTOW: 900 This is the same garage that Leonard had worked in for years as a VW and auto mechanic for the local community. Both engines use only half of crankshaft and half of cam. May 8, 2019 · Power is provided by a Volkswagen four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine which has been cut in half and drives a two-blade Culver Wooden propeller, this unit being converted by Better Half VW of Brookshire, Texas. The plane cruises along at 53 mph, stalls at 19, and according to Leonard is "real responsive and a pleasure to fly. Several improvements have resulted in greater power and reliability in the dual carbs, and other changes have reduced the complexity of the building. I intend to disassemble it to see what kind of work has been done on it so far. Props will be limited to about 54in in both cases. (DRY). e. Engine Case Procurement: Surprisingly, finding a used VW engine in my area was much more difficult than I had expected. It came out to be 30 hp! Basic model with a 244 lb (111 kg) empty weight, powered by a 30 hp (22 kW) Half VW engine or 23 hp (17 kW) Briggs and Stratton Vanguard engine. Well I built a 2 cylinder type 4 about 4 years ago. ) The Polini Thor 303 comes in at a hare over 45Lbs. a stroker crank. Even though the 94x86 45hp engine is now in sorta common use on the XL's, the smaller 37hp engine will fly it very nicely. full setup (running) claims 120 lbs that alone could put this idea out to pasture. 5 page set. "Better Half"-Unlike other similar ones (see Great Plains for example), it preserves the entire block, using only the two front cylinders, with caps for the rear cylinders. Going a full 4cyl VW calls for a different type of airplane. Jan 25, 2014 · Most of the weight savings using a 2-stroke engine are used by the weight of the exhaust system and reduction drive needed to make the engine work. Full case engine vs' cut case engine is only 5 pounds ready to run. Sep 2, 2018 · The three axis aircraft is designed around the four stroke half VW engine producing 30 horsepower, more than enough power for most applications. [1] Apr 13, 2023 · Today we tested the Better Half VW engine for the Legal Eagle and Legal Eagle XL. The skills Leonard gained really came in handy when designing the Better Half VW. The Better Half VW is an American aircraft engine, designed by Leonard Milholland of Brookshire, Texas, in 1993 for use in ultralight aircraft. $125. The company and its designs were then sold to Mosler Motors. Sep 2, 2018 · A genuine, qualifying Part 103 ultralight vehicle, Legal Eagle ultralight weighs only 244 pounds. $50. There are 26 pages of text and pictures. Take off distance ~ 250 ft. Dec 22, 2021 · In Leonard Milholland's "The Better Half VW Engine" publication that he sells, there is a list of "only the year models and engine numbers that are usable for conversions as described in this book". 1 Building the Better half VW Engine (-mostly-) A report by Christopher KlemanDisclaimer: This document is for informational purpose only and is not intended to be a guide or definitive how-to for how you decide to build your Engine. The Milholland Legal Eagle is an American high wing, strut-braced, single engine, tractor configuration, conventional landing gear-equipped ultralight aircraft that is available as plans from Better Half VW of Brookshire, Texas, and is intended for amateur construction. Assembly manual by Morry Hummel, with additional info on balancing the 78mm crankshaft. $95. This document summarizes a builder's process for constructing a modified 1138cc VW engine with a 94mm bore and 82mm stroker crankshaft. Double Eagle Plan. For example, one of the engine numbers in this list is "AE-0-999-001". I started on the Better Half VW engine conversion about 1993, and so far have sold about 5000 plans of this conversion. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Basically the same 1/2 VW, but with Harley Sportster jugs/heads. The engine was dropped from production in 1998. The garage became his haunt after work and on weekends. Weight 246 pounds (dry) Briggs and Stratton Engine Plan. plenty The 3rd prop was better cruising thickness of the weight. Cabin Eagle Plan. Aug 20, 2018 · https://www. Dry weight: 40 kg The Legal Eagle is powered by a "better half" VW engine. I have never seen the Better Half plans so I don't know what size engine is commonly used. Global Motors originally designed a Half VW engine for use in light aircraft. Using Craigslist I searched out quite a few engines. HKS 700E (55-60hp), Verner JCV-360 (35hp), Hexadyne P60 (60hp), Jabiru 1600 (56hp) and a few more have all gone down the gurgler. one thing that I am curious about is this. This is probably overkill but it came with my crank so I'm using it. VW engines with serial numbers beginning with AE or AK are excellent choices but don't discard other engines because they fail to meet the above criteria. 00 ALL WELDING AND MACHINING IS COMPLETE. Pushing a 1/2 VW engine to 60 HP “ain’t much!”. This is merely a report of the method and route I chose to follow, and the issues that arose from such a build. Several hours long. The Milholland Legal Eagle is an American high wing, strut-braced, single engine, tractor configuration, conventional landing gear-equipped ultralight aircraft that is available as plans from Better Half VW of Brookshire, Texas, and also produced in kit form by J&N Bolding Enterprises of Baytown, Texas, and is intended for amateur construction It's June 7, 2001 and we had a disappointment with the 041 head It was bought new and it turns out that the Brazilians use an 040 casting with big valves and change the casting model number from 040 to 041 with a punch Weight 487 pounds. A couple of examples have been built in Australia, including 19-8866. 32 hp 1/2 VW at different times of the engine life. A botch it is not, it is a well sorted conversion. I've always wanted to take a motorcycle stator/rotor charging system and put it on the flywheel side of the engine. Jul 12, 2016 · I think the LE with the 1/2 VW is a very good design and fit but the Valley Engineering Generac V twin with a claimed 250lb versus Vw's 170lb of static thrust is very intriguing. $25. Engine crankcase machining "plugs" set. Wings Video. 69 mm Crank Counter Weights – Ready to Weld On - $50. Oct 8, 2017 · BTW, adding 1/3 more Air/fuel (in the form of boost) would likely have almost zero effect on the durability of our typical 1/2 VW engine. I used a bolt tapped into the end of the rocker shaft to set in a groove on the head cover flange. The Double Eagle Airplane is a "plans built" design powered by the widely available stock VW engine, Empty weight: 385 lbs (175 kg) 113 kph) Engine: Better Feb 21, 2014 · The ultralight should weight about 265 lbs with the VW mounted. "Weights include all attached accessories and complete induction and ignition systems, but do not include exhaust systems or lubricants. I haven't seen any other half VW's out there using this hub but it looks to me like the strongest thing out there for a direct drive VW. Nov 21, 2010 · The 1/2 VW engine has been flying successfully in the US for years, weighs around 85 -90 lbs (about the same as a RTF Rotax 447) and is reckoned to produce 30 - 40 hp depending on state of tune. 50 HP 85. Securing a used engine case proved difficult but was Jul 13, 2023 · I don't know of any Badland with a 1/2 VW. 00. In the US many Legal Eagles are powered by the Better Half VW which produces around 30 HP, and this gives a cruise speed of around 60 mph. The Better Half VW Engine has gone under some revision since the original 1993 version. 00 or more commonly, they were for sale but I had a It's June 7, 2001 and we had a disappointment with the 041 head It was bought new and it turns out that the Brazilians use an 040 casting with big valves and change the casting model number from 040 to 041 with a punch thickness of the weight. Crankshaft balance weight set for the 69mm crankshaft. Prop Hub Kit (includes prop hub, seal, bolt, washer and crush plate) - $220. Apr 1, 2019 · Searched the forums and didn't see any mention of these. ( Note ) This engine comes standard with Aluminum NiCom cylinders. Valley Eng. PO Box 747 Jun 29, 2008 · CAD drawn engine plan set. Reliable Four-Stroke Power. The engine is the Better Half VW ™ ~ 30 HP @3400 RPM. LSA Videos and Plans Leonard Milholland has created nine videos – Wing Construction, Start Construction, Steel Tail Construction, Finishing, Engine Assembling, and Cabin Eagle™ Information – to I started on the Better Half VW engine conversion about 1993, and so far have sold about 5000 plans of this conversion. The Legal Eagle XL™ Package price is $215 and will include all videos, Better Half VW 2 Cylinder Engine Plan, and The Legal Eagle XL™ Plans. 5 mm bore x 69 mm stroke 1600 cc 140 to 160 lbs. Dec 26, 2020 · Empty weight 245 pounds dry (112 Kg) and in NZ the MAUW is 573 pounds (260 Kg). I am doing the full case conversion. Sep 25, 2014 · The reason I ask was after looking over the "better half" plans and reading the hp numbers for stock crank vs. Dec 21, 2013 · I am using the plans from Simplex Aero. Shipment - $50. The Hummel 2 Cylinder VW — Powering the Hummelbird, Ultra Cruiser and other Experimental Amateur Built and Ultralight aircraft, Morry Hummel's 1/2 VW engine conversion plans have become a trusted standard in the aviation community. Engine construction video by Bill Spring. Oct 2, 2020 · So, if you are looking for an alternative for the 1/2 VW, there is very little out there in that hp range and weight. Briggs and Stratton Engine Plan. Engine Heads Video. Scott Casler's engines range from 840cc to 1200cc. Feb 13, 2010 · What's interesting above is that all the four-cylinder engines are substantially cheaper for the horsepower and sometimes lighter per horsepower than the two-cylinder engines, and in fact you can go up to a 1915cc 65 horsepower full VW and still come in cheaper than a 1200cc 45 horsepower half VW. Full Size Rib Pattern. Add to cart. If you watch motocross motorcycle racing you see that the rules allow the 4-stroke engines to be twice the displacement of the 2-stroke engines. cutting away 1/2 of it!) theoretically I would think there would have to be a second offsetting weight on the rear of the engine to get reasonable dynamic balance as well as static balance. He bought aircraft-grade spruce and mahogany and cut all the pieces himself. Better Half VW Engine Plan. Key modifications included cutting the crankshaft in half to use a counterweighted crank, machining thrust washers to fit, and grinding extra clearance in the engine case for the larger stroker components. tbfuxqlulscmunytpnadcvvmykkeddjvykbqhzbhjubxfqttcsyuh