Hacman Kit install

36 posts in this topic

Posted

Got my Hacman kit in the mail today. I'm going to do a write up on the install and testing. Looking forward to being able to keep my EGT's where they need to be when I do mountain crossings.

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Posted

is the hacman automatic or a manual system? Mine Arctic Sparrow has two knobs on the dash with a cable that goes to each carb. Basically what they did was made a tapered needle, that was threaded, then threaded the slide on the carb. One turn on the knob = moving the clip up or down one notch. I love it and hate it at the same time :lol: I had a few trips last year where the damn cable froze up and I was not able to adjust in flight (middle of winter) so I would have to land and then the heat from the engine would thaw it out in just about 1 minute. Then I could adjust and be on my way. Not sure how I got moisture in the housing, but I pulled it apart and greased the cable so it should not do that anymore! I can tell a difference when I try climbing above 3000 and a HUGE difference after 4500 or so. I could not imagine trying to take off and fly around at 6000+ without some form of altitude compensation! WEel I guess I can, it would be like running the old sleds in the mountains where we had to stop, change jets etc. was a pain in the butt, but alot better than running a blubbery no power sled all day.

:BC:

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Posted

Leni it's a manual system. I will be able to adjust just about the entire power range. Here's plenty of reading for you on the system.

http://www.greenskyadventures.com/bing/HACmandetails.htm

On this page there is a little drop down box in the center top of the page that will navigate you around to other articles and a FAQ section.

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Posted

FYI, I didn't like some of the supplied hardware. I didn't use the plastic clamps at all but used a couple of turns of safety wire for each connection. For the connection to the "overflow" tubes on the carbs I used small diameter urethane fuel lines for a better fit. I used more aggressive barbs on the valve end and with more safety wire.

For the connection to the carb "ported vacuum" you want Rotax part number 940558. It has a good barb on it and will hold onto the line well with a couple of turns of safety wire. The gasket is part number 830890.

Also, an orifice made from a Autozone vacuum restrictor drilled out a bit and placed in the sense line (the one from the air filter) will increase the EGT adjustment range. Use with care.

I mounted my control valve with Adel clamps to and underneath the throttle control just out far enough back that I didn't hit it when using the throttle.

Cheers,

Mark Napier

Leni it's a manual system. I will be able to adjust just about the entire power range. Here's plenty of reading for you on the system.

http://www.greenskyadventures.com/bing/HACmandetails.htm

On this page there is a little drop down box in the center top of the page that will navigate you around to other articles and a FAQ section.

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Posted

Wow Mark that's a lot of changes.. I'm having a hard time grasping how the entire system hooks up. Their directions leave a lot to be desired. How do you like your system? Any info on it's use and the do's and don'ts. Also they sent me 180 main jets they claim that's what everybody uses.. I had a hard time figuring that one out too. I'm currently running 160's.

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Posted

Wow Mark that's a lot of changes.. I'm having a hard time grasping how the entire system hooks up. Their directions leave a lot to be desired. How do you like your system? Any info on it's use and the do's and don'ts. Also they sent me 180 main jets they claim that's what everybody uses.. I had a hard time figuring that one out too. I'm currently running 160's.

Joey:

You end up swapping out the main jet to a 180 mainly because the static air source to the float bowls, used in conjunction with the hacman is decidedly more negative(more of a vaccumm) than it was originally.With the hac you are static sourcing at the air filter as opposed to originally under the carbs.

I am running a hac that I built to my own particular plane's needs; a model c with internal rad and the engine intake firewalled off from the rest of the cowling gives me a more posative intake pressure on the carbs than those fully cowled.Was running a 180 main before I ever installed the alt. compensation for that reason.Also that my air filtre is firewalled from the rest of the engine I chose to static source my hac setup from inside the cowling rather than outside thru the air filtre.the net result being I'm still able to run the 180 main.I know a lot of the working theory can sound like a lot of brain twisting gobeldy gook, but once it is on your plane up and working, it will do what you need it to.

Mike

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Posted

The directions that they send with this kit suck. There is one piece that has three barbs on it that goes with the carbs. One barb goes into the air cleaner, one goes to the vent lines and one goes to the hac controller. There is still one open barb on the Hac Controller that the directions make no mention of. I'm assuming that this is the line that goes to just one carb where you have to remove the factory screw out of it?????????

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Posted

The directions that they send with this kit suck. There is one piece that has three barbs on it that goes with the carbs. One barb goes into the air cleaner, one goes to the vent lines and one goes to the hac controller. There is still one open barb on the Hac Controller that the directions make no mention of. I'm assuming that this is the line that goes to just one carb where you have to remove the factory screw out of it?????????

Mark answered my questions offline and I also talked to Olenik on the phone for a few too.. Thanks!!

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Posted

I was going to do my install today but I forgot the instructions with the plumbing schematic at home so I shot some touch and go's and changed my gearbox oil since I just rolled over 100 hours. I swapped it with some Royal Purple 85W-140. That junk was $17 for a quart but it's good stuff and it's full synthetic. Less drag and better heat dissapation. Here's the Hac controller installed in my panel.

IMG_0750.jpg

IMG_0749-1.jpg

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Posted

Mark answered my questions offline and I also talked to Olenik on the phone for a few too.. Thanks!!

You gonna post up some of the answers to help others with the install? Maybe whip up one of your tutorial threads on it :dunno:

:BC:

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Posted

I will keep updating this thread and show how I routed everything for an Avid/Kitfox install. I'm also going to draw up a schematic because their instructions are not very clear.

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Posted (edited)

Couple of pictures of the barbs. I just didn't like the ones supplied...

The single fitting closest to the knob attaches to the hose from the carb "ported vacuum." The hoses on either end of the "tee" go to the air cleaner "sense" and the carb "overflow/sense.".

post-109-1280771544279_thumb.jpg

post-109-1280771499867_thumb.jpg

Edited by napierm

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Posted

I got the system all in and plumbed this afternoon. Of course my memory card to my camera was still in my computer at home so no pics. I'll get a bunch before I button it back up. All that is left to do is safety wire some stuff and clean it up a little up. It took longer to drill the holes in the firewall and figure out a clean way to route the lines than it did to actually plumb it. It came out pretty well. Looking forward to doing some testing.

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Posted

Good spot for it right next to the throttle. Did you have an empty hole or relocate your choke?

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Posted

I had an empty hole. The manual shows the fuel shut off right there. My shutoff is mounted to a small plate down on the bulkhead in front of the seat on the right side. I sometimes wish I had a choke rather than a primer. On my airplane there is a half of a squirt of primer difference between it firing and it flooding. Sure seems like my grey head started better than this Blue Head does for some reason. I've changed out the plugs 3 or 4 times on this engine already. I think my ultrastart red battery might be getting old too. It's about 2 years old now and they are not much of a battery to start with. At 4lbs and $89 bucks I'll be getting another one. These engines sure seem to start better when they really crank.

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Posted

I got to do some testing of my HAC system this morning. After doing several run ups and seeing temps I was used to I took off. Temps looked good so I started a climb to 7500ft. My field lies at 117ft. I left the control knob in full rich for my climb. Upon reaching 7500 my EGT's were right around 1000 degrees and I was burning 4.9gph at level off at 5800rpm. Previously at this altitude and power setting I was burning 5.3 so it was already doing better which I can't fully explain. I suspect it was a combination of the kit install and the rejetting the kit requires. I started turning the knob towards the lean position and immediately saw the EGT's start to go up and the fuel flow start to go down. After about 6 turns I was reading 1150 and the fuel flow had dropped to 4.1 gph. You could hear an audible change in the engine as it leaned out. I did some climb tests at full rich and then leaned and when it was leaned out I was getting almost 300fpm more climb rate so the engine was definitely making more power.

Here are my current settings.

Field elevation 117ft

Airscrew 3 turns out

Idler 50

Needle Jet 2.74

Needle 1G2

Needle on bottom clip both carbs

Main Jets 180 (up from 160 with the HAC kit install)

Since I'm at Sea Level I my jetting dictates how rich I can go. My midrange was running hot which is why I'm running the 2.74 needle jet and the clips on the the bottom. With the HAC you want your base settings on the rich side because you can always lean it out.

Overall I'm very happy with this kit. The next testing will take place at 10,500ft. If I can get my fuel burn down by almost one GPH at 7500 I'm sure I'll see savings in excess of that the higher I go.

Onto the install pics...

Where you tap into the factory plug on the carb

IMG_0751-1.jpg

The three way valve. As you can see one end goes into the aircleaner, the middle one goes to the float chamber vents and the top one goes to the controller in the panel.

IMG_0752.jpg

Behind the panel hooked up to the HAC controller

IMG_0753.jpg

Looking at the carbs

IMG_0754.jpg

The short line that connects the two inner float bowl vents

IMG_0756.jpg

Before leaning

EGT's just over a 1000 and fuel flow 4.9 GPH

IMG_0757.jpg

Same conditions after leaning EGT's 1150 and fuel flow 4.1gph

IMG_0761-1.jpg

Overall panel shot.. 4.1 gph at 78 mph IAS and 5850rpm. On my Idaho trip I was burning 5.3gph at these same power settings and altitudes.

IMG_0763.jpg

Pulled back the power and got it down to 3.6 gph. I was indicating 72mph IAS at this power setting. I've NEVER seen fuel flow's below 4.0 gph above 5,000 rpm EVER.

IMG_0765.jpg

For $159 I only need to fly about 30 hours for this thing to pay for itself. Fuel costs is only one benefit..... more power and less carbon build up are a few others.

It's a simple system to operate. When I'm just flying locally I won't mess with it.. Just leave it at full rich but when I need to get over the mountains this is going to be a huge benefit.

One last thing to note on my test flight I was turning up 6600 rpm on take off up from 6300. I'm not sure what exactly caused that. I added a degree of pitch and got it back down where it was. The extra load helped to bring my midrange temps down some also.

Another thing to note is how worthless my needle tach is compared to my tiny tach.

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Posted

Updating this thread for Knuckledragger. Should work exactly the same for a Grey Head. Another thing to note is after helping out Nick Lappos with his Hac install I noticed that there was a piece in the kit that I had never seen. At some point Green Sky started adding a small restrictor to go into the system to increase range of the vacuum knob. I called them up and they sent me one for free. If you have had one installed for a long time may be something to look into. I had wished mine had a little bit more to go a few times when up at 10K.

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Posted

That is simpler than what I have. A lot!!! Very cool!!!

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Posted

I've been working on cars and bikes most of my life.  This Hacman kit has me thoroughly confused.

The instructions leave a quite a bit to be desired.  The kit itself is mostly plastic fittings, where the pictures on the website show nice brass - oh well I paid $160 for a fancy gate valve and some piss poor instructions/pictures.  In particular, the step attached has me baffled.  "Earlier castings have neither and must be replaced"  Have neither ___ what?  ... must be replaced with what?  What threads onto the hollow threaded rod that is shown being installed into a "boss" I don't even have?

 

 

Hacman.jpg

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Posted

 

Translation:

Late model carburetors have an extra passage to the venturi which is used by the Hacman controller, see photo on right.  Earlier carbs had a separate boss which needs to be drilled, (see photo above).  The way earlier castings don't have either the extra passage nor the undrilled boss and much be thrown out and replaced.  

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Posted

Throw away the carbs?

 

be thrown out and replaced.  

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Posted

That's what it sounds like to me....if yours don't have a place to tap the vacuum in the venturi..  I imagine that it's the carb body only that you need.  All the rest of the parts probably transfer.  That's still not encouraging as I took a quick check at CPS and they don't list the body.  But then again, I don't have a part number.  I see carbs come up all the time on Barnstormers.  Take a look.  

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Posted

Emory,

I must be having a airhead day, as I seem to have more questions than ideas.  Why am I tapping into the venturi vacuum? why only one carb? what connects to the outward facing threaded portion of the hollow threaded rod that screws into the venturi vacuum?  in the pic below,what is the hose coming off the right carb and leaving the picture connected to?     HACmanIndvFilters.jpg

  I don't mind guessing on a car where I can call AAA when I guess wrong, but when it comes to my plane if I don't have the facts, it stays in the box.

 

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Posted

Ask Joey.  I dunno.  I'd have to see the schematic.  I do know two folks now using this thing and both are very happy, so there you go.  If I get smartened up on these I'll chime back in.  

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Posted

Ask Joey. 

Yep, kinda why I posted here.

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