What is so different about ULPower engines ?
The line of ULPower engines includes 4- and 6-cylinder models, all offering an excellent power to weight ratio. Every engine is delivered to the buyer as a complete package - practically ready-to fly. This means they come with an ECU, a wiring harness, the ignitions coil pack , a complete stainless steel exhaust system, an incorporated alternator with rectifier and voltage regulator, electric fuel pump , 2 fuel filters, a fuel pressure regulator, a starter, an air filter, an oil filter, rubber mounts, aluminium ram airboxes, Oil/Air separator (including: temperature resistant hoses and banjo connections, if required).
Modern features and easy maintenance
Each design includes 5 (for 4 cyl. engines) or 7 (for 6 cyl. engines) crankshaft main bearings plus an additional ball bearing-type thrust bearing at the prop shaft end of the crankshaft, positive-pressure oil lubrication to the cylinder valve operating mechanisms, solid-valve lifters, and other user- and maintenance-friendly features.
All ULPower engines are direct-drive, wet-sump engines, just like a Lycoming or Continental. But unlike the traditional engines, the cylinder heads are not screwed onto the cylinder barrels to form a one-piece cylinder/head. ULPower heads are bolted to the barrels. This feature makes valve and head work much easier and less intrusive. Another advantage is that the torque values for the cylinder case halves are not relaxed during head work, which maintains main bearing crush and fit.
The Squish / Fuel
All ULPower engines are multi-fuel engines. They are designed to run on mogas, including mogas blended with up to 15% ethanol, as well as on 100LL leaded avgas. The “i” models use mogas RON95 with an anti-knock index (AKI) of 91, while the “iS” models require mogas RON97 with an AKI of at least 93.
Because of the “squish” designed into to cylinder head/combustion chamber, it is possible to safely use mogas in engines with compression ratios of 9:1. The fuel/air mixture is “squished” between a very narrow gap of less than 1 mm between the piston and the cylinder head. This creates turbulence, causing a more homogeneous fuel/air mixture that results in a better-controlled and faster combustion event and reduces the risk of detonation.
Cool Runnings**Bold text**
The redline (maximum) cylinder head temperature (CHT) for our engines is surprisingly low at 356° F (180° C).
There are three reasons for these surprisingly low numbers. The first is the sheer number and large size of the cylinder head cooling fins. Furthermore, all engines are also shipped with CNC cut and formed left and right cylinder head ram air boxes.
Each ULPower upper cylinder is constantly lubricated through a pressurised oil line. This flow not only lubricates the valves and valve guides, but also cools the heads. Oil leaving the conrod bearings is guided into the direction of the pistons to cool them.
The ECU / Easy start
All of our engines are FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) with multi-point fuel injection and dual electronic ignition.
The ECU, (Electronic Control Unit), receives information from four different sensors and continuously controls the mixture and timing from start-up to shut-down. As a result, in the cockpit, there is no choke, no primer, no carb heat, and no mixture control; just a throttle.
This brings also a definite bonus on both “cold” and "hot" starts.
Single lever control - reduced pilot workload and more comfortable/enjoyable flying
FADEC reduces a pilot's engine management tasks to simply selecting the desired power setting through a single control. You can now forget about managing the engine and focus on flying. The precise and immediate reaction of the FADEC to any change in engine operation results in better throttle response, stable rpm and lower fuel consumption.
Fuel Consumption
The FADEC system automatically sets the fuel mixture and ignition timing for the most efficient power to fuel consumption at any given operating condition.
The ECU has a 3D map programmed. Looking at RPM, throttle position, air temperature, oil temperature, atmospheric pressure, the ECU calculates (multiple times per second) the amount of air going into the engine and sets the injector timing accordingly (depending on the programmed figures). Our FADEC unit will even fine tune the fuel flow to compensate for changes in barometric pressure as well as inlet air temperature in the inlet collector!
The fact that each cylinder has its own fuel injector, ensures that the amount of fuel is equally distributed over all cylinders. This results in equal power production in all cylinders and a smoother running engine.
Powerful starter
Our readily accessible 1.2 kw starter motor makes starting easy. There is no sprag clutch to wear /replace or worry about!
Alternator / Battery
If the alternator and/or the regulator/rectifier cease to supply a charging current, the engine will run about 45 min to an hour just on battery power.(provide your battery (12v/18ah) is fully charged and all other electronics have been shut down).
Quality / In house manufactured parts
The majority of essential parts are made by ULPower which ensures a continuous quality.
TBO prices / Spare parts prices
Genuine ULPower spare parts are reasonably priced and are available through local sales and service centers around the world. Ask your local ULP agents about our very competitive TBO prices . You will be pleasantly surprised !
No more icing / No vapor lock
The ULPower fuel rail is incredibly compact making sure that the air/fuel mixture is heated the least amount possible as it travels over the rail. Even if a gas occlusion is formed, it will be 'flushed' through the system as fuel is pumped through the engine before start-up. As our injectors are right near the 'loop' of fresh fuel circulation it guarantees the engine will start and restart at every attempt (hot or cold)..
Easier and cleaner installation
As the ECU is factory programmed, the whole installation is just a matter of plug and play. Forget about fiddling around with the carburetor needle to try and get the jetting and idle rpm right. You can certainly eliminate all the hassle of synchronizing carburetors. Since the ULP engine is single lever controlled, there are less cables to install and the usual heat box for the carburetor can also be eliminated. The absence of a separate coolant circuit does not only lower the weight of the installation it also makes it less complex and easier to fit under the cowling!
Electronic RPM limiter
The ECU has a built-in electronic rpm limiter that protects the engine from over revving which can cause severe internal engine damage.
The ECU may also control the electric fuel pump(s). If the engine stops, it will shut-off the fuel pump automatically.
Mounting Options
Each ULPower engine is shipped with a straight (not Dynafocal) four-lug mounting plate bolted to the back of the engine. There’s also an option to add a two-lug mount at the front of the engine to utilize a cradle mount system. Engines are shipped with a standard-length 55 mm (2.166 in) prop flange, but since the flange can be removed without splitting, the 3 optional lengths can be used if desired: 35 mm (1.38 in), 90 mm (3.54 in), and 110 mm (4.33 in). Propellers are available from companies such as Sensenich, WhirlWind, Catto, Prince,MT, GT, Airmaster…
Due to the large roller-type thrust bearing, all ULPower engines can be installed in tractor (prop in front) or pusher (prop in back) configurations. All that’s required to adapt the engine for pusher use is to rotate the inlet air collector, the exhaust system, and ram air collector boxes 180° to accommodate the change. ULPower also offers a fan and ducting kit to convert any of its engines to helicopter use.
Manuals and Spare Parts
The ULPower web site provides a full complement of installation, operation, parts, and maintenance manuals, as well as service bulletins on every engine. All of these files are available for download in pdf format. If you are looking for a more advanced way to see if the engines will fit your design, even 3D step files are available
