Rotax SI.912.020 R4 upgrades are out.............................

[Guest Maj Millard]

SI.912.020R4

 

SI.914.022R4

 

These new Service instructions from Rotax make interesting reading, but mostly are simple upgrades or refining improvements designed to make a great engine even better. Most if not all, have already been incorporated into new engines. I'll run through them for you briefly..........................

 

Flexable fuel lines...to elimate the use of hard Stainless lines which could crack as fitted to some engines in the past.

 

New fuel pump gasket.................better than the last ?, which didn't leak anyway if you put a spanner on the two hold-down nuts occasionally.

 

New balance/compensator tube..........................pretty much same as the old one except they have lengthened the rubber end-connectors which make it easy to clamp off the tube for carb syncronization, in lue of removing the tube, and plugging up one end. Quicker to check your carbs balance now.

 

Advance start modual................this capability has been offered aftermarket as a 'soft start modual' by some. Rotax appears to have now embraced and incorporated it into their ign moduals to make starting easier. Does look like a bit of work, and I won't bother as my engine starts fine when the recommended proceedures are used.

 

New spark plug for the 914 engine..........................they say you can still use the old ones, but not to mix the two types. We'll see if the new one makes any difference with use in the future.

 

New upper expansion bottle...........................The metal capped upper expansion bottle has had it's outlet tube lengths, and angles, changed a bit for easier attachment of hoses. Good change Rotax.

 

914 Sensor and pressure switch changes...............haven't researched this totally, but changes or up grades to same for even more reliability.

 

New Flydat USB capability.........................now with intergrated USB download capability, so you don't have to chase a special download cable.

 

New exhaust outlet pipes for the 914.....................same as the previous except for different locations of the EGT sensor inlet bosses it appears.

 

New improved oil pressure sensor........................interesting change as some of the older sensors have failed after extended use. The new type operates on electrical current instead of resistance value. The leads/wires can be extended to any length using standard type wire. Unfortunatly you will need to also fit a new type guage to suit the sender. Pray the old one keeps on keeping on, mine works fine !!

 

Kudos to Rotax for giving us these improvement on what is already very reliable equipment.

 

For a more indepth picture of the new SIs please download them and read throughly..............................................................Maj...L2 Unrestricted