Good Afternoon...

I would very much like to go with a rotary engine for
my Zenith 801, however there is the problem of fitting
it under the cowl using the Zenith's suggested
thrustline(
http://www.zenithair.com/stolch801/data/thrust.pdf ).
I wanted to get your opinions on if a rotary
installation will likely be successful without
engineering/fabricating items.

Defining a bare block 13b is just the block, no
alternator, no water pump, oil filter, oil pan, etc.

Using the following assumptions:
   - The aircraft thrust line is 200mm down from the
top of the firewall.
   - The use of a redrive that is inline with the
ecentric shaft, Real World Solutions, Ross. etc.
   - A bare block 13b is 345mm high.
   - The center of the eccentric shaft is 187mm from
the top of the bare block 13b.

Thus, if the engine was installed with the eccentric
shaft 200mm from the top of the firewall I would have
13mm or 1/2" to work with between the top of the
engine and the top of the firewall/cowl. Most likely
an unworkable number for the typical mortal.

Zenith has okay'd lowering the thrust line 2"(50mm),
which gives a grand total of about 2 1/2"(63mm) to
work with above the engine block.  There is the
possibility of grabbing 1" (25mm) by increasing the
cowl height in needed locations, but I would rather
keep this as a last resort.

Without going through significant engineering efforts
is it likely a successful installation can be
completed with only 2 1/2"(63.5mm) available above the
engine block?

The water pump with associated plumbing and intake
runners are concerns which jump out at first blush.

Any insight you can offer is greatly appreciated.

Thank You.

-Scott

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