I have a '53 with a Pponk, a TSIO520D. I was interested in converting to Bendix injection a couple years ago and talked with a guy that could get the approval. I have since lost his information, when I talked to him about 18 months ago, he had cancer and wasn't sure how long he was going to be around. He may not be anymore.
I have a project 180 I am working on and since I do not have anything firewall forward except a prop, I thought it would be a good time to do Bendix injection. The project will have a PPonk 520 as well.
I was out flying my '53 today and with no carb heat, carb temp was low 20's. At that temperature I get big differences between the cylinder temperatures. When running higher power, like WOT and 2500rpm I get one or two hotter cylinders forcing me to run richer on the other four to keep the hot two in range. Most often I run around at 17-18" and 2300rpm, with carb temp mid 30's to low 40's it will run LOP beautifully, with hottest to coldest cylinder being 20 degrees or so. I'd like to be able to do that throughout the power settings. I am guessing that if the fuel distribution were better under higher power settings, I'd get more power because the 4 cool cylinders wouldn't be running excessively rich, though I doubt it would be noticeable. I'd also like to not think about carb ice on take off, that nearly put me down a couple of times.

So, does anyone here have experience with adding Bendix injection, or know who I can call?

I called Northpoint regarding this. They said it is not covered under the STC and highly discouraged it. In the US I understand you may get a field approval. Hard no in Canada.

Why not go with the real thing?

https://www.airplains.com/cessna180-300hp

Why not go io550?
1. Weight. 550 crank from what I have heard is about 12 pounds heavier than 520 crank. CG is already quite far forward with 520 and metal prop on early 180.
2. Fuel plumbing for continental injection is quite an addition to a non IO airframe.
3. Cost

I’m curious why northpoint would be against it, Bendix injection is pretty simple. Throttle body, two fuel pumps, fuel spider, pressure and flow gauge.

I know a guy who ponked his 54 model,
and then had a lot of carb ice issues which he didn't have before.
He tried all three sizes of induction balance tubes-- no improvement.
He ended up installing Bendix fuel injection, with a DER sign-off.
Maybe he'll pipe up here.

StillLearning wrote:Why not go io550?
1. Weight. 550 crank from what I have heard is about 12 pounds heavier than 520 crank. CG is already quite far forward with 520 and metal prop on early 180.
2. Fuel plumbing for continental injection is quite an addition to a non IO airframe.
3. Cost

I’m curious why northpoint would be against it, Bendix injection is pretty simple. Throttle body, two fuel pumps, fuel spider, pressure and flow gauge.

I was actually referring to the IO520 air plains offers. Fuel plumbing is a thing, gotta add a header tank I suppose. I flew an air plains io520 in a 180 on floats for a few yeas and it was great.

If you make progress on this, I still have the fuel pump, header tank, adapter, etc from my build that was left over. I would make you a good deal on them.
I went with a carbureted Pponk for several reasons.
In hindsight, I should have gone with FI.
.

I called Airplains, STC parts and paperwork $24k.

If no one is doing field approvals for bendix anymore, it looks like it will be a carburetor on the project plane.

A lot of Bendix FI 470s out there. There was a whole thread on this on the supercub.org a couple of years ago.

C180_guy wrote:A lot of Bendix FI 470s out there. There was a whole thread on this on the supercub.org a couple of years ago.

Everyone I have talked to says there is no DER that is doing it anymore, field approvals are apparently not happening.

Why do you need a DER? You use the Bendix STC and the field approval deviates from the STC for the obsolete component substitution. Has your A&P talked to your FSDO?

C180_guy wrote:Why do you need a DER? You use the Bendix STC and the field approval deviates from the STC for the obsolete component substitution. Has your A&P talked to your FSDO?

Perhaps you could enlighten me on a Bendix STC? I have heard that there was one years ago, but I don't know anything more.

Bendix was the company years ago that made general aviation fuel injection products. It was sold a long time ago to a company called Precision Airmotive. During the Bendix years, they came out w/ an STC to convert 470s from carbureted to FI. Problem is some of the components are obsolete, but there are replacements and that is the subject of the field approval.

C180_guy wrote:Bendix was the company years ago that made general aviation fuel injection products. It was sold a long time ago to a company called Precision Airmotive. During the Bendix years, they came out w/ an STC to convert 470s from carbureted to FI. Problem is some of the components are obsolete, but there are replacements and that is the subject of the field approval.

Do you know the STC number?
An issue here might be tracking down the STC and getting permission to use.
Besides the issue of obsolete components specified in that stc.

There was a whole thread on this over at the supercub forum with attachments. Or pick up your phone and call Precision.

I've looked into this mod a few times over the years. Still kicking myself for not buying an approval from the gentleman down in Georgia who was rubber stamping them for several years, he's now retired.

One of our members here has been running this setup on his 180 for years now and is very happy with it, no more carb ice! As others have mentioned it is an easier mod as there are no real airframe mods required, adding the header tank that is required for the Continental injection is no easy task.

Bendix had an STC (#SE1CE) back in the 60s and when Bendix was sold to Precision they did not get that particular STC for some reason. Bendix is now part of Honeywell and I've been unable to find anyone at that organization who can issue a permission to use it.

Precision did a letter of substitution in the 90s showing which Precision P/Ns replaced the unavailable Bendix parts; servo, pumps, flow divider, nozzles etc...

It seems the big stumbling block is using an STC without the holders permission and also having the technical data that proves the Precision parts (some of which are also now unavailable) meet the spec of the original Bendix parts. Also the prices on some of the components has crept up to the point where I think it's close to $10k now just for the parts.

I have copies of the installation instructions and precision letter I can share via PM if someone with more patience than I wants to take on the field approval route.

C180_guy wrote:There was a whole thread on this over at the supercub forum with attachments. Or pick up your phone and call Precision.

There's actually a number of threads at SC.org about bendix injection on continentals.
Maybe this is the one you're referring to?

https://www.supercub.org/forum/threads/ ... 470.47252/

I read through this thread, as well as several others,
gotta say it didn't really un-muddy the waters all that much for me.

Not sure what the question is. Do you have an IA/A&P you are working with? Have the two of you met w/ your FSDO inspector to discuss what you have in mind?