Well, my engine is at Steve Knopp's place getting converted to the -50 Super Eagle and I am thinking about taking the opportunity to upgrade to an engine analyzer. It looks to me like the UBG-16 and the EDM-700 are basically the same thing but I have heard EI customer service is awesome and JPI not so much.

Anyone who has used both of these care to provide any thoughts on which one is a better value or better instrument and why? I would greatly appreciated it.

I have a JPI in my M5-235C that was installed in 2001.

I installed the Fuel flow as a follow-on install. I would suggest getting it while you are doing the engine analyzer. I really like having a continuous monitor on my engine and the fuel guages are flaky in most planes as far as I can tell and having a more precise fuel flow is great.

I can't speak to JPI customer service since I have never had to use it. No problems to date.

I have had the EI for years and really like it. The company is local (Oregon) and the customer support is great, someone always answers questions, help with trouble shooting, etc. The part I really like is when, I glance at the instrument, I see all EGT/CHT temps on one screen. I run lean of peak so this is important to me, plus the gauge will flash at you as each cylinder reaches peak, how cool!! The manuals that come with them really explain alot! Very happy with product. We also installed the fuel flow gauge at the same time. It is great to know how much fuel you have, are burning, how much you'll have left at destination, etc. I would definitely install both at the same time. Is the P Punk, carburetored or injected?:D

I've got both the JPI 700 engine monitor in the JPI for 50 fuel flow I really like them both to give me the information that I feel is very important for my flight. I found the customer service for both has been as good as any customer service I've had to deal with.

Do be aware that the fuel flow will only tell you what's flowed through the gas line to the carburetor. I fueled up at Limon Colorado on the way back from my Michigan trip and left my left fuel cap off upon departure climb in through about 200o agl I smelled gas. This made me a bit suspicious so I looked up my fuel gauges in the wing root and noticed the left fuel gauge bouncing excessively. Knowing that I just topped off and the needle should've been stuck on full I knew something was not right.

I looked back at the left trailing edge of the flap and could see fuel siphoning out. I immediately return to the airport and landed than taxi back the way I came recovered the fuel cap and refueled the plane. In a matter of about six minutes I had lost 11 gallons of fuel siphoning out of my left tank. Although I have Monarch fuel caps with the flapper in it a piece of the chain had gotten between the flapper and the collar and allowed the fuel to siphon. Another lesson learned

I've run the JPI 700 in at least four different airplanes, and have one in the airplane I fly now. Couldn't be happier. I do NOT like the displays in the EI stuff, personal preference, but I think the JPI displays are more readable and easier to interpret.

As to customer service, if it never breaks you don't need customer service. I've had one transducer go south (after something over 2000 hours) and a phone call had a replacement there in a couple days. We had to pay, but with 2000 hours on it...... I'm not sure how much better the customer service needs to be.

I think part of the customer service kudos that EI got were from a gent who used to post here pretty regularly. He's apparently no longer with EI.

I'd buy another EDM 700 or one of the other JPI products in a heartbeat.

MTV

I'll add another strong endorsement for the EDM-700, especially if having fuel flow is an option that interests you.

I don't have personal experience with the UBG-16, but I had an EI FP-5L (fuel flow) added to our 172, and three years later, we still cannot get the fuel flow calibration (K factor) right. If it is set to read correctly for pattern/instrument work, it is off for x-country travel, and vice versa.

Contrast that with the EDM 700 my dad and I installed in my 180 earlier this year. The factory calibration, in all kinds of use, hasn't been off more than 2/10ths of a gallon in probably a dozen or more fillups. The kit was very easy to install; my dad is a retired A&P who got out of the business long before engine monitors came on the scene, but we didn't have any issues nor should anyone that is halfway mechanically inclined.

In the short time since I installed the JPI, it has:

- Helped me with a magneto issue (timing on one had slipped a bit)
- Helped me diagnose the fuel flow issue from my right tank
- Helped me get past the fact that the single point Alcor factory CHT gauge reads WAY off and I really can close the cowl flaps in normal cruise flight.
- Immediately pointed to the correct spark plug lead the mech forgot to reconnect after MX during runup, reducing my AOG time considerably when I was on the ramp, fixing it.

What's more, the 172 had an EDM 700 without fuel flow when I got into the partnership, but the LED display was all jacked up. I called JPI, and they replaced the screen, on a 15 year old instrument, for $100 and shipped it back.

EI and particularly Matt Sharp, the guy MTV mentions above, were helpful trying to troubleshoot the fuel flow issue. In the end, however, they weren't able to diagnose the problem related to the variability of measurement in different flight conditions, and no offers to send it back to the factory were extended. Matt evidently is no longer with the company. I have just left the calibration set on the FP-5L in the 172 to read most accurately on x country use, and just ignore the inaccuracy during pattern/instrument work.

My two cents.

Flynengr

Thanks guys for the comments and the personal experiences. I, like most of you, will install a fuel flow instrument with the engine analyzer. I like the idea of having that as a separate instrument rather than a piggy back module on the analyzer.

I also prefer the dispatch on the JPI stuff so that is probably the way I will end up going.

Little John, the Pponk O-470-50 is a carbureted engine so I don't plan on really running lean of peak but I still think having an idea of what all cylinders are doing is a valuable thing.

I did a JPI- 830, which if you can get approved is a poor mans 930.

It's basically a 700 series with a rectangle digital display. As I understand it, the display is not a pma'd item so the unit can not be installed as a primary cht or egt. I just left the old steam gauges in there.. Problem solved...

You can do it fully loaded (830) with An astronomical amount of information. Or do it as a 730, and add what you want as you go.

Leaning with one of these is a no brainerd....

I have used their customer service, but only to troubleshoot my operator issues. Never had a negative experience, so I can't see it being any different for someone buying the 700.


Take care, Rob

Installed A JPI 711 with a three in face (700 with fuel flow) about 300 hours ago in my 172, absolutely love it! The fuel flow communicates with my 496 and gives me fuel needed, reserve and fuel remaining and of course cylinder and ex temps. Great tool!

I've got a JPI 711 with oil temp/FF and the usual CHT/EGT in the Bonanza. Works great and JPI really worked with me to find the lowest priced vendor when I was purchasing. Ended up saving a few hundred dollars over Aircraft spruce etc.

Talk to Frank at JPI as he treated me great.

Does anyone have any experience with the Insight G1 engine monitor? Their price for a 6 cylinder monitor (EGT & CHT) at $1365 vs JPI 700 at $2195 seems attractive.

Their website: http://www.insightavionics.com