What a bargain!!!

[DrippingSprings]

Ok I just made a huge score at a local auction. Theres a little place down the road a but that has a auction every Fri night. I popped in because I saw a buddy going inside. I spotted a small engine sitting on a table so I took a look. I checked and it wasnt locked up etc. It came up and I started bidding. I ended up paying 200 bucks for it. I dont know why but I must have somehow rememberdd hearing the name Rotax before. Anyway it is a Rotax 50hp 2 cylinder 2 stroke aircraft motor. I brought it home and threw a five gallon can of fuel with the fuel line dropped in it and it runs like a new motor!!

I just went to the Rotax site and did some searching and it is a 4,000 dollar motor new!! I downloaded all the specs and it has perfect compression etc.

The auctioneer described it as part of a estate sell and knew no more else about it.

MY QUESTION IS THIS. OTHER THAN AN ULTRALIGHT PLANE WHAT COULD I USE THIS THING FOR?? Of course I could always ebay it for a hefty profit but I like this lil motor I think I will keep it

Rotax 503 specifications

MOTOR / ENGINE:
.
Type / type: 503 UL D.C.D.I. - 1V
503 UL D.C.D.I. - 2V
Leistung/performance (503 UL - 1V): 34,0 kW (45,6 hp) @ 6500 1/min(rpm)
(503 UL - 2V): 37,0 kW (49,6 hp) @ 6500 1/min(rpm)
Drehmoment/torque (503 UL - 1V): 51 Nm (37,6 ft.) @ 5900 1/min (rpm)
(503 UL - 2V): 47 Nm (34,7 lbf.) @ 6000 1/min (rpm)
Max. Drehzahl/max. RPM: 6800 1/min (rpm)
Bohrung/bore: 72,0 mm (2,84 in.)
Hub/stroke: 61 mm (2,40 in.)
Hubraum/displacement: 496,7 cm3 (30,31 cu.in.)
Verdichtung/compression ratio: th: 10,8
ef: 6,2
Zündanlage/ignition unit: DUCATI double CDI
Vorzündung/ignition timing: 16° v. OT
Zündkerze/spark plugs: ROTAX part no. 897.055
Generatorleistung/generator performance: 155 W DC @ 6000 1/min
Spannung/voltage: 13,5 V
.
BETRIEBSMITTEL / OPERATING MEDIA:
.
Treibstoff/Fuel: min. MON 83 RON 91*
min. AKI 87*
*verbleit oder unverbleit
*leaded or unleaded
Öl/oil: Super 2 Takt Motoröl
API-TC-Klassifikation
Super 2 stroke oil
API-TC-classification
Öl/oil - Mischungsverhältnis/mixing ratio: 1 : 50 **
** variabel mit Frischölpumpe
** variable with fresh oil pump
.
GEWICHT-Motor / WEIGHT-engine:
.
Lieferumfang/standard:
Motor/engine: 31,4 kg (69,2 lb.)
2 Vergaser/2 carburetor: 1,8 kg (4,0 lb.)
Auspuffsystem/exhaust system: 5,1 kg (11,2 lb.)
.
GEWICHT-Zubehör / WEIGHT-Options :
.
2 Luftfilter/2 air cleaners: 0,3 kg (0,7 lb.)
Doppelluftfilter/dual air cleaner 0,5 kg (1,1 lb.)
Elektrostarter/electric starter: 3,5 kg (7,7 lb.)
Getriebe "B"/gearbox "B": 4,5 kg (9,9 lb.)
(i = 2,5/2,24/2,58)
Getriebe "C"/gearbox "C": 8,0 kg (17,6 lb.)
(i = 2,62, 3,0, 3,47, 4,0)
Getriebe "E"/gearbox "E": 11,2 kg (24,7 lb.)
(i = 2,62, 3,2, 3,47, 4,0)
Lichtgenerator/generator 220 W DC: 1,1 kg (2,4 lb.)
Ölbehälter/oil tank 2,4 l: 1,6 kg (3,5 lb.)
Frischölpumpe/fresh oil pump: 0,3 kg (0,7 lb.)
HAC-kit 0,2 kg (0,4 lb.)
Ansauggeräuschdämpfer 1 V/
intake silencer 1 V: 0,8 kg (1,8 lb.)
Ansauggeräuschdämpfer 2 V/
intake silencer 2 V: 1,1 kg (2,4 lb.)
Nachdämpfer/after muffler: 1,6 kg (3,5 lb.)
Anzeigegerät/instrument FLYDAT: 0,5 kg (1,1 lb.)
Auslesegerät/recall instrument RDAT: 1,0 kg (2,2 lb.)

* Motor auch in Free-Air Version lieferbar /
engine also available in free air version

[comfortablynumb]

go cart.... a really really fast go cart.

[scott]

I am sooooooooooo jealous ....... congrats .... you could put it up on ebay and stuff the earnings in your pocket .... bet that motor would cut down your lawn mowing time ....

[Janon]

I'm no engine expert - but two-strokes usually produce lots of power for their small size and weight - usually producing power in the high end of their RPM range. Two-strokes are also somewhat less durable than four-strokes.

I believe Rotax also made (maybe they still do) motorcycle, snowmobile and some boat engines. With 50hp, you could literally power a small car - like a GEO metro or a VW bug. Isn't it Europe which has 2cyl 2-stroke powered cars?

There was/is a guy locally trying to get rid of a Kabota 3cyl diesel engine with only a few hundred hours on it - I was tempted to try my hand at a GEO Metro 3cyl diesel conversion (ala Smart Car)... but not enough time for such toys.

cheers,

[DrippingSprings]

I was amazed it is rated so high at almost 50 hp. I carried this thing easily to the truck by myself lol.

First thing outta my boys mouth when it fired up was "put it on the go cart" lol So comfortablynumb it has been considered lol.

This one is definately for a ultralight plane as I have spent the last hour online looking at everything I can find on it. I guess I could take that 16 ft john boat and make me a airboat with it lol.

As far as longevity is concerned I would have to believe it is machined alot better than the average two stroke as on the Rotax site it is also listed as used in planes.

I had also considered trying to rig it up for a small vehicle like a geo rabbitt etc. I once sold a used subaru motor to a guy that was gonna make a plane with it so why not take a plane motor and make a car lol.

I had a fantasy there for a couple minutes of making a remote controlled boat with it. I made a Remote Controlled RC cigar boat and used a leaf blower motor that would run about 50 mph. I could go up from a 40 inch hull to a 84 and if my math is right I could get about 80mph out of it. But thats a little overboard. lmbo

I guess til I decide I will just sit here and drool over it for awhile lol

Hey I forgot all about that old murray riding mower in the barn with the blwon up 16hp. I have considered building a riding mower for the mower races..............

[DrippingSprings]

heres a pic of what the engine looks like. mine is missing a KandN filter off one of the carbs though.

[Ross]

Let me share with you my knowlege of aircraft engines. ................. Ok now that we have that pesty detail out of the way I do recall a couple of points. Gear reduction boxes off the output shaft so they can turn props at a realistic rpm and different (special?) carburators to handle the differing altitudes they have to operate at. If true then I would look at the engine and think, extra complicated and pricey to fix. I'd sell it on eBay and drool over the profit. My experience with Rotax engines as a kid in an old Aluette eliminator snowmobile wasn't pleasant but I was a kid and know small engines a trifle better now.

[DrippingSprings]

I thought of the altitude thing myself. But according to the pdf file I downloaded this morning this engine was made for low level ultralight flying under 2000 feet. But like you said it does have a gear reduction box on it though. I woke up this morning thinking maybe I should buy an ultralight kit. The engine seems to be the most expensive part to begin with so I got that part whipped. I found a kit for a mini biplane that looks like the Red Baron plane for 5 grand and its like half scale or something like that. But more than likely after a few days my infaturation for this thing will wear down and I will realize how nice a profit I could make with it. I also found a website that makes a go cart for racing that has these motors on them lol.

[fordy]

...................I'd find some individual who is interested in ultralite aircraft and Let them Buy the Kit , they You'll build it together and you furnish the Motor then you'll can take turns making LOW passes over the Local Nudiast camp . Might even mount a camera for a Photo exhibit at the local VFW on Cold beer night !!fordy..

[DrippingSprings]

I have a buddy with a remote controlled helicopter and has a 48 inch rotor that he shelled out about 4 grand for that he mounted a small digital camera and a digital camcorder onto. It started as a joke but he makes a lil money here and there with it making photos of college campus etc from the air. He once flew it over a few greenfields from a distance for a hunter to see if there were any big deer in it there. Got some great pics of deer looking up at the helo about 200 ft up with a look of WTH!! on their face. When we showed the guy the pics he actually asked how hard or if it was possible to mount a gun on it lolololol I have a image of a redneck in his garage making a homemade helo out of a pushmower and a go cart seat lol

[fordson major]

gee ds sounds like just what we need to hunt coyotes!! still with my luck the first round would unbalance the chopper and waste 4 grand