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ELECTRONIC ENGINE INSTRUMENTS
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ting much better engine performance information for the cost.” The upside is you have a cool, clean-looking panel when you’re done. No more collection of analog gauges and the like. Besides, if you’re already going to have your panel taken apart to add the Aspen or Garmin glass, you will actually save some installation money by doing the whole thing at the same time. Of course, if that exceeds your budget, you can instead opt for one of the smaller electronic engine instruments that replace an analog instrument. “The smaller replacement units are very easy to install in the panel,” Fryar added. “If it’s a secondary unit, all the original OEM displays have to stay – this is just a back-up type gauge for reference. If it’s a primary replacement, it has to be STC’d, which most are.” Another perceived drawback to an electronic display is the question of what happens if there’s an electrical system failure. “First, you can have an analog display failure too,” Fryar said. “Moving parts do break, especially the older ones. We took the electronic display unit we have in our Cessna 210 demonstrator down to six volts on a 28-volt battery. We had no comm or GPS, but the engine display kept working.” Speaking of old analog units,
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Fryar also strongly recommends when you do upgrade to an electronic engine display, also change out the aircraft’s original fuel senders. “Those senders may have been in there for 40 years or longer,” he said. “They just don’t work well with these new electronic units. The new displays are very accurate, and you need senders that deliver lots of information. Otherwise, you’re just going to have problems.”

Is an Electronic Engine Instrument Display Right for You? The obvious answer, whether you just replace an existing instrument or go all out with a large format all-in-one engine display, is yes. “When customers get a new cylinder or have an engine overhaul, that’s a great time to install one of these units,” Fryar said. “It’s going to help the new engine, especially during the early break-in time. You really don’t want to exceed certain temperatures when you’re burning in those new cylinders.” “The argument can be made that these units will help increase the lifespan of your engine – or at least the top-end of the engine,” Ochs said. “You have far more information available about how the engine is performing and how each individual cylinder is operating. You can diagnose and even predict any potential problems before they become major maintenance issues.” q

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Pilot's Guide to Avionics 2012-2013

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