Electroair Electronic Ignition for Lycoming

[BuzzAir]

Six weeks ago I installed an Electroair Electronic Ignition (EIS) system in my 2002 DA40.

Since then, I have experienced intermittent failures that have left my shop scratching their heads.

The failure occurs during the run up mag test. The left side is still a standard magneto, the right side is the EIS. All is fine on left side, then once switched to right side, the engine starts to run extremely rough, backfiring, etc. There have been periods where no such behavior happens for many pre-take off run ups. Other times the bad stuff happens over and over.

EIS had my shop go through a thorough test tree, yielding no obvious source of the problem. Ultimately they shipped out a replacement electronics controller box, but the intermittent problem continued to recur. EIS advised my shop to do the full up bonding test, and since the plane was just 80 hours shy of its 3000 hr mandatory bonding test, this was done, yielding nothing that was out of spec, and yes, the intermittent fault continued to appear.

Since the intermittent problem occurs while switching the ignition switch between the three positions (both, left, right) my shop thought perhaps there was a problem in the switch itself. They removed the switch, but again, the problem occurred. Since that switch is the original from 2002, a new one is on order, but it seems unlikely that will solve the problem.

Any ideas on what might be causing this problem?

By the way, I'm using fine wire plugs. And when the run up test gives no problem, I have gone flying and experienced no problem in flight.

[BRS]

Make sure that the wires from your MTH don't go anywhere near any of the plug wires from the coil. That is what caused no end of grief for me. BTW - ElectroAir eventually told me it was a problem but it's still not in the manual.

[BuzzAir]

Three months since my previous post. Since then, I've learned the problem I described can be initiated by quickly turning the ignition switch from BOTH to RIGHT. RIGHT position is for the Electro Air, which replaced the right mag. And once this rough running problem is initiated, it can be cured, by momentarily toggling off power to the electronic ignition control box, then toggle back on.

Similarly, to avoid initiating the rough running problem during pre takeoff mag check, I do the following: start on BOTH position, then switch to LEFT. Once satisfied that the LEFT mag is ok, now switch directly to RIGHT (i.e. Don't go back to BOTH first). While on RIGHT, verify that the electronic ignition by itself is operating correctly, smooth running engine, rpm correct. Then back thru LEFT to BOTH.

OK, so here's my next issue with the Electro Air, which I've been living with since installation five months ago: radio noise. It goes away when I turn off the EIS control box, returning when I power it back on. We have swapped out that box for another, no joy. Ditto checked all grounds, even done the full up DA40 electrical bonding check, since it was almost due to be done anyway. My avionics tech has confirmed that he can hear the noise on his handheld transceiver when standing near the plane.

Has anyone else with an Electro Air encountered this radio noise problem? And if so, found and cured the problem at its source?

[BlackMammoth]

I have not encountered any radio noise from the Electroair Ignition.

This is with a 530w 430w airplain FWIW.

[BRS]

Did you carefully check your grounds and proximity of the ignition leads to other wiring.