arj1 wrote:
Emir, right, so it is not worth it for retrofitting, but OK for the factory-produced?
Kind of 
Both DA42 and DA62 with AE engines are nose heavy to a point that DA62 needs some baggage compartment weight if only front seats are occupied to remain in balance. As a side effect of forward CG come higher speeds Vs, Vmc etc. While DA62 definitely needs 180 HP engines (or more), DA42 is quite OK with 155 HP engines. AE with 2×168 HP brings a bit more power which is negatively offset with 2×52 kg of weight (134 kg vs 186 kg each engine) resulting with similar performance. Actually, AE powered DA42-VI is little better performer in cruise than CD-155 DA42-TDI but that’s more to aerodynamic improvements of -VI rather than more powerful engines. I can only imagine how would -IV perform with CD-155 engines but I’m pretty sure it would be more than 200 KTAS in cruise (DA42-VI with AE300 can reach 197 KTAS while DA42-TDI with CD-155 reaches 185 KTAS in same conditions due to lower critical altitude).
Thanks for the useful data on the CD135 and CD155.
Emir wrote:
I’m pretty sure it would be more than 200 KTAS
That would be impressive and on par with “classic” air-cooled twins with twice the amount of hp like Cessna 300/400 twin series and the likes.
The DA42 NG (and I guess the -VI) with Austro also require weight in the baggage if flown with 2 people in the front seats only…
The only real difference between Austro and Thielert/Continental I noticed is the Austros start really immediately every time, the others need few seconds more cranking.
Never had any issues with any diesel engine except a couple of temporary ECU fails due to fuel pressure dropping for a fraction of seconds below threshold (reported in the Garmin G1000 log).
I actually really like the smoothness and ease of operation of diesel engines, I find the DA42 a great cruising machine and I love it!
Compared to the Lycos, you have to treat an electrical failure as a much more serious emergency.
NicoKM wrote:
Never had any issues with any diesel engine except a couple of temporary ECU fails due to fuel pressure dropping for a fraction of seconds below threshold (reported in the Garmin G1000 log).
385 hours on a DA40 with Thielert 2.0 flown between 2008 and 2016. I had fuel pressure problems including a scary partial power loss. It was likely maintenance-related.
