Opinions on the Franklin Sport 4?

[Slick Goodlin]

Hopefully later this week I’ll be looking at an airplane with a Franklin Sport 4 on it and was wondering if any of you have any experience with them.

I know the smaller Franklins in Cubs were said to punch above their published HP and the six cylinders in Stinsons are often said to be a bit of a lump. I know of one guy who claimed that his airplane lost 85 pounds when he switched from a Franklin six to a Continental but that seems a little extreme. Anyways I can’t seem to find any opinions on their 235ci fours. Maybe they were never popular in the first place.

Anyone tried living with one?

[Slick Goodlin]

I figured they were few but sheesh. Anyone even heard of someone running one of these little guys.

[Colonel]

I've seen Franklins in Stinson, Maules and even a 172 (really) but not lately.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Never seen one in anything anywhere. It is a pretty rare engine and I expect pretty much unsupportable.

[Slick Goodlin]

Never seen one in anything anywhere. It is a pretty rare engine and I expect pretty much unsupportable.

Seems that way, eh? It looks like maybe the Sport 4 may have been available for a while as a kit but info is scarce which is likely a sign. Three weeks ago I didn’t even know Franklin made another four cylinder after their 65hp-ish pre-war models.

Oh well, wouldn’t be the only obsolete engine I care for. If I go for it maybe the move is to slowly run this thing out while looking for a good deal on an O-320 or something.

[Slick Goodlin]

Turns out it’s moot, the plane I was after has a structural repair I’m not okay with.