Replacement for an A3B6D

[Jake35]

My faithful old C/E has finally bitten me on the butt!

Running great right up to the day we found a tiny crack in the crank case.

I'm too old to justify $40,000 for an overhaul and all the associated expenses so I'm considering trying to find a mid-time replacement.

But, A3B6D engines are hard to find.

How do I find out if there are any other IO-360 series engines that are "plug and play" replacements for the A3B6D???

...............I'll post this in the "modern" forum also as the engine came from a 201.

Thanks for your help.

[M20F]

Can't answer your specific question but you can probably fix the tiny crack for a lot less then buying a mid time motor replacement.

[N601RX]

Assuming the conversion was done with with the Lasar STC you would have to contact them or either look in your paperwork and see it there is any other engines that can be used. If everything else in the engine is still good its likely you can have the case repaired and the engine reassembled with minimum parts replaced for under 10K.

[carl]

21 hours ago, Jake35 said:

a tiny crack in the crank case.

 That should be a easy fix . Weld it up.

where are you located?

[Jake35]

1. Thanks to all who have replied.
2. Carl, N601RX, and M20F recommended getting the crack fixed.
3. Wish it were that easy. Several local mechanics have said that the location above the front top hold down bolt for the #2 cylinder - it's not repairable.
4. Not only that. Most ( I am told) engine shops won't disassemble an engine then reassemble it without doing a complete overhaul.
5. And, I haven't heard back from Lycoming yet as to whether or not they will take my engine as a core.
6. This is going to take a lot of time!
7. Tom

[N601RX]

Send a picture to Divco in Tulsa and see if they can repair it.  Case repair is all they do.  If they can't repair it they keep a stock of overhauled cases they will sell.  There are plenty of shops that will repair the case as long as the other internal parts are still within limits.  It's not really any different that a prop strike tear down.

[flyntgr1]

Shops disassemble and reassemble engines for Prop Strike inspection all the time.  As a reference, I just had my IO-360-A1A tore down and inspected.  The crankshaft was deemed bad and they found a crack in the crankcase (I don't remember where).  The shop in North Carolina tore is down, went thru the cylinders, replaced the crankshaft with a serviceable unit, had the crankcase repaired, and reassembled with all new bearings and such for $16,500.  I asked about an overhaul and was told it would be about twice as much.  Not sure why, but I guess overhaul of the accessories and new mags cost a lot.  The internal was basically overhauled for all intents and purposes.  Engine looks like brand new now!!!

[M20F]

12 minutes ago, N601RX said:

Send a picture to Divco in Tulsa and see if they can repair it.  Case repair is all they do.  If they can't repair it they keep a stock of overhauled cases they will sell.  There are plenty of shops that will repair the case as long as the other internal parts are still within limits.  It's not really any different that a prop strike tear down.

My advice exactly!

[carusoam]

Review the ground strike threads.  The tear down vs OH is a common topic there...

many of them happen with low time on the engine. And don't require an overhaul.  The full OH would not make sense.

Others have high time engines that go in for an OH since much of the work is the same.

minimum cost of removal, reinstalling, and case swap can be 10AMU.  Add disassembly and reassembly costs.

How many hours do you have on the motor now?

Best regards,

-a-

[Oldguy]

14 minutes ago, flyntgr1 said:

... I asked about an overhaul and was told it would be about twice as much.  Not sure why, but I guess overhaul of the accessories and new mags cost a lot.  The internal was basically overhauled for all intents and purposes.  Engine looks like brand new now!!!

Just read an old article where the words "Repaired", "Overhauled", "Rebuilt" and "New" have specific definitions. "Overhauled" and "Rebuilt" even have specific FAR 43.2 definitions outlining what MUST be done and limit the ability of the MX to save you any AMUs. Semantics aside, I usually just want it fixed, but apparently there is no definition for that term.

[M20F]

3 hours ago, Oldguy said:

Just read an old article where the words "Repaired", "Overhauled", "Rebuilt" and "New" have specific definitions. "Overhauled" and "Rebuilt" even have specific FAR 43.2 definitions outlining what MUST be done and limit the ability of the MX to save you any AMUs. Semantics aside, I usually just want it fixed, but apparently there is no definition for that term.

That is what repaired is.  Those words have a lot more to do with perceived value than any real value.  My engine was repaired and returned because I had a new cylinder with 4hrs on it that I didn't feel like sending in.  It means I get repair and returned versus overhauled in the book, realistically though no difference.  

[carl]

and 

post a picture here too. 

plan on freighting it out. No one is ever lucky enough to have a welder next door. the repairer will do this, My mechanic will rebuild and send the case out to be welded.  

[HRM]

On January 4, 2016 at 11:39 AM, Jake35 said:

My faithful old C/E has finally bitten me on the butt!

But, A3B6D engines are hard to find.

Well, I hate to sound like the Dowager, but What's a A3B6D?

For that matter, What's a C/E?

Sounds like an abomination. Can't be Super, can it?

[Jake35]

HRM;

An A3B6D is the most expensive ( have no idea why) of the Lycoming IO-360 series engines.

C/D is simply my way of trying to describe what my aircraft now is. It was born a C but has been modified so that it is now configured exactly like an E.

For everyone else;

I discovered on my Lasar STC for the 200hp retrofit that I can also use three other IO-360 models with my current McCauley prop and two others with the Hartzell.

Jake35

[HRM]

Just now, Jake35 said:

HRM;

An A3B6D is the most expensive ( have no idea why) of the Lycoming IO-360 series engines.

C/D is simply my way of trying to describe what my aircraft now is. It was born a C but has been modified so that it is now configured exactly like an E.

For everyone else;

I discovered on my Lasar STC for the 200hp retrofit that I can also use three other IO-360 models with my current McCauley prop and two others with the Hartzell.

Jake35

Thanks, that scared me for a moment. I have the sturdy A1A workhorse.