Making it to TBO?

[pinerunner]

There's been a bit of attention lately to valve and camshaft problems with our Lycomings. I was just wondering if we have any success stories. By that I mean making it to TBO without having to split the case and without needing to remove a jug (particularly to address an exhaust valve issue). If you did one of the above and discovered you actually didn't need to that would count too. 

[M20F]

Personally I am convinced a large part of this comes down to metallurgy more than anything else.  Thus you can do the exact same thing person X does and still get Y's result.  Airplane engines just aren't made to the same consistent quality level you would see in a car or for that matter even a lawn mower engine these days.

This will though prove to be a great thread with intensive LOP vs ROP, turning the prop by hand, shaking chicken bones over the cowling, etc. all of which in one fashion or another have all equally and unscientifically proven their ability to reach TBO and beyond. 

[bonal]

Nice to take a positive spin on the subject at the rate I'm going I'll get back to you in about 10 years

[Mooneymite]

The engine in my plane when I bought it, went 2400+ hours with nary a problem.  I replaced it with a re-man because nothing lasts forever and I wanted to choose when and where the engine replacement took place.  The engine was running fine.

I have a neighbor who just went over 3400 hours on his IO-360 (not a Mooney).  No plans to overhaul it until it needs it.

[Andy95W]

 

 shaking chicken bones over the cowling, 

Does this work?  Is it as effective as Camguard?  What kind of oil should I buy if I use the chicken bone technique?

[Mooneymite]

Personally, I subscribe to the chicken bone school of longevity.

However, the chickens have to have been raised LOP.

[Hank]

I'm just not sure which bones I'm supposed to use, or how to shake them over the engine . . .

[ryoder]

I am well over 2500 since new on mine and it had a top overhaul at around 1100 back in the 80s.  Other than a spark plug that oil fouls and some moderate oil consumption things are working great.  

[Yooper Rocketman]

 

The engine in my plane when I bought it, went 2400+ hours with nary a problem.  I replaced it with a re-man because nothing lasts forever and I wanted to choose when and where the engine replacement took place.  The engine was running fine.

I have a neighbor who just went over 3400 hours on his IO-360 (not a Mooney).  No plans to overhaul it until it needs it.

My "F" model was run out to exactly 2400 hours SMOH and I found metal in the oil filter screen during an oil change.  It looked like cam flakes.  Like Mooneymite, I installed a Factory Reman I bought from Van Bortel (or was it Airpower, Inc.).  It ran $14,995 back then.  I would hate to see what they run today.  Anyway, the only thing ever done to it between overhauls was to replace the oil pump gears at 2,000 hours (A.D.).