Factory Rebuilt engine First Flight

[rocketman]

I am going to fly my factory rebuilt engine on my Bravo plane this weekend. Lycoming recommends flying the engine between 70-75% power. The POH does not indicate the MP and RPM settings. Any help on breaking this engine TIO-540-AF1B engine would be appreciated. I have read the Lycoming Flyer and understand the details. 

[Bravoman]

I will be in your shoes shortly as I am awaiting a factory reman for my bravo as well. I would imagine that a setting of about 34 rpm 29 mp would be about right since that typically yields about 75-76% power. Probably best to keep it on the upper end of the suggested power range.

 

good luck with the new engine. I'll be intrested to hear how things progress. 

 

Regards, Frank

[KSMooniac]

The higher the better for break-in, while keeping CHT as low as practicable.  High power/LOP does this very well if your engine will run LOP.  If not, make sure you keep it plenty rich at the high power settings.  Keep the climbs shallow initially to minimize CHT.  Also minimize ground run time to prevent glazing the cylinders, or you'll never get a good seal and consume lots of oil.

Edited March 3, 2016 by KSMooniac

[carusoam]

If you have a copy of the MAPA manual they give combinations of MP and RPM that equate to various % HP for each Mooney model.

The POH usually has some of these values in the power charts.

Mine has a chart produced by the STC holder for the 310 hp IO550 engine.

Do you have acces to any of the first two I have listed?

Bravo John had put in a lot of effort to be able to run his Bravo LOP, with no luck at high power.  Better to go full rich or whatever guidance your engine builder says.  Stay low for best air cooling.

Best regards,

-a-

[moxfox]

I would run it! 32mp & 24 rpm, don't let it get to hot! 

[Bravoman]

I meant 24 on the rpm above, not 34!

[carusoam]

You can edit the first post by pushing the edit button on the actual post.  The edit button is only available or even visible to the poster...

Best regards,

-a-

[Bravoman]

Thanks Anthony, good to know.

regards, Frank

[CaptainAB]

This doesn't give percentages, but I saw it in an ovation so I took a picture.

[tls pilot]

please read Lycoming SB1427C

Only use AD oil NOT mineral oil  -In most folks opinion at breakin AS 100W AD is better then semi syn oil

minimize ground run and taxi times, in my case each time I broke in this same engine, if at a busy towered airport, I call

the tower and ask for a best time and explain what Im doing They will assist.

follow 1427C, run the engine hard 34/24 BUT watch temps, they WILL be 425-430' stay slightly richer than normal

cowl flaps open, stay below FL, ie below 12000 ft. shallow climbs, watch temps on JPI!

Plan to have plenty of AVGAS as your burn will be more, after the initial flights as published in 1427C

fly 2-3 hour flights. I was told by Lycoming to use 34/24 and every 30 min change RPM to 25 for 2-3 min then back to 34/24

watch temps..

When coming in for landing DO NOT PULL BACK throttle ( you never should do this, but esp not at breakin)

Min taxi times.

 

 

[Bravoman]

9 hours ago, tls pilot said:

please read Lycoming SB1427C

Only use AD oil NOT mineral oil  -In most folks opinion at breakin AS 100W AD is better then semi syn oil

minimize ground run and taxi times, in my case each time I broke in this same engine, if at a busy towered airport, I call

the tower and ask for a best time and explain what Im doing They will assist.

follow 1427C, run the engine hard 34/24 BUT watch temps, they WILL be 425-430' stay slightly richer than normal

cowl flaps open, stay below FL, ie below 12000 ft. shallow climbs, watch temps on JPI!

Plan to have plenty of AVGAS as your burn will be more, after the initial flights as published in 1427C

fly 2-3 hour flights. I was told by Lycoming to use 34/24 and every 30 min change RPM to 25 for 2-3 min then back to 34/24

watch temps..

When coming in for landing DO NOT PULL BACK throttle ( you never should do this, but esp not at breakin)

Min taxi times.

 

 

I am about to have to go through the process as well. I understand everything you say except the part about pulling back throttle when landing. How do you avoid pulling out the power? In this plane I typically pull out the power when I am over the fence. Otherwise under most  conditions it would want to keep flying. Do you mean drag it it at a slower than normal approach speed and keep in slight power at touchdown?

 

Regards, Frank

[Bravoman]

Ross, as per the referenced service bulletin, AD oil must be used in Lycoming turbocharged engines for break in. 

Regards, Frank

[Shadrach]

1 hour ago, Bravoman said:

Ross, as per the referenced service bulletin, AD oil must be used in Lycoming turbocharged engines for break in. 

Regards, Frank

Thanks Frank, I missed that! Edited!

[rocketman]

What Tls was saying I believe is not to pull back throttle from altitude. naturally the throttle has to be pulled back on landing   

Well my day has come. What started out as Oshkosk looking at the rebuilt TIO-540-AF1B at the overhaul price is coming to reality at 10 AM at KECP. I'll let u know how it went.  

Tls had good points and I plan on running 34/24 with cowl flaps open and adjusting RPM during the second hour.  I am using AD oil as per 1427C and Phillips XC oil.

An oviation friend of mine is also coming to help watch the temps and to break the boredom of circling the airport for 2 hours. The F-22 training base is here at Tyndall so maybe we can look for them after everything settles down   

Ron

[tls pilot]

Hope the flight went well for you.

A nicer way of breaking it in is flying to a destination, have a 4 hour flight

But there is safety in staying around your airport

[rocketman]

So yesterday I flew for nearly 3 hours mostly at 34/24 for the first 1 1/2 hours then alternately between 32 MP 28 MP then 34/25 for a few minutes. Engine which was a Lycoming rebuilt flew perfectly. After all the fun I had at ECP, flew to my home airport in Northeast TN. 2 1/2 flight. No problem. Very little oil burn if any but CHT's still a little high maintaing 5500 MSL. Cowl flaps open TIT around 1320 and CHT at 375 on ship CHT. Had to keep cowl flaps open to maintain these CHT values. JPI CHT was much less at roughly 330 so I ignored that value. After 5 hours TT on engine, I will still mostly do long cross country trips at high power settings while always maintaining CHT 375-380 until maybe 50 hours. I am using Phillips 20/50 XC AD oil (and yes AD oil is require by Lycoming on turbo engines) and changed the oil, filter, screen after the first 2 1/2 hours before my first XC flight.  Some metal specs in oil filter as expected on a new or overhauled engine. Will stay at low attitudes for a while to increasing cooling since I am particular of not going over 400 CHT.

Please someone explain to me why cars don't need a break in like aircraft engines. This game gets old very quickly. And don't ask how much headache and money this whole ordeal has costed me. 

Ron

[carusoam]

From what I remember...

Most cars are built by the 100k quantity, their precision when built is at an incredibly tight spec. The break-in happens without the owner even knowing about it.  Back in the 80s, the automotive break-in procedure was to drive gently for the first five thousand miles.  Water cooling handled the rest of the differences.

We have a few auto mechanics and aviation mechanics here that will know better than me...

Best regards,

-a-

[Danb]

Rocketman as Anthony pointed out the MAPA guide has %'s listed by model for our Bravo's 75 % equates to any combination that equals 58. Wow seem's high, which is the max of the 34/24. I always thought the number was 54, but I just grabbed the trusty manual and it says combo. 58..on page 8-5    the key numbers are   ...75% =58        65%=54       55%=50.  respective speeds at altitude are stated at  195     190    185.. fuel burn at each setting is stated   18.0gph   16.0gph    14.0gph.

My Bravo is the same or slightly higher so it's believable 

 

Good luck

[FlyDave]

Per Don Kaye for the Bravo:

75% = 53
65% = 50
55% = 47

[mike_elliott]

I have always used 58 as a key number for 75%, perhaps because I read it in the MAPA manual some time ago.

[Danb]

Dave the numbers you referenced according to the same manual are very close to the %'s for the   252

[Tony Armour]

On March 7, 2016 at 10:30 PM, rocketman said:

So yesterday I flew for nearly 3 hours mostly at 34/24 for the first 1 1/2 hours then alternately between 32 MP 28 MP then 34/25 for a few minutes. Engine which was a Lycoming rebuilt flew perfectly. After all the fun I had at ECP, flew to my home airport in Northeast TN. 2 1/2 flight. No problem. Very little oil burn if any but CHT's still a little high maintaing 5500 MSL. Cowl flaps open TIT around 1320 and CHT at 375 on ship CHT. Had to keep cowl flaps open to maintain these CHT values. JPI CHT was much less at roughly 330 so I ignored that value. After 5 hours TT on engine, I will still mostly do long cross country trips at high power settings while always maintaining CHT 375-380 until maybe 50 hours. I am using Phillips 20/50 XC AD oil (and yes AD oil is require by Lycoming on turbo engines) and changed the oil, filter, screen after the first 2 1/2 hours before my first XC flight.  Some metal specs in oil filter as expected on a new or overhauled engine. Will stay at low attitudes for a while to increasing cooling since I am particular of not going over 400 CHT.

Please someone explain to me why cars don't need a break in like aircraft engines. This game gets old very quickly. And don't ask how much headache and money this whole ordeal has costed me. 

Ron

I think you will have it broken in way way way before 50 hours ! What does Lycoming say ? I would move away from the high power at 10-15 hours. Actually, 5-8 hours and I would consider it broken in if it were mine.

Edited March 8, 2016 by Tony Armour

[irishpilot]

My IO-360 top end required 10 hrs to seat the rings. I assume it is for the same reason for yours. If your engine is not using excessive oil after the first 10 hrs, then you probably have seated the rings. However, follow the guidance for break-in per Lycoming instructions.

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