Factory Reman or Field Overhaul by Engine Specialists

[231LV]

LOL! I flew a C for 4 years before buying the K...great little airplane but it couldn't take me where the K does.

[triple8s]

Not quick and not cheap but very few are better.....I've flown behind several of his.

 http://www.gannaviation.com/engine-overhauls

 

[jlunseth]

On 3/29/2017 at 5:04 AM, FBCK said:

Do consider putting the Merlyn wastgate on it as well, it does help with the critical altitude, brings it up from 14000 feet to 21000 feet.  Also helps to keep the engine and turbo cooler by lowering turbo speeds when not necessary to run the turbo at full speeds. ( I think its about 4K), a bought one a few years back.

These numbers are roughly accurate and my experience as well.  By "roughly accurate" I mean that the actual CA will change given the day conditions.  My aircraft typically hits a CA of 22k with the Merlyn.  However, if you add the Merlyn alone, my own experience is that you should not have ambitions to get to CA.  Somewhere around 18-20k - again depending on the day conditions, you will hit the Compressor Discharge Temp. redline and won't be able to get higher.  I see it in my engine quite often, where it happens does depend quite alot on OAT and cooling conditions.  The intercooler solves this issue because the Induction Air Temp will be around 100 dF cooler than the CDT, and it is IAT that is the real redline.  I have the intercooler so I can proceed merrily up to the service ceiling if I choose to (which is almost never).  Without the intercooler, the TSIO360 is for all practical purposes an 18k and below engine.  Yes, there will be day conditions that allow getting higher, so someone will write that they "do it all the time," but because of the poor cooling you are rapidly running out of room up there and can't just assume you will be able to go to 19, or 20, because you want to.  

So the reality is that the Merlyn alone gains you about 3,500, from the factory CA of 14,500, to 18,000.

Edited March 31, 2017 by jlunseth

[jetdriven]

That makes it sound likes stock 231 is a 10-18k airplane. 

[jlunseth]

I don't fly a stock engine nor have I ever.  That said, I have very good instrumentation (JPI 930) and I see both CDT and IAT.  With the Merlyn my turbo is probably working a little harder in the higher altitudes than the stock turbo, because the Merlyn allows the wastegate to fully close so the engine can make 100% HP up quite a bit higher than the stock engine.  That would make my CDT somewhat hotter than the stock, on the other hand the stock would be struggling because it cannot make full HP after the CA.  Those are the main differences.  All that said, IMHO the stock engine is an 18 and under engine.  Sure there are cold days when high altitude cooling is better, and if you are willing to climb at 100-300 for the last several thousand feet after CA you might be able to make it into the 20's, even to service ceiling (24k).  But as a practical matter, the temps are not favorable to flight above 18k.  Once the CDT hits redline there is not much you can do about it.  Unlike low level flight, making the mixture richer won't help.  There are other issues as well.  It just seems to be harder overall on the engine to fly in the 20s.

[FBCK]

I have a Turboplus intercooler, is your install the same, I usually don't see the differential being that high, I have seen others mention the same figure though, wondering if mine needs some rejigging.

[jlunseth]

When I first got my aircraft the differential temp was not that high.  I had the intercooler cleaned and that made quite a difference. It is just a radiator, with radiator fins, that cools air instead of water like the one in your car.  The fins get coated and plugged with dust.  I probably need to get mine cleaned again, it has been a few years.  You can have it removed and sent to Turboplus, or your A&P can do it, at least mine was able to.

[31cf]

Make sure that a VAR crankshaft is in the quote if you don't have one, factory overhaul may end up being a better option

[231LV]

So after reading and considering all the posts plus doing some additional research, checking on overhaulers, etc etc....I think I will just keep flying the engine I have. Basically, everything is a "crap shoot"....factory reman, engine overhauler, it all boils down to the warranty if the engine has problems and everyone has a horror story to tell as well as good stories, as well. Since my engine is not making metal, does not use more than a quart every 9-10 hours, runs fine and doesn't need a major part replaced, I will keep flying it. I will put a bit extra in the reserve for a Merlyn when I do put an engine on and I will take my plane to my mechanic and have him go over all the lines and replace those that need replacing. Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions...extremely valuable info in the collective group!

[FlyWalt]

On 3/29/2017 at 7:52 AM, jclemens said:

We have done two TSIO-360 overhauls in the last 6 months, both on 231's.  All our engines are built to new limits.  We used new Cylinders.  I believe each of them came in right around $38K.  Whomever you go with, balancing is the key to a smooth running TSIO-360 for sure.

Jake,

How much does it add to the bill for new cylinders? TCM original.