TNIndy Posted May 19, 2020 Report Posted May 19, 2020 Did the 1985 231 have a factory installed inter-cooler or was the 252 the first?
Warren Posted May 19, 2020 Report Posted May 19, 2020 1986 and the 252 were the first factory intercoolers.
carusoam Posted May 19, 2020 Report Posted May 19, 2020 Interested in adding an intercooler? We have an intercooler guy around here... -a-
TNIndy Posted May 19, 2020 Author Report Posted May 19, 2020 Thanks! I'm looking at a couple of different 231's. One is a 1985
carusoam Posted May 19, 2020 Report Posted May 19, 2020 Many 231s have been updated over the years... preferred engine block.... MP controller... Intercooler... Rocket package... Nothing wrong with the original set-up.... just more options became available over the years... Backwards integration is always a possibility... just make sure you know before you buy... PPhoughts only, not a plane sales guy.... Best regards, -a-
shawnd Posted May 19, 2020 Report Posted May 19, 2020 If you do add the intercooler, be sure to strictly follow the revised power settings for the setup. Otherwise will likely end up overboosting your engine.
xavierde Posted May 20, 2020 Report Posted May 20, 2020 Some 231 were also fitted with aftermarket automatic wastegate.
pwnel Posted May 20, 2020 Report Posted May 20, 2020 23 hours ago, TNIndy said: Did the 1985 231 have a factory installed inter-cooler or was the 252 the first? I have 25-0883 - one of the last 231's built in '85. LB, Merlyn, GAMI. No intercooler. I can't say in two years of ownership that I've ever had a moment where I said "damn, I wish I had an intercooler". I'll probably install the Turboplus next year just to bring it closer to 252 spec - but I'm not desperate to do that in any way.
TNIndy Posted May 20, 2020 Author Report Posted May 20, 2020 I finally have the logs for the 1985 231. Inter-cooler and Merlyn wastegate were installed not long after initial purchase. More recently #1,3, and 5 cylinders were replaced due to low compression in the first 600 hrs on a factory re-manufactured engine. #5 cylinder has been replaced twice. Ideas as to why this might happen?
pwnel Posted May 20, 2020 Report Posted May 20, 2020 18 minutes ago, TNIndy said: I finally have the logs for the 1985 231. Inter-cooler and Merlyn wastegate were installed not long after initial purchase. More recently #1,3, and 5 cylinders were replaced due to low compression in the first 600 hrs on a factory re-manufactured engine. #5 cylinder has been replaced twice. Ideas as to why this might happen? "due to low compression"...... that's not sufficient to condemn a cylinder. See Mike Busch on the subject: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2017/may/pilot/savvy-maintenance-borescope That said, if you fly a 231 in a ham-fisted fashion you will fry the cylinders and mid-life top overhauls are common enough. Why it's #1,#3 and 2x #5 I leave to the experts.
TNIndy Posted May 20, 2020 Author Report Posted May 20, 2020 Thanks, I agree with Mike's opinion on low compression, TBO, etc. The first time compression's were 60, 60, 62. The second time #5 was replaced it was 35
carusoam Posted May 21, 2020 Report Posted May 21, 2020 Some planes live in a different environment... They are treated like a business machine.... Flown in flying dragon mode... cylinders only go half as far... (economic choice, not a safety issue...) A Continental cylinder #5... is up front on the co-pilot side... often hiding behind the alternator... (less airflow because of it...) Flown LOP, with an eye on CHTs... non-flying dragon is quite possible to have a set of cylinders go much further... See if you can check the JPI data... it may show what is going on with the engine over time... Best regards, -a-
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