Engine overhaul

[A64Pilot]

On 3/28/2022 at 9:13 PM, M20Doc said:

Did your new engine do something to you that you don’t like it anymore?

Clarence

I just want to know how you get the plug out at that position, I’ve tried on a couple of engines and hit more torque than I was willing to apply, do you heat the case or something?

[Guest]

2 hours ago, A64Pilot said:

I just want to know how you get the plug out at that position, I’ve tried on a couple of engines and hit more torque than I was willing to apply, do you heat the case or something?

With a freshly overhauled engine they come out fairly easily.  Sometimes you have to use a torch to warm the case to release the plug.  Most often they are overtorqued.

Clarence

[Browncbr1]

Today I did the Lycoming SI break in flight procedure and everything seemed fine.  
 

It only went through about a half quart, which I thought would have been more… 

so do you guys recommend I just fly at 75% until oil consumption stops or ???  Wondering when I should be able to start flying as normal

 

[Igor_U]

Great! This is exactly my experience; after over 2.5h of flying above the airport,  engine used less then quart of oil. It stopped burning any significant oil after 3rd -4th flight.

Good luck.

 

[Guest]

48 minutes ago, Browncbr1 said:

Today I did the Lycoming SI break in flight procedure and everything seemed fine.  
 

It only went through about a half quart, which I thought would have been more… 

so do you guys recommend I just fly at 75% until oil consumption stops or ???  Wondering when I should be able to start flying as normal

 

From the Lycoming SI,

For correct piston ring seating, in a top overhauled engine or a newly overhauled engine, operate the aircraft at 65% to 75% cruise power until oil consumption is stable.
For a normally aspirated (non­turbocharged) engine, it will be necessary to operate at cruise power at the lower altitudes. Density altitude in excess of 8,000 feet (2438 m) will prevent the engine from reaching sufficient cruise power for an acceptable break­in; 5,000 feet (1524 m) is recommended.

Clarence

[Browncbr1]

Ok I’ll watch oil level and fly on

[201Steve]

I am with you. 
Also have had relatively limited oil consumption thus far. “They” say the CHT’s will drop off as well, which is another sign to look for that indicates good news. 

[carusoam]

The books mention how the break-in process goes on for the first 100hours…

That may be true, but… Most of it is complete in about 10hrs…

 

When I did mine a decade ago… I was hoping to see some obvious signs in the JPI data… (CHTs like Steve mentioned above…)

Or oil consumption…

I saw no changes…

So…. At least the IO550 break-in procedures work well…

 

The long X-countries at high power and low altitude were fun…  

I brought some MSers along for the ride… Having somebody else along for the ride is good for keeping an eye out for things you are too busy to see yourself…

It is also a challenge to fly timed cycles and alternating power… so I brought somebody with break-in experience along…  instead of actually timing the cycles… we used way Points on the ground… (brilliant!)

Economics takes over soon after that… 

Best regards,

-a-

[Browncbr1]

One challenge I had, as it relates to the oil cooler thread, at high power, air flow over my oil cooler is minimal, it results in high oil temp and low cht temp because I have to open cowl flaps.  I’ll post some jpi data soon.  I’m planning to fly again this morning. 

[201Steve]

13 hours ago, carusoam said:

The long X-countries at high power and low altitude were fun…  

 

[Browncbr1]

2 hours ago, 201Steve said:

 

Yea, I flew again this morning.   Flying around at 180 is cool, but not very fun if going in circles.   I wanted to put it through another couple hours before leaving the field.   Next flight I’ll do a short CC to grab some $5 fuel.  It’s not fun breaking in at $7.67/gal, but at least it’s just a four cylinder.  

[Browncbr1]

After the nearly 2 hour flight this morning, it seems the oil consumption is zero. I’ll just continue regular 65% power from here.  Oil temp seems to have calmed down a little bit, CHT‘s are a little more regular, but were never hot from the beginning.   Planning to cut the filter at 10 hours and switch to AD oil at 25

[carusoam]

More gravity, captan!

160kias yaaaaaay!

-a-

 

[Immelman]

That's a beautiful installation. Thank you for sharing your progress on this project and I'm glad you're back flying again.

[Browncbr1]

OK, I flew some more this morning and everything seems fine again.  I've got about 6 hours on it so far.

The shop told me that if anything is going to happen, it's going to happen in the first 5 hours, so although I don't feel off the hook yet, I'm a little less stressed flying it as time goes by and willing leave the air field now, as I did this morning to fill up with $5 fuel instead of $8.  The wife is asking to go to FL with the kids next weekend, but I'm on the fence just yet.  I think I'll flying it a few more hours early next week and maybe get to 10 and cut the filter.  I bore scoped it this morning while letting the case breath after flying and it looks good.

Meanwhile, I'm going to give a summary of the project below for community future reference.

The original quote was $14,850 plus $650 round trip shipping.  This included a new cam, lifters, pistons, fuel pump, case work, crank and cylinder work, and everything on the mandatory service bulletin 240W.  I knew I would be adding a fuel servo, new fuel and oil lines.  I also planned on sending the prop gov and oil cooler for overhaul.  The price included an operational test run on the rig with a club prop as well as a decent warranty.

 

Here are a few things I paid for separately from the shop

$669 for barry mounts, misc hardware and new adel clamps

$1497 for a fresh fuel servo from avstar.  shout out to Rene at Avstar, who is always willing to help with technical questions.

$250 for new baffling material, SCEET for heater intake, silicone tape, fuel siphon, all orings for rebuilding the fuel selector, enamel.

$989 for a new oil cooler, because he said the oil cooler shop wouldn't overhaul my original.

$156 for new alternator belt

Total - $3561

 

When the final invoice came the shop, I had to call and talk through a number of mistakes, but the final is as follows.

$725 for a new cylinder

$730 for prop gov overhaul

$425 for a yellow tagged connecting rod

$1275 for seven new fuel and oil hoses

$275 for plating of various parts and hardware

So, my total payment to the shop was $7500 deposit, plus $11,179 final 

Shop Total - $18,679

 

Grand Total - $22,240 and a hell of a lot of sweat.

 

It would have been more if the motor mount needed repair, but it was in good shape, so just stripped, zinc chromate, enamel while it was off.  I already spent $1k putting in new control cables two annuals ago.  I'll have to add a couple hundred for prop balancing after break in is complete.  I guess you'd have to add 5 or 6 hundred for fuel needed for break in.

Edited April 7, 2022 by Browncbr1

[carusoam]

Great summary Mr. Brown!

Thanks for sharing all of the details…

Spectacular!

 

+1 for expanding the window step wise…

If you stop to find no oil leak present…. There won’t be any worry about it, setting up a distraction later….

The nice thing about oil leaks… they don’t hide very well….

Best regards,

-a-