This March 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others. Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Hazen, Idaho. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot took off from an airport where there was snow, […]
Tips to install an oil cooler
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming. Q: We have a Citabria 7ECA with a Lycoming O-235-C1 engine. We live in East Texas, where summers are very long and very hot. Even with an external oil filter with a blast air tube, the oil temps push 220°+ on normal […]
Ask Paul: What’s up with my oil temperature?
I don’t think you have an oil temperature problem at this point. Since we’re in the midst of winter, you may have to wait to do any further checking until warm weather returns.
Ask Paul: Why are holes larger than dowel pins?
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming. Q: I recently saw your article about Narrow Deck vs. Wide Deck and believe you are just the person to ask this question. A fellow AMT has been field overhauling his Lycoming O-360A1A engine. It is a “first run engine” out of […]
Why mineral oil for break-in?
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming. Q: I’ve seen this in Lycoming literature — “Keep in mind that all turbocharged Lycoming engines must be broken-in on ashless dispersant oil only” — but why is it true? My engine overhaul shop, Central Cylinder in Omaha, Neb., insists, in writing, […]
Is 172 with H2AD engine a good buy?
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming. Q: Hi, I am a Mexican looking for my first plane. I found a 1980 Cessna 172 with an H2AD engine that has just 100 hours since overhaul. The serial number ends in 76T; I had read about 76A. Is it OK? […]
A puzzling compression problem
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming. Q: My engine, which now has 300 hours on it, is an O-290-D2B which had a new-limits field overhaul. It has settled-in as a nice smooth-running, economical and reliable powerplant with plenty of power. It gets about 7-8 hours per qt. (Aeroshell […]
Ask Paul: Are these spark plugs approved for my plane?
Q: Could you please help my pretty blonde wife and myself with our spark plug problem? We are desperate! Our mechanic is going to put the new fine wire plugs we just bought into our 1976 Cessna Cardinal RG, but we have conflicting information on the proper plug. We bought some SR83P plugs from a […]
Ask Paul: Can this be correct?
Q: My Tri-Pacer has an O-320 with a narrow deck (A) engine. It has SL32000N-A1 Millennium cylinders, which are are installed with no plates and splined nuts. Can this be correct? I have no wide deck cylinders to compare them to. BLAIR MOHR, via e-mail A: Let me see if I understand what you’re telling […]