Q: I’m considering buying a 2003 Socata Trinidad TB20 that has an extremely low time of just over 200 hours. A single owner purchased it new and obviously hasn’t flown it much. It has a 250-hp Lycoming IO-540 engine. The cylinder heads were nickel coated in 2017 after an inspection found pitting on the original […]
Ask Paul
Why can’t I convert my engine to higher compression?
Even if you had a model that was acceptable to convert, would the expense be worth the cost just to gain 10 horsepower?
Can I increase horsepower in a Cherokee Six?
Remember: Cheaper is not always better.
Ask Paul: Will this make my plane fail an annual?
The IA signing off the annual will have the final say.
What’s contributing to such high oil consumption?
I’ll be honest and tell you I’m not sure, but let’s get back to some basic troubleshooting and see where it leads us.
What kind of fix do I need to get this engine to TBO?
A few questions from our engine expert can help this aircraft owner with his dilemma.
Ask Paul: How can I increase my engine’s horsepower?
A reader asks our engines expert for advice on increasing the horsepower of his Lycoming engine.
Ask Paul: Which port is for what on a Lycoming O-320-E2D engine?
I would strongly recommend that if you do not own the particular Operator’s Manual for your engine that you make the small investment and buy one.
Narrow Deck vs. Wide Deck engines revisited
Our engines expert reveals how to tell the difference between a narrow deck and wide deck engine.