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 […]
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Is it possible to convert my engine?
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming. Q: I have a Lycoming O-360-A1F6D that was originally installed in a Cessna Cardinal. This engine has since been used in an Van’s RV-6 and I will be installing it into a Van’s RV-8. It does not have a magneto with it […]
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 […]
Is new technology worth the investment?
Q: I am about to change my Alfa Romeo boxer engine to a Lycoming O-360A1F1 on my experimental Glastar aircraft. I read your answer recently to a question if LASAR is really useful (Will my engine benefit from new technology? Jan. 12 issue). Its actual price is $2,500. Do you think that it is really […]
Ask Paul: Why do my serial numbers differ?
A: I have a narrow deck configuration in my 1964 PA 30-270. The first entry in the aircraft logbook, made on Jan. 3, 1964, shows radio installation and LE serial #S or L 606-55 and the RE L 640-55. However the engine log books show LE L 938-55 and RE L 909-55 and the first […]
Ask Paul: The seal of approval
Q: We’re building an RV-6A using an O-360 narrow deck engine. There are six studs that hold this engine together. The center studs are wider at the base than the outer four studs. The case has an indentation where the seals fit. All six are counterbored. The size of the center studs at the base […]
Ask Paul: Use it or lose it
Q: I am considering buying a plane with a Lycoming 540 factory rebuilt engine. TSOH is 50 hours. The problem is the engine was installed five years ago with a new turbo and the owner has not flown it much since, although it has flown a few hours recently. There is a lot of chatter […]
Ask Paul: More on hot engine starts
Q: I’d like to offer my response to a hot engine start (What is the procedure for a hot engine start?). If I know I’m going to have a quick turnaround after engine shutdown, this is what I do: I throttle up to about 1,500 rpm, then I turn the fuel selector to off. By […]