It’s best to do your research before buying an airplane with an engine you aren’t familiar with.
Ask Paul
Does this low-time aircraft engine really need an overhaul?
Mark’s problem is a good example of a situation that is common in the world today. And with the cost of avgas these days, we’re entering a time where more and more aircraft will be idle for long periods of time — and the results could possibly be even worse than what Mark has seen.
Ask Paul: Can you tell me my engine’s horsepower?
I recently bought a project Stinson Station Wagon 108-3 that is equipped with an O-435 Lycoming engine. Is there a way to determine if the engine is the O-435 190-hp or the O-435 225-hp?
Does my engine need an adjustable air shutter?
Question for Paul McBride, the General Aviation News engines expert: Does anyone make an adjustable air shutter for the Lycoming 360 engine? When I blocked mine off and flew to Florida and back I ran a 200° oil temperature.
With aircraft engines, there’s no such thing as a free lunch
I suspect the cause of all of this would be that when the higher compression ratio pistons were installed, the carburetor was never compensated to provide a higher fuel ratio to support the higher horsepower being taken out of the engine.
Ask Paul: Why has my oil consumption increased?
When breaking in, the best I’ve ever achieved was maybe 11 or 12 hours on a quart of oil. Now I’m down to a quart every three hours. The oil gets black fast.
Ask Paul: Can I rebuild this engine to increase horsepower?
Can I take a 150-hp O-320-E2D, say from 172 or Cherokee, and rebuild it with D2G parts and make it a 160-hp D2G?
Ask Paul: What else can I do to discover why my EGTs and CHTs are climbing?
A Glasair owner turns to our engines expert for help in troubleshooting some higher than comfortable temperatures in his aircraft engine. A back and forth of possible solutions finds the answer.
Higher RPM, better performance for your aircraft engine
Takeoff and climb show about 2,400 rpm. Out of respect for the old girl, I try to keep down to 2,200.