Given the engine times and now having #2 and #4 pistons and rings replaced and valves rebuilt, I’m leaning heavily toward performing the same maintenance on #1 and #3, with new pistons and rings, even though they aren’t suspected of any issue, but wanted to seek your wisdom on this first.
Lycoming Engines
Ask Paul: Is it a bad engine or bad maintenance?
A flying club’s maintenance officer wants to upgrade one of the club’s airplane engines, claiming the engine is known for having “lots of reliability issues.” Another member of the club turned to our expert to get his advice on what’s really going on with the engine.
Is our airplane’s EGT harmful to the exhaust valves?
Is an EGT in the 1510 range harmful to the exhaust valves in our 1978 Piper Lance II?
Three-point primer introduced for Lycoming 180-hp engine upgrades
Air Plains Services has introduced a new three-point engine primer kit for its 180-hp engine upgrade STC, providing enhanced cold engine starts compared with the standard single-point primer, according to officials with the Wellington, Kansas-based company.
A simple check to see if your aircraft engine is manufacturing metal
If the engine is manufacturing metal, this simple check will give you enough information to make a decision as to whether the engine actually does have a serious problem.
What is causing vibration in Navajo Chieftain left engine?
When it comes to vibrations on a Piper Navajo Chieftain, there are several possibilities. From my experience, one of the most common causes is the engine mount rubbers have exceeded their useful life.
What are the advantages to a high compression conversion of my aircraft’s engine?
Reader Jeffrey A. Hughes asks our engines expert: What is the advantage to doing a high compression conversion to a Lycoming O-320 (from 150 hp to 160 hp)? I suppose the obvious answer is 10 more horsepower, but my natural inclination, given the name “high compression,” would be improved fuel economy. Are there other advantages?
Do multigrade oils increase valve sticking in piston airplane engines?
Recently an engine rebuilder called with a question I had not heard before. He asked if multigrade oils would increase the possibility of valve sticking in piston aircraft engines. My first response was “why would you think that?” Then I started to think through the mechanics of the problem.
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?