Lycoming O-360 Conversion TBO

[Jr.CubBuilder]

Jaime, a friend of mine lost the cam to rust in his O360 engine a couple years ago, his plane didn't get flown hardly at all, and another factor I think might have been his habit of preheating the motor overnight if he thought he might fly the next day then not flying if he didn't feel like it.

At any rate, I suggest thinking about having the filter opened up as part of a pre-purchase type inspection, if you pay for the new filter and oil I'm sure the fellow wont have a problem with it. Get a sample from the sump when you first pull the plug and send it off for analysis. Oil samples alone won't tell you everything, but if it's rusting it should show up. You should also be able to tell something from the filter pleets, although in both cases it depends somewhat on how long the oil has been running in there, the more hours of run time on the oil the more it will show. If he just changed the oil a couple hours ago it could be nothing shows even if it is rusting, but you should be able to tell from the oil on the dipstick if it's only been in there a couple hours.

Just a thought anyway.

I have had an O360 in mine for a year now and really like it. The extra 60 cubic inches of motor really help it get off the ground quick, the 360 also puts out quite a bit more torque early on than the C145/O300 did. The fuel burn is the same or less if you pull the power back and cruise 105-125 indicated.

[jaime72]

Thanks for all of the replies. I am going to hold off on this O-360 for now and focus on finding a 145. I am a little leary of running into problems with a $65k plane. A $20K overhaul is easier to manage on a plane I spend $45k on!

Keeping the eyes open, thanks again for the input, and this O-360 is not completely ruled out!

Jaime

[AKGrouch]

Jaime, if you're gonna be out at Merril later today (Friday 2/29) swing by Slipstream Hangers....the first one due east of Take Flight and toward 25. Look for an older white Toyota truck and a red 94 Isuzu Trooper in front of the hanger. My IA just got back from AZ and he and I will be inside working on my seats and should be there from mid morning until later in the afternoon except for a parts run or lunch. Also inside is a 170 with the 145 hp that he is working on to finish getting together to sell. He told me the engine runs good. How much? Haven't a clue....I do know that it won't break the bank though. It's not a fresh engine or a pristine bird, but might be something good to get started with. I think it's one of the early ones. Don't remember if it has aluminum or rag covered wings. He can tell you more, including what he will ask for it once it's back in the air. Last I recall, he wants to get it in the air this spring. Anyway, look forward to seeing you if you can stop by.

pat

[Boiler Bill]

Hi jaime
Jr. Cub Builder and I have the same friend that lost his 180 in a SuperCub pulling a banner. It looked like some one welded everything together in the engine. Due to oil contamination (metal) cam lobe was round. If I were you, I would look at the 170B with the 180 h.p engine. Thats a great combination. You will not have to worry anymore about the plane getting off the ground with four people on a hot day. What I would do is have a mechanic that you and the owner trust, pull a cylinder off and look for rust and problems. then put it back together and run the engine up to temperature and take compression checks. Look at the history and logs.
I just bought one last year from a guy that had this plane for 32 years and lost his medical, it was like selling one of your kids, I felt sorry for him, someday it will be me.
This plane has the 180 h.p. engine with 1000 hours on it. Its polished and has the wing tips and a few mods ect. When doing a pre-buy with a good mechanic, I payed for a full blown annual, it was time anyway. I made the owner understand that anything that came up that would make the plane not airworthy would have to be at his expense.
By the time it was over, both mags were due for a rebuild and the carb. needed rebuilding, new Elt, compass ect. Then it was airworthy. With the profit I made on my stock 170B and the deductions from the punch list to make this plane airworthy. The final price was $52,000. I would think you could get that plane for $60,000 or less.
I have a friend with a 170A metal wings, 250 hours on a 0300 rebuild. He is wanting around $32,000 for it.


Bill

[GAHorn]

Rust such as being discussed in this thread can be detected without disassembling the engine by using a boroscope. Look at the upper cylinders, especially above the ring-line. Rust there is not a show stopper, but is a clue to continue looking.
I had a Baron with two rusty IO-470's (which had sat outside in Fla. for 5 years) that I flew another five years, then sold almost 10 years ago and it's still flying with those same cylinders. The TCM field representative (whose job it was to sell me factory re-mans) recommended I keep flying them. He was right. (Of course, those were Continentals...not Lyc's with cams installed in the wrong place...(up in the top of the crankcase in the moist air with no oil, instead of below the crankshaft where they get dripped on by the crankshaft.)

gahorn- A Continental fan for the right reasons.

[flyguy]

Thanks for all of the replies. I am going to hold off on this O-360 for now and focus on finding a 145. I am a little leary of running into problems with a $65k plane. A $20K overhaul is easier to manage on a plane I spend $45k on!

Keeping the eyes open, thanks again for the input, and this O-360 is not completely ruled out!

Jaime

Here is one just listed in our "TradeMart" .

http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... f=7&t=5516

Just hope "ol pat" don't find out you're thinking about one of these 'cut-ups'

[jamesorr]

Jaimie-
A good 170 with the 0360 is going to run you around 70K- more or less depending on the total time of the engine. I own one with about 100 hours, a p ponk and a float kit and wouldn't consider selling it for under 70.

[GAHorn]

... Get a sample from the sump when you first pull the plug and send it off for analysis. ...

Just a reminder for everyone that oil analysis labs generally advise not to catch the very first amount of oil which drains because it will be inaccurate .... but to catch a sample from the middle of the drain period. It's usually best to run an engine until normal operating temperature is reached before shutting down and draining the oil.

Personally, I place less emphasis on a single oil sample analysis than on what I find in the oil filter/screen that's been run several hours since last change. I feel especially informed when the engine has only a screen and it's full of carbon and junk.