Replacing an Engine

[grbamford]

Gents,

5731D has an O-320 Narrow Deck 150 hp w/1800 +/- on it after an overhaul. its running strong and no significant issues, but I am looking at alternatives a few years out given the amount of time I fly per year. Any ideas/suggestions on a low time/mid-time used engine as a replacement?

Thanks,
Greg

[mongoose09]

Why not overhaul the one you have?

[Gilbert Pierce]

Used engine, 450 hours since new. Flew great before removal.

6CB250BF-3727-4C0D-ACC9-8AFDB46A46DD.jpeg
if you buy a used engine you better pull a cylinder and have look first.

[59pacer]

My engine has been 'on condition' for quite a while, running very well, but has been making a bit of metal at each oil change lately. I suspect the cam followers are a bit like in Gilbert's photo.
Since we are somewhat limited in what flying we can do at the moment, I've pulled it for overhaul. There's no cheap way of doing it here, so there goes US$27K +!! It's only money.
We intended to do a long trip 'outback' earlier this year, which I scratched with all the lockdowns and border closures, so hopefully next year, but with a good engine!

[Gilbert Pierce]

There is no cheap way of doing here either.
Mine was making a bit of metal. 6 of the 8 lifters look like the I posted. Still waiting on the crankcase and new cam and lifters.

[Tailwind_Fan]

Why not overhaul the one you have?

+1

That’s what I’m planning on doing... probably well after TBO... mine has a fresh set of cylinders (~70 hrs) and is at 1550 hrs since last major, in 1973.... it’s also the original SN case since it left Williamsport... A numbers matching Tri Pacer... doesn’t that have to be worth something?

-Alana

[Subsonic]

A friend just put a new O-320 Lycoming wide deck 160 in his Warrior. It cost $29.5K. That was an exchange price. Other stuff - new hoses, mags redone, ign. wires, carb rebuild, new starter and oil cooler, etc, added another $4K+. He's an A&P and his best friend is an IA so they did all the installation work themselves. No labor charges. $34K is just the cost of the parts. He flew it today for the first time. What caught my ear was that it came with a roller lifter cam. I wonder if the roller cam assembly can be fit into an O-320 Narrow Deck 150 A1A block like I have? I may have to do some research on this. My engine has 2800 hours total, but only 200 SMOH, "in accordance with Lycoming procedures..." are the words in my log book regarding details of the rebuild. It runs like a top and produces no metal in oil, but I have a feeling the lifters were simply reground like Gilbert's and lifespan may be limited. I'd like to put in a bulletproof cam/lifter combo. I hear DLC coating technology can produce nearly rust-proof and highly wear-resistant parts too. I don't want to get sucked into the entire engine rebuild vortex, however. Goal would be to remanufacture the cases to accept new cam and lifters only. New gaskets and put it back together. I heard somewhere, that engine shops charge around $5K to change a cam if no other work is needed. Who should I call to inquire? Lycon? Others?

[FFSchooley]

It blows my mind one of these motors costs $30,000 to overhaul. They seem pretty simple. Granted I might not know what the hell I am talking about, but as a aviation newbie, it blows my mind.

[Subsonic]

It blows my mind one of these motors costs $30,000 to overhaul. They seem pretty simple. Granted I might not know what the hell I am talking about, but as a aviation newbie, it blows my mind.

It doesn't cost that much if you can find a shop to overhaul it based on hourly rate and using as much of the original engine as possible. Then you're in for $12K to $20K. The cost of new parts is what adds up. Still a LOT of Money.

[Gilbert Pierce]

It doesn't cost that much if you can find a shop to overhaul it based on hourly rate and using as much of the original engine as possible. Then you're in for $12K to $20K. The cost of new parts is what adds up. Still a LOT of Money.

It’s called IRAN; Inspect and repair as necessary. You can’t log it as an overhaul unless you replace every part that is called out in the Lycoming Service Bulletin. My engine has 1500 hours since overhaul and 100 hours since new cylinders. Carb overhaul and nozzle mod 2 years or so ago. Alternator disassembled and inspected. Mags up to date on 500 hour inspections. I am going the IRAN route.
Overhaul is the route to go if you pay an A&P for everything that needs to be addressed.

https://www.lycoming.com/sites/defau...aintenance.pdf