To Do List, new engine

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
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west Texas
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Dave Taylor
I need to prepare for an engine install, things I need to do with the fwf to be ready for the engine arrival (it's an overhaul).
The firewall and everything mounted on it is ready.
The tubular engine mount frame is good.
I have all new hoses waiting.
All 24v wiring is good.
Battery good.
I am dealing with all engine sensors.
New engine isolators inbound.
Got oil/filters.
What else?
 
If you're more time limited than money limited, and if there's a wait for the engine, clean and/or spruce up the interior. Extending that out a bit, if you were going to upgrade to more advanced engine/fuel monitoring, now might be the time. Tossing this out as someone that couldn't afford any of this.
 
Letting us know the model of plane, age, and time since last overhaul would be helpful.

One of the most frequent overlooked items is the engine frame. Only 10% pitting depth is allowed before a tube needs replacing.

Most pilots/owner won't consider having a mount inspected unless they see cracks or broken welds. Thought mine looked great until the paint was stripped and the tube thickness measured. It was actually corroding from the inside and 4 tubes were replaced on a special jig for my model aircraft.

Last time the mount was off the engine was 1972 when it was installed. Last engine overhaul it was ignored of course by previous owner.

Mount was painted black pre-overhauled (Which looked "just fine"):
IMG_0020.jpeg

Conditioned of tubes after stripping years of paint, which filled in the pitting:
IMG_0207.jpeg IMG_0209.jpeg

Overhauled engine mount:
IMG_0191.jpeg

IMG_0693.jpeg
 
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Flush oil cooler, if present.

Is a new starter included with the engine?

Is the engine/airframe eligible for a SureFly?
 
NordicDave said:
Letting us know the model of plane, age, and time since last overhaul would be helpful.

One of the most frequent overlooked items is the engine frame. Only 10% pitting depth is allowed before a tube needs replacing.

Most pilots/owner won't consider having a mount inspected unless they see cracks or broken welds. Thought mine looked great until the paint was stripped and the tube thickness measured. It was actually corroding from the inside and 4 tubes were replaced on a special jig for my model aircraft.

Last time the mount was off the engine was 1972 when it was installed. Last engine overhaul it was ignored of course by previous owner.

Mount was painted black pre-overhauled (Which looked "just fine"):
View attachment 108405

Conditioned of tubes after stripping years of paint, which filled in the pitting:
View attachment 108406 View attachment 108407

Overhauled engine mount:
View attachment 108408

View attachment 108409
Click to expand...

Good advise on the engine mount...
The firewall looks very clean which is good, but what happened to the firewall with all the dents and gouges? Wow.
 
I agree with NorticDave in regards to engine mounts. I would definitely send them out to an official repair station for evaluation. There’s a mount shop Minnesota that’s popular. I’m sure someone here will know the name of the shop. They do quite an inspection! You’d be surprised what’s found on mounts that look great on the outside.
I’d have the oil cooler overhauled, rather than just flushing. If it has a carburetor OH that as well. Marvel in-house OH is hard to beat! OH mags. Replace harness with new. All accessories should be overhauled ideally, but engine mounts would be on top of my list.
 
Gary Ward said:
Good advise on the engine mount...
The firewall looks very clean which is good, but what happened to the firewall with all the dents and gouges? Wow.
Click to expand...

Those small dents are just cosmetic and it has been inspected for integrity. A previous owner performed the last engine major in 1988 and it was the installation of the engine with that mechanic. Pattern perfectly matches the engine swinging on an engine hoist and bumping that area. Matches bolt pattern of accessory hub.

It looks worse than it is after lightly polishing the firewall.

Overhaul vendor used
The Engine mount was overhauled at Loree Air in Northern California. They are probably the least expensive service in the country and they’re also one of the best. One of the very big names in the business actually sends them the amounts they can’t deal with for repair.

Loree Air had 3 price tiers if I remember correctly. Free inspection, 2 tube replacement, and total rebuild. Mine was done a year and a half ago and the price was less than $1800. A real bargain considering the quality of work and how much hidden corrosion had to be dealt with for airworthiness.

https://www.loreeair.com/

Also Echo @Jdm recommending Marvel carbs should be sent to Marvel for overhaul. Talk to them about their service. It is not only the lowest costs, but all factory parts with factory people in the house. The difference between their rebuild and overhaul is very trivial and one will save you some money over the other. They basically replace 95% of the parts on a rebuild and 97% of the parts on an overhaul. Those are ballpark percentages to give you an idea of how extreme you will receive a basically new carburetor in return.
 
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asicer said:
Flush oil cooler, if present.
Click to expand...

Id strongly suggest replacing the oil cooler or sending it in for a thorough cleaning rather than just running solvent through it in an attempt to flush it out.

In many of the common flat engines the oil cooler is the first stop after the oil pump. In other words, it is sort of a filter before the main filter.
 
SCAT (if not included in the new hoses you’re waiting on)
Clamps
Cowl flap control isolator bushings (if it has em)
Lord mounts for the cowl (if it has em)
 
mondtster said:
Id strongly suggest replacing the oil cooler or sending it in for a thorough cleaning rather than just running solvent through it in an attempt to flush it out.

In many of the common flat engines the oil cooler is the first stop after the oil pump. In other words, it is sort of a filter before the main filter.
Click to expand...
Good point. I never thought for anyone other than a specialist to perform that task.
 
All good ones, thanks -
So far either I have it covered (ALL accessories new or o/h), engine mount, Sceet - or it's N/A (injected; no carb; no cowl cushions)
 
mondtster said:
Id strongly suggest replacing the oil cooler or sending it in for a thorough cleaning rather than just running solvent through it in an attempt to flush it out.

In many of the common flat engines the oil cooler is the first stop after the oil pump. In other words, it is sort of a filter before the main filter.
Click to expand...
The oil cooler gets an accumulation of varnish in it after so many years. The same sort of stuff you see inside a crankcase, but layers of it when it's used over and over on multiple engine changes. I had one on a 172 that I had to replace with new after nothing else would bring the oil temps off the redline in a freshly overhauled engine. The new engine will run hotter until it's broken in, and a marginal cooler can't keep up with it. The new cooler cured the problem instantly.

Solvent won't get that stuff out. It needs a carbon stripper run through it. Professional shop stuff.
 
When was the alternator last apart for a brush inspection? Needs to be done at 500-hour intervals. Alternator failures are a constant storyline on POA, and it's almost always failed brushes, which usually fails the rotor, too, when the brush springs arc on the slip rings. That gets expensive.
 
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