Overhaul accessory options

[BobS]

I'm going to have to overhaul my 15-year old, 1600 hour Lycoming IO360 CIC in my 1972 Piper Arrow at some point within the next year or two. I'll also have the prop overhauled. I'm wondering if there might be some economies in installing accessories during the overhaul, and if anybody knows of shops that do the accessory work along with the overhauls. I'd appreciate advice from those experienced with these decisions, and any information on the specific brands or models of the options that work best in combination with the others. Some accessories I'm thinking of, particularly if part of the cost can be covered by the regular overhaul costs include:

LASAR ignition
GAMI fuel injectors
Graphic engine monitor
Lightweight starter
Anything else?

I have a Tanis heater I'd like to retain, which I know creates installation hassles with engine monitors that need to share a CHT probe port.

 

[gismo]

I'm going to have to overhaul my 15-year old, 1600 hour Lycoming IO360 CIC in my 1972 Piper Arrow at some point within the next year or two. I'll also have the prop overhauled. I'm wondering if there might be some economies in installing accessories during the overhaul, and if anybody knows of shops that do the accessory work along with the overhauls. I'd appreciate advice from those experienced with these decisions, and any information on the specific brands or models of the options that work best in combination with the others. Some accessories I'm thinking of, particularly if part of the cost can be covered by the regular overhaul costs include:

LASAR ignition
GAMI fuel injectors
Graphic engine monitor
Lightweight starter
Anything else?

I have a Tanis heater I'd like to retain, which I know creates installation hassles with engine monitors that need to share a CHT probe port.

WRT the Tanis, you can get piggyback heaters from Tanis to solve that problem albeit at some expense.

I'd definitely go for the newer style starter, you'd want your starter overhauled or replaced anyway so the cost delta isn't all that much.

The engine monitor installation could be simplified by having the engine out of the airplane, especially the part where you drill the holes for the EGT probes. Just watch out that you don't end up with a probe running into cowling. The savings for doing it now won't be huge, but you will decrease the overall downtime for the airplane assuming you can have the work behind the firewall completed while waiting for the engine etc. In any case a monitor will be useful during the initial engine testing and break-in.

GAMI's are pretty easy to install at any time and you won't be able to fine tune them until your engine is well broken in. OTOH by adding them now you would eliminate the cost of new or overhauled regular injectors if there is any.

I've looked at LASAR a couple times and can't quite see the payback. IMO the biggest improvement is that you get a little more range and/or reduced fuel payload to work with. OTOH it adds some weight as well. If you are already sold on the LASAR concept, now would be the most economical time to make the jump.

 

[Len Lanetti]

When I did the O360 in the Mooney I found that the Lasar adds a few thousand to the cost...also I would have had trouble ordering the engine from the factory as they didn't have a "number" already created that described my engine with the lasar ignition. I skipped it for now. I like the Lasar system but I just couldn't justify the extra cost and hassle at this time. Mechanic had a good point as well...with common/standard mags if you get stuck any A&P is probably gonna be able to help you with stuff already in his shop or easily obtainable.

WRT lightweight starter...I worked a deal with my mechanic on the starter...he took the stock starter from Lycoming and gave me a credit on my bill. He put the starter on his shelf for resale. As a common type he figured he would have no trouble using it. I had the added dimension that the lightweight starter was on my old engine and fairly new so I didn't have a core to return...mechanic helped me with that as well.

The heater I added uses bands on the cylinders as opposed to probe holes and a pad on the sump. No issue to retain the older engine monitor I already had.

Len

 

[poadeleted20]

I believe Lycoming is now shipping (at least as an option), the Sky-Tec lightweight starter, which we had on our Cheetah, have on the Tiger, and recommend unreservedly. For the engine analyzer, I'm a big JPI fan, having had the EDM-700 on the Cheetah and the EDM-760 on the Cougar. We're planning on another JPI on the Tiger when the avionics work is done.

And yes, there are definite economies to be had when installing all this stuff during the overhaul process, since you're already opening up the engine compartment and have the engine accessible for installation as well as out of the way for some of the wiring that has to be done.