gibbons
En-Route
I'm looking at purchasing an airplane with 1700 TT (over 37 years). The engine is a Lycoming IO-320. The bottom end has been rebuilt twice as a result of prop strikes, the last time 350 hours ago (1998). The rebuild was a good one and is well documented so I'm not worried about the bottom end.
The cylinders, however, have never been done. At the last annual (about a month ago) compressions showed mid-70's. At the pre-buy compressions were done cold and were 71/66/67/72. The owner claims to put about one quart every 12 hours in the airplane.
I expect to fly this airplane about 100 to 150 hours/year and I don't mind running over TBO. My mechanic says plan on at least two new cylinders in the next year. If I do that I'll have a pretty new bottom end and a new top end, but not an overhaul.
So if I fly this airplane to, say, 2500 hours and then try to sell it, how much trouble will I have since it will be over TBO but have low-time components top and bottom?
I can work the price to compensate me for the two cylinders (I think), but if I'm going to have to do an overhaul at 2500 hours in order to sell the thing then I'll be way under water.
Any thoughts? I've got to get back to the owner soon.
Chip
The cylinders, however, have never been done. At the last annual (about a month ago) compressions showed mid-70's. At the pre-buy compressions were done cold and were 71/66/67/72. The owner claims to put about one quart every 12 hours in the airplane.
I expect to fly this airplane about 100 to 150 hours/year and I don't mind running over TBO. My mechanic says plan on at least two new cylinders in the next year. If I do that I'll have a pretty new bottom end and a new top end, but not an overhaul.
So if I fly this airplane to, say, 2500 hours and then try to sell it, how much trouble will I have since it will be over TBO but have low-time components top and bottom?
I can work the price to compensate me for the two cylinders (I think), but if I'm going to have to do an overhaul at 2500 hours in order to sell the thing then I'll be way under water.
Any thoughts? I've got to get back to the owner soon.
Chip