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Good Idea or Not?

N

NunavutPA-12

FRIEND
67.8N,115.1W CYCO Canada
Living in a very remote location, I got to thinking that it would be nice to have a complete engine on hand to do a swap if necessary. Of course, I can`t afford to buy a factory re-built or new engine without taking another mortgage on the house. So I was wondering if it would be feasible to buy a clapped-out O-320 (preferably a B2B) and re-build it myself. I`m thinking it might make a good winter-time project. Looks like I can buy an engine for less than $3,000 and budget maybe $10,000 for parts and possible machine-work. I`m fairly handy and have re-built small engines but never an aircraft engine. I do, however, have access to some good mechanics in town and there`s plenty of advice available now in the internet age.

Does this sound like a plan? Has anyone on here, with similar limited experience, done this?

The engine would go in an experimental PA-12.
 
I would try to get someone to help you out if you can who has overhauled aircraft engines.
The engines are pretty simple though.
Send all the parts out to get yellow tagged.
Take your time!!!
It will probably be doable on your budget providing you don't find anything "ugly" inside!
 
..and then it's going to sit around and rust for 15 years while your trusty Lyco keeps on turning. DON'T !
 
Lycoming

I just bought a engine a A2A and its been overhauled and has sat for 30years. Inside and dry. We pulled the #1 cylinder and found it slick with a coating of oil and the cam looked ok. The lifter area could have some rust issues, hard to tell even with a bora-scope. So I went down to Kenmore air (Washington state) and talked with there engine builder. He told me that the engines he worries about the most are the ones assembled sitting on a stand in his shop. They start getting some moisture and light rust problems. Since Im working on a cub that wont be running for two years he told me to dismantle my engine and yellow tag everything, bag everything after wiping it with oil and keep it all warm and dry. When the plane is close to being finished, reassemble the engine. So this is what I was told and hope it helps you.

Bill
 
I wouldn't recommend building an engine up without some special tools and experience in that type of engine.
 
If you could find a 0-320 B2B straight mount, for under 3 grand with a good crank, i guess i would be tempted to grab it. If the case or crank turns out bad, that makes it a lot tougher. Your 10 grand budget goes south real fast. The catch is you dont know until you have the engine and send the parts in. So if you do find a motor it would be nice if the person selling would stand behind these 2 items that they will yellow tag.
 
I don't think it is all that bad of a plan. There are a few ways to go about it. Get some cash handy and as you find real good deals on parts pick them up, have them checked but don't put it together (cover with grease)until you are ready to put it on the plane. With experimental you could put in a better cam to make some more power. Once you have all the parts put it together and hang it on you plane. Now pickle your current motor in case you screwed up the one you built yourself. I helped put mine together it is not that hard. It sounds good to go out and buy one already built but it is not cheap and many I have seen are not worth the price they are asking. Getting to you can cost a bit. I have been collecting wing parts for two years now. Just waiting for the right time to put them together. There is no real right or wrong just what works for you. There is a salvage company in MN that will stand behind the cranks in the run out/used motors they sell. Cases, cranks, and jugs are things you only want to ship once.
 
Ok a few more questions.
How much time do you have on your current engine?
You say you live out a long way. Do you need your plane for transportation?
Is our current engine getting tired???
Can you deal with having your plane down for a few months when it comes time?
 
Nunavut,

If I was in your shoes and I liked the engine I had now? I'd schedule a few months of AOG time for removal and overhaul of that engine, a known entity. Buying a core engine for $3K is probably not going to net you many good parts. The inspection/machining/repair budget would be better using the engine you already have. If your cylinders are in good shape the overhaul of those would be a better bet/better value than rolling the dice on somebody else's toss-aways as well. That plan would leave you with a few months of down time and a $13K budget to renew what you already have. To me that's a much better plan and a much more realistic budget.

Assembling an engine isn't rocket science. There's no reason to believe a guy with other engine building experience couldn't do it well. The accessory drive gears? That's a little more intimidating. You'll probably need help there.

SB
 
All good suggestions.

I know these engines can last a good long time. I wasn't concerned about wearing it out. More concerned about having a major problem in the field and being faced with having to change out an engine on a lake somewhere. As in block-and-tackle and three spruce poles - that kind of thing. If it took a month to get a replacement engine, and making field repairs to the existing engine was not do-able in the bush, then the only option would be to abandon the airplane.

As I said, I live in a remote spot and fly to even more remote spots!
 
TrentF said:
Ok a few more questions.
How much time do you have on your current engine?
You say you live out a long way. Do you need your plane for transportation?
Is our current engine getting tired???
Can you deal with having your plane down for a few months when it comes time?
Click to expand...

1) 450 hrs SMOH but just around 80 hrs on the cylinders.

2) I guess the answer would be yes. No roads in this country, so it's snowmobiles, ATV's, boats or airplanes.

3) No. Compressions are all good, no oil leaks, burns about a qt every 10-hrs.

4) Yes. Weather keeps me grounded from December thru March.
 
Rather than keep an entire motor around as a spare, hows about just a Complete Cylinder assembly, and maybe an old prop. ..?..
Having cracked a jug out in the middle of nowhere, this was about all we needed to get it back in the air.
 
450 hrs since a major overhaul, heck you have a lot of time left on that motor. I think if you got in a jam and had to change a cylinder or the whole engine, You could probably get help and borrow what you need to get the plane back home. You have several years of flying left.
 
How about buying a run out motor and pickle it for a spare? Lots of ways to skin this cat. Having a get home backup where you live is important.
DENNY
 
NunavutPA-12 said:
Living in a very remote location, I got to thinking that it would be nice to have a complete engine on hand to do a swap if necessary. Of course, I can`t afford to buy a factory re-built or new engine without taking another mortgage on the house. So I was wondering if it would be feasible to buy a clapped-out O-320 (preferably a B2B) and re-build it myself. I`m thinking it might make a good winter-time project. Looks like I can buy an engine for less than $3,000 and budget maybe $10,000 for parts and possible machine-work. I`m fairly handy and have re-built small engines but never an aircraft engine. I do, however, have access to some good mechanics in town and there`s plenty of advice available now in the internet age.

Does this sound like a plan? Has anyone on here, with similar limited experience, done this?

The engine would go in an experimental PA-12.
Click to expand...

A $3,000 engine would be a good deal to use as a core to send to Lycoming as an exchange. The question that you need to ask is, "why is it only $3,000?". It would be extremely rare to find an engine at that price which is worth using for your stated purpose. What is it's true history? You will not find this in the log book. If I lived where you do, I would not risk my $$$ and life on an unknown such as you are suggesting. Yes, what you are suggesting could work, maybe. A $3,000 engine could be nothing more than a boat anchor which you have air freighted to the far north. You might luck out and you might not.
 
Ruffair said:
Rather than keep an entire motor around as a spare, hows about just a Complete Cylinder assembly, and maybe an old prop. ..?..
Having cracked a jug out in the middle of nowhere, this was about all we needed to get it back in the air.
Click to expand...

Excellent! Wouldn't even have to be new, just "serviceable".

Would a cracked cylinder or valve problems be the most likely type of failure?
 
Usually it will be something other than what you planned. I once had a lifter break and jam the intake valve open on a O-540. It would not run, for any amount of time. Perhaps if I had left the spark plugs out of that cylinder, I may have been able to milk it home?

If you could find a good mid timed engine out of a wreck which didn't touch the engine, fill it with oil and stick it in the corner.
 
After a rod broke in-flight with a TCM IO-360 and punched through the case, enlarging the hole with every revolution, the engine continued to run and made partial power. It took two months to have a new engine built for that plane. In the meantime I secured it as best I could and when the engine and prop arrived we flew it in and four guys managed to lift it into place the hard way, no lift or hoist on that muddy river bank. Owners have been dealing with remote failures since airplanes were invented. The priority is to avoid bending the airplane after the engine failure. Accomplish that and the rest is easy.
 
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