Bad news - free advice sought

[jimnh20]

Today I received news that while putting in the push rod tube refurb kit that the lifter body on #6 was broken. The way it broke, everything luckily kept operating normally until the push rod tube was removed.

The cases have to be split so I am thinking of having Lycon (Visalia, Ca) just do an entire overhaul; having One Stop Aviation do the overhaul (my mechanic has used them before with success); or going with a conversion with a fixed pitch prop. Whichever way I go my future vision is to have everything under the cowl look like new.

I would prefer to not alter the cowling -I love the classic looks the way they are. Is the continental IO-360 STC available? I'm ready for thoughts and advice and getting a healthy line of credit ready

Jim

[c170b53]

Sorry to hear your troubles Jim, we are all susceptible to the next inspection whether it be the wrench or the doc. I'll kick this one off without all the usual disclaimers you likely already know.
Option one, somewhere between 15-25 when its all added up.
Option two and three, a heck of a lot more money when the dust settles because by the time you get it done there will be dust everywhere.
Do you have the time?

[Metal Master]

I would prefer to not alter the cowling -I love the classic looks the way they are. Is the continental IO-360 STC available? I'm ready for thoughts and advice and getting a healthy line of credit ready

Jim

Yes the TCM IO-360 STC is available. However it is not a comparable alternative to having your engine rebuilt overhauled are repaired from any cost stand point. Comparison to available Lycoming O-360 or IO 360 STC's and complete kit availability is another consideration. Research is the only answer to the time cost question. If you decide to go any other way the down time to do the conversion of any engine upgrade is another consideration. It took me a year and a half to do my IO360 conversion in my spare time but with that I had no other spare time. Honestly I would expect that I would have not done the STC installation of the TCM IO-360 if I had not been able to do the whole thing myself. http://thelandinggearworks.com/ As you will see from The landing Gear Works Home page the Power Plant Conversion 210 HP for Cessna 170 Series is sold under their subsidiary Xtra Power Modifications.
Regards,
Jim

[cessna170bdriver]

How far are you away from TBO? If you're close, overhaul is probably the best option. If not, if the crankshaft is clocked correctly the case can be split far enough with the cylinders still installed to replace a lifter without pulling rings past the bottom of the cylinders. It's a lot of work to clean and prep the case flanges for reassembly, but it can be done. The hard part would be finding a shop or mechanic that would do it

[flyboy122]

I'm with Miles. How many hours are on it? Unless it's close to TBO, I'd be inclined to IRAN it. Cost could be 1/4 or less of an o/h. That's a lot of money!

DEM

[cessna170bdriver]

How do you pull the case apart without loosening the through bolts that hold the cylinders on? Or do you just loosen the through bolts and leave the cylinders secured to the case by a few studs?

I'm too lazy to go get my IPC, but from memory, through bolts only account for two of the six fasteners holding each cylinder to the case. The other 4 are short studs and do not need to be removed to split the case.

[jimnh20]

Engine is around 1000 hrs and last major was 1963. I think it's time.

Comments from the group on what to make sure is included in overhaul if I go that route? Per continental manual and service bulletins and ADs? New limits overhaul? New cam? I plan on new cylinders - best alternative for cylinders? alternator and carb are recently reworked, but planning on overhauling other accessories. I would get a new exhaust from Aerospace Welding

Jim N

[cessna170bdriver]

Engine is around 1000 hrs and last major was 1963. I think it's time. ...

Jim N

Since it's been over 50 years, I wholeheartedly agree!


Follow the OH manual, SB's and AD's. Send the steel parts out for inspection/refurb. They will tell you if you need new crank, cam, rods, lifters, gears, etc. No problem with an undersize crank, if required. It should run as long undersize as it did at new limits. My cam passed inspection at an overhaul at about 1700 hours, but got red-tagged at about 2700 hours TT. Find an assembler with C-145/O-300 experience to build the engine or supervise you if you want to do it yourself. There is at least one item not mentioned in the OH manual that you don't want to miss: O-rings around the through bolts through the mount legs. Leaving them out will cause the airplane to be drenched in oil if you leave them out...

New cylinders are the way to go. I've been extremely happy with my ECI CermiNil cylinders, chosen because I know my flying can be sporadic. Compressions were mid-70's out of the box, before even being run. After first run, the compression of 5 of them were 80/80, the sixth 79/80. Even after sitting for 13 months at one point, all 6 were mid-70s, and came right back up to high 70s after a little running.

[bagarre]

Engine is around 1000 hrs and last major was 1963. I think it's time.

Fifty Three Years since overhaul? That's gotta be a record.

[hilltop170]

If your oil pan has any corrosion in the bottom, send it out to have the epoxy repair done in Kelowna, BC. That will stop any further corrosion. If the corrosion has been welded previously or if it penetrates the bottom, they cannot do the repair.

There are other shops that have cut out and replaced corroded sections if previous repairs have failed or the pan is penetrated.

Review this thread if you have any oil pan corrosion: http://cessna170.org/forums/viewtopic.p ... 7&start=15

[TFA170]

Engine is around 1000 hrs and last major was 1963. I think it's time.

Fifty Three Years since overhaul? That's gotta be a record.

Mine was last O/H in 1959 and has around 1100 hours now - still makes great oil pressure, good compressions (all in 70s), and runs flawlessly (knock on wood). It never sat - there were years where it didn't fly much at all, but it always flew...a little. I think that's more important...engines are meant to run, not sit. YMMV

[TFA170]

Mine was last O/H in 1959 and has around 1100 hours now - still makes great oil pressure, good compressions (all in 70s), and runs flawlessly (knock on wood). It never sat - there were years where it didn't fly much at all, but it always flew...a little. I think that's more important...engines are meant to run, not sit. YMMV

The bottom ends can go many thousands of hours no problem, and they can sit for many years and still be ok.

I'd be willing to bet your cylinders are not original to the 1959 overhaul, or they have been overhauled at least once.

Well, if they have been, it's not in the logs...and I've got complete logs back to the factory that are pretty well documented with the most trivial of things...

While I'm not an A&P, I am a mechanic. Engines that sit don't do well. Engines that do what engines are supposed to do usually do best. Like most mechanical things...

[jimnh20]

Update

One-stop doing o/h. So far replacing sump, new cam and lifters, I think the crank is good but not certain yet, new baffles, new exhaust, not gonna be a lot that isn't attended to. Hope to make the Calif North-South event with fresh engine

J

[jimnh20]

Time for an Update................

Engine and exhaust system overhauled and looking brand new, new set of baffles, everything off and polished or painted forward of the firewall, so finally the engine compartment looks as good as the rest of the plane.

Thoughts on properly breaking in the overhauled engine?

Hope to fly 90D to the Death Valley 49er encampment coming up on Nov 11

Jim

[sfarringer]

Thoughts on properly breaking in the overhauled engine?

Do whatever the cylinder manufacturer says!