I my experience there are several design faults built into O360 & IO360 engines. Very poor valve cooling, causing seized closed exhaust valves or high valve guide wear. Also need to carry out the wobble valve test every 400 hours or fit the latest hardened valve guides. Best to set up for very high oil pressure 80/100psi to push oil into the rocker covers to cool them.
The Mooney 235 actual has 4 oil lines to the rocker boxes with an oil jet on each exhaust valve stems to cool them, also all 360s have Sodium filled exhaust valves to try move the heat into the rocker box.
On low usage engines, with the camshaft being set high up, all the oil drains off it and the cam lobes starts to rust, then wear at a high rate. Lycoming now produce a 360 with roller camfollowers to overcome this, also produces a bit more power.
The end caps at each end of the wristpin in the pistons have aliminium/bronze plugs to keep it in the centre, these can break up score the cylinder and rightoff the piston.
In the Cardinal cyl 3 runs the hottest this must be corrected or the oil control ring is cooked breaks and detonation will occur at high power
due to oil blow by plus oil consumtion becomes very high.
The cylinder head redline is stated as 475f but is should be 400f with 380 or below in cruise. Above 380 cooling changes must be slow or damage can occur over time.
I do not agree the 360 is reliable and have the invoices to prove it.
To many design faults that Lycoming have never fixed, even after many attempts.
I agree the Cardinal is great to fly, the wing has forward sweep for better view. On wieght & balance, difficult to load out of C of G but can be overloaded on later models with 60usg tanks early ones have 50usg.
The RG weights 200lbs more than the FG due to the under carriage,
both can pick up approx 950lbs with 300lbs (50usg) of fuel leaves 650lbs for pay load. So easy 4 hours range with reserves.
The slot in the stabilator was fitted to overcome it stalling during landing flair.
The Cardinal can be sidesliped with any flap setting.
The most important thing on landing is approach speed control.
On an RG 72 +-2.5 mph, over speed and they eat runway.
Loverly handling aircraft with space but must be maintained by Cardinal trained people.