Originally Posted by
Prophead
I will in the future be looking for a Lycoming IO-360 for the RV I am currently building. Looking at various options which include a new Lycoming, a Superior 'Lycloming', or a used high time engine to have reconditioned.
The used engine market seems to be a bit of a minefield and has the potential to end up costing thousands. I have been told that I should look for a dirt cheap prop strike engine to heave rebuilt as any used engine could potentially have a hidden history anyway and at least the price offered will reflect that.
Has anyone gone down that route of having a prop striked engine inspected and rebuilt? I would be interested to hear of the pro's and cons as well as rough prices for the inspection etc.
I guess you are stuck with using the Lycoming piece of junk. The problem with a sudden engine stoppage as Lycoming call it is how did it stop. The deacceleration forces can be very high, all the ancillaries will need an overhaul and there is the probability the case will crack at 3 to 4 hundred hours, also all the ancillary gears should be changed as they can micro crack and dump micro grains of hard steel in the oil, like putting grinding past in the oil. This is not listed in lycoming list of must change items.
In low usage aircraft the high position camshaft in the Lycoming is a disaster and will rust also the history of stuck valves and over heating cylinders with cracking cylinders is a long and sorry tale. Why are the cooling fins shaved off on one side ? , result uneven cooling and oval wear. If you have to fit one the angle valve is better less valve sticking. For long life keep cylinder heads under 380f, use a 4 cylinder engine monitor and run lean of peak if injected plus fly often as Lycoming say 40 hours a month to make the 2000 TBO best of luck.