The Curse .....to G.A.
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: UK
The first thing I have to ask is who did the overhaul ?
The second question is how much did you pay for the first overhaul?
Now I might guess the answer to question one is a metal that is liquid at room temp.
And the answer to question two is about £6000+VAT
Do I win the prize ?
The second question is how much did you pay for the first overhaul?
Now I might guess the answer to question one is a metal that is liquid at room temp.
And the answer to question two is about £6000+VAT
Do I win the prize ?
The o/h was done by a very reputable shop in the US and did cost ~ £13k due to very good $/£ rate. As many other bits were replaced or o/h when the engine was away including fire wall re-cover, engine mount X ray and re-spray, new exhaust system new edm-700 etc. the total bill was north of £20k.
Joined: Jan 1999
Posts: 6,209
Likes: 2
From: north of barlu
Just shows that It is not always the "usual suspects" that have problems!
£13K sounds a little on the high side for a non-factory O/H but not if the engine core items could not be used (I take it that it is a Lycoming o-360).
There is only one non-factory engine overhaul company that I would use in the USA as most of them will walk away from a problem child safe in the knowlage that you are the other side of the Atlantic and unlikely to come knocking on the door.
With the £/$ rate as it is at the moment a factory overhaul looks like a very good deal
£13K sounds a little on the high side for a non-factory O/H but not if the engine core items could not be used (I take it that it is a Lycoming o-360).
There is only one non-factory engine overhaul company that I would use in the USA as most of them will walk away from a problem child safe in the knowlage that you are the other side of the Atlantic and unlikely to come knocking on the door.
With the £/$ rate as it is at the moment a factory overhaul looks like a very good deal
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: UK
Not your day A&C 
The engine is an IO-540. When it was o/h we fitted all new ECI Titan cyl. new lifters, new camshaft, new lightweight B&C starter and new vacuum pump, new mags. The fuel servo and fuel pump were o/h, the core parts were ok. In addition the engine was internally balanced and the cyl. were flow matched. If I remember correctly the lot was ~ $23-24k. The o/h shop was not one of the 2 that you think of but a shop in FL that has a very good reputation inside the USA and came second in a review of Aviation Consumer. This shop looked after me, on both occasions they paid for the shipping back to the US, re-o/h the engine free of charge with all new components (i.e cyl. lifters, camshaft) and paid for removal/installation of the engine (under warranty after first failure). This time they don't want to pay for the removal/installation but I am going to fight it as I also want another year of warranty as out of the 2 years that I had the engine was off for nearly a year. Time will tell.
The engine is an IO-540. When it was o/h we fitted all new ECI Titan cyl. new lifters, new camshaft, new lightweight B&C starter and new vacuum pump, new mags. The fuel servo and fuel pump were o/h, the core parts were ok. In addition the engine was internally balanced and the cyl. were flow matched. If I remember correctly the lot was ~ $23-24k. The o/h shop was not one of the 2 that you think of but a shop in FL that has a very good reputation inside the USA and came second in a review of Aviation Consumer. This shop looked after me, on both occasions they paid for the shipping back to the US, re-o/h the engine free of charge with all new components (i.e cyl. lifters, camshaft) and paid for removal/installation of the engine (under warranty after first failure). This time they don't want to pay for the removal/installation but I am going to fight it as I also want another year of warranty as out of the 2 years that I had the engine was off for nearly a year. Time will tell.
Joined: Jan 1999
Posts: 6,209
Likes: 2
From: north of barlu
The price for an IO-540 is very good but it is very unusual for overhaul shops in the USA to pick up the shipping costs I guess that I could add this shop to the very small list of overhaul shops that I would use in the USA.
The problem that you have is the time that it has taken to get the aircraft sorted and flying the engine across the Atlantic twice can't of helped with the downtime.
Some one above did hint that the engine was for a Robin hence the O-360 comment.
The problem that you have is the time that it has taken to get the aircraft sorted and flying the engine across the Atlantic twice can't of helped with the downtime.
Some one above did hint that the engine was for a Robin hence the O-360 comment.
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: UK
Yes, the down time is a problem and customs can be a pain if the paper work is incorrect.
If you want to use this shop and if you can live with the down time in case of a problem I would recommend them. I had bad luck and I might have suffered financially but they were honest and did not muck me arround. If I will ever have to o/h another engine I will think very hard where to send it but they will be one of the options.
Either P.M me your email and I will send you something to read or let me know when you are next at Elstree and I will try to meet you.
If you want to use this shop and if you can live with the down time in case of a problem I would recommend them. I had bad luck and I might have suffered financially but they were honest and did not muck me arround. If I will ever have to o/h another engine I will think very hard where to send it but they will be one of the options.
Either P.M me your email and I will send you something to read or let me know when you are next at Elstree and I will try to meet you.
