Continental 0-200D TBO - Years as important as hours?

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FLEngineer

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FLEngineer
Hello, I'm currently looking at buying a 2011 aircraft with a Continental 0-200D that has 499 hours. I was already aware of the 2000 TBO, but just recently discovered that these motors also have a 12 year TBO. Which means this aircraft's engine will technically be past its overhaul time next year, despite the low (but not overly low) hours.

The aircraft's maintenance logs are in order and it had its last annual inspection just 1 month ago. The leak down test numbers look good. Is it legal or safe to continue flying a regularly inspected/maintained aircraft with a motor that's past the 12 year overhaul time?

Go easy on me, I'm a new pilot and it's my first time buying a plane.
 
The majority of privately owned bugsmashers aren't getting flown enough to hit TBO (hours) before hitting that 12 year number and are safely flying. It's legal.
 
TCM also says the TBO for the O-300-C in my C172D was 12 years, but for part 91 you can ignore that. My O-300-C was last overhauled in May, 1992, and is still going strong with a new owner in Princeton, NJ. I believe the 12 year requirement is primarily to replace gaskets and seals that deteriorate over time and may leak oil. Most of these can be replaced during annual inspections.
 
My experience is with Lycoming but my 0-360 overhaul was '93 and my dad's io-540 was 1987. Both going strong and neither burning oil...knock on wood.

TBO in date and time are suggestions. Like a stop sign on a dirt road. Engines used more frequently could easily surpass 2500. Or they could crap out well short. It really depends on a lot of factors. Legal? Absolutely. Safe? For now. Will it make 2000? Maybe.

The engine will talk you and let you know when it's time for overhaul. Oil analysis is as important as leak down.
 
TBO is a number that someone pulled out of a warm dark place.

How long any particular engine lasts (in terms of years or hours) depends on how it is used, cared for, and luck. Fly it every day and it will likely fail due to wear or fatigue - exactly when is somewhere between hard and impossible to predict. Fly it once a year and it will corrode away long before you get to the magic TBO hours. In between? You roll the dice and see what comes up.

I would have no problem flying behind your engine strictly based on the information given.
 
Without looking at the log books...Our O-300 was rebuilt in 1986 (I think) it has 4 new(last 5 years) cylinders. It has 1600ish hours with a TBO of 1800. We have no intention of rebuilding it at TBO if it is still running well. It flew 75ish hours last year and probably 100+ the year before. Heading to the airport in an hour to run it some more. It could blow up today or it could run another 10 or more years.
 
FLEngineer said:
Hello, I'm currently looking at buying a 2011 aircraft with a Continental 0-200D that has 499 hours. I was already aware of the 2000 TBO, but just recently discovered that these motors also have a 12 year TBO. Which means this aircraft's engine will technically be past its overhaul time next year, despite the low (but not overly low) hours.

The aircraft's maintenance logs are in order and it had its last annual inspection just 1 month ago. The leak down test numbers look good. Is it legal or safe to continue flying a regularly inspected/maintained aircraft with a motor that's past the 12 year overhaul time?

Go easy on me, I'm a new pilot and it's my first time buying a plane.
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Welcome to PoA. 50 hours a year on a ~10 year old plane would not give me any heartburn. This a 162? Fun plane.
 
Racerx said:
My experience is with Lycoming but my 0-360 overhaul was '93 and my dad's io-540 was 1987. Both going strong and neither burning oil...knock on wood.

TBO in date and time are suggestions. Like a stop sign on a dirt road. Engines used more frequently could easily surpass 2500. Or they could crap out well short. It really depends on a lot of factors. Legal? Absolutely. Safe? For now. Will it make 2000? Maybe.

The engine will talk you and let you know when it's time for overhaul. Oil analysis is as important as leak down.
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What does it mean when an engine burns oil? All the 172 trainers I flew in needed an extra quart every 10 hours or so. I've never had to add to my 182. Does the oil burning show wear?
 
FLEngineer said:
Hello, I'm currently looking at buying a 2011 aircraft with a Continental 0-200D that has 499 hours. I was already aware of the 2000 TBO, but just recently discovered that these motors also have a 12 year TBO. Which means this aircraft's engine will technically be past its overhaul time next year, despite the low (but not overly low) hours.

The aircraft's maintenance logs are in order and it had its last annual inspection just 1 month ago. The leak down test numbers look good. Is it legal or safe to continue flying a regularly inspected/maintained aircraft with a motor that's past the 12 year overhaul time?

Go easy on me, I'm a new pilot and it's my first time buying a plane.
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What type aircraft is this o-200-d installed on?

If the aircraft is an S-LSA the answer may be different than if it were on an E-LSA or TCd aircraft.
 
FLEngineer said:
It is an Cessna 162 S-LSA.
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What does the Cessna 162 maintenance manual have to say about component time limits? S-LSA aircraft are not type certified and have different rules concerning maintenance.

Concern over the need to adhere to the calendar TBO may be the reason this aircraft is for sale.
 
mondtster said:
What does the Cessna 162 maintenance manual have to say about component time limits? S-LSA aircraft are not type certified and have different rules concerning maintenance.

Concern over the need to adhere to the calendar TBO may be the reason this aircraft is for sale.
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I see your point. So if the 162 Maintenance manual states that the years before overhaul has to be adhered to, the aircraft would lose its airworthiness as an LSA if ignored. What happens to these aircraft in that type of situation? The quote I got for a new 0-200 D was $45k off the Continental site. I'll have to call around to find out a basic overhaul quote.
 
FLEngineer said:
I see your point. So if the 162 Maintenance manual states that the years before overhaul has to be adhered to, the aircraft would lose its airworthiness as an LSA if ignored. What happens to these aircraft in that type of situation? The quote I got for a new 0-200 D was $45k off the Continental site. I'll have to call around to find out a basic overhaul quote.
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Convert it to E-LSA and never look back. You'll eventually want to (or NEED to) anyway, thanks to Cessna's lack of support.
 
FLEngineer said:
I see your point. So if the 162 Maintenance manual states that the years before overhaul has to be adhered to, the aircraft would lose its airworthiness as an LSA if ignored. What happens to these aircraft in that type of situation? The quote I got for a new 0-200 D was $45k off the Continental site. I'll have to call around to find out a basic overhaul quote.
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More or less. The S-LSAs need to be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s directives. All alterations also need the manufacturer’s approval.

The easy way out is to convert it to an e-LSA but that has its downside too.
 
FLEngineer said:
Hello, I'm currently looking at buying a 2011 aircraft with a Continental 0-200D that has 499 hours. I was already aware of the 2000 TBO, but just recently discovered that these motors also have a 12 year TBO. Which means this aircraft's engine will technically be past its overhaul time next year, despite the low (but not overly low) hours.

The aircraft's maintenance logs are in order and it had its last annual inspection just 1 month ago. The leak down test numbers look good. Is it legal or safe to continue flying a regularly inspected/maintained aircraft with a motor that's past the 12 year overhaul time?

Go easy on me, I'm a new pilot and it's my first time buying a plane.
Click to expand...

TBO for Part 91 is recommendations and not required. Now your airplane may have other ADs which are required. Generally speaking most airplanes go well beyond 12 years before overhaul, and those run often and taken care of go well beyond 2000 hours (2500+ usually). It is also luck of the draw. You might put 100 hours per year on it and sell it before the overhaul discussion comes up. Don’t let it sit not flying, hangar up, and don’t put her out in high humidity areas (corrosion).
 
Therookguy said:
What does it mean when an engine burns oil? All the 172 trainers I flew in needed an extra quart every 10 hours or so. I've never had to add to my 182. Does the oil burning show wear?
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1 qt in 10 hrs is typical.

Oil consumption (burning, “use”, or pumped overboard through the breather from crankcase pressure) might or might not be caused by wear. Some engines have a sweet-spot which if you fill past will just be lost overboard. Worn valve guides and piston rings/cylinders can cause excess consumption. So can bad tolerances during assembly.
 
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