Scoping cases

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Feb 23, 2005
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Dave Taylor
Is there any way to see cam lobes w/o pulling cylinders on an IO550?
I was thinking of all the orifices engines have and just wondered if there was a way to get a scope in there.
Drain the oil, look into sump?
Oil filler neck?
Crankcase vent?

I put my scope into my 520 oil fill neck once and was immediately lost. But I have a hard time holding my tongue right in cylinders too.
 
On a 550 Continental you should be able to pull the pushrods, tubes, and lifters. The cam will be able to be seen through the lifter bores.
 
Trying to come up with a less invasive way to see the camshaft ie during a prebuy where dismantling an engine may cause seller resistance
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Trying to come up with a less invasive way to see the camshaft ie during a prebuy where dismantling an engine may cause seller resistance
Click to expand...

Pull the oil pan then? Or you may be able to go up through the oil drain hole, but I don't know how much you'll realistically see.

Pulling the lifters for inspection at midtime seems to be a somewhat common practice. You might be able to convince the owner to allow you to spot check one cylinder and you can negotiate from there if you find something.
 
Why the concern? Continentals aren't known for cam problems. Not like Lycomings, anyway.
 
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