Welp It’s Time...

[ARFlyer]

My still new to me 172 needs a new engine. Last week we pulled the oil filter and found copper like hairs in the black tar as known as “oil”. The compressions went downhill in the last 50 and we’re getting oil pooling in cylinder 3 & 4 while she sits in the hanger. Thankfully, the partnership already had enough money squirreled away for just this event!

So I put in a order today for a factory rebuilt O-360 with Air Power out of DFW. Current wait time is somewhere north of 9 weeks. The plan is to add a JPI 900, CEIS STC Fuel Senders, and a Lycoming EIS Mag during the engine swap. So we’re dumping all the old gauges and the factory fuel senders.

Hopefully by New Years we will have a 172 with a 0 time engine and modern avionics!!! Im hoping the mechanic will let me get my hands dirty during the swap. I’m kinda excited!!!!

 

[SCCutler]

You'll love it if you can get the old engine out with sufficient time to really clean up and detail the engine compartment. Also, the chance to inspect areas you usually can't see well.

Don't forget to order/install new engine mounts.

 

[MooneyDriver78]

I would carefully check your control cables, now would be a good time to replace.
Paint the baffling and engine mount...easy and cheap for you to do.

 

[ARFlyer]

You'll love it if you can get the old engine out with sufficient time to really clean up and detail the engine compartment. Also, the chance to inspect areas you usually can't see well.

Don't forget to order/install new engine mounts.

Have that, hoses, and new baffling on order. Oil Cooler is on hold until I get the component packing list from Air Power.

I would carefully check your control cables, now would be a good time to replace.
Paint the baffling and engine mount...easy and cheap for you to do.

Yep! Plan is to clean and paint the mount. Also thinking about stripping everything off the firewall to inspect and clean everything.

 

[Pugs]

Now is the time to do an engine monitor too!

We did the Archer last spring. I wish we'd been able to do more hands on work but given the Covid the A&P preferred to work alone. But, he's meticulous!

 

[pnancoz]

Hopefully Lycoming has resolved their issues from last year. I had to replace a O-360-A4M in 2019. The order also went through AirPower. I was originally quoted 10 weeks. The engine was finally delivered after about 18 weeks and that was only after meeting with a Lycoming Vice President.

 

[ARFlyer]

Now is the time to do an engine monitor too!

We did the Archer last spring. I wish we'd been able to do more hands on work but given the Covid the A&P preferred to work alone. But, he's meticulous!

JPI 900 is the plan. I’ve been working on the extensive order form. Since ours has an STC’d engine I’ve been spending most of that time tracking down all the AFM Supplements in the POH and original STC paperwork.

Hopefully Lycoming has resolved their issues from last year. I had to replace a O-360-A4M in 2019. The order also went through AirPower. I was originally quoted 10 weeks. The engine was finally delivered after about 18 weeks and that was only after meeting with a Lycoming Vice President.

That’s the same model engine we’re getting. The sales lady at Air Power quoted 9ish weeks and our mechanic said he got a IO-540 in about 8 weeks.

However, we’ve been waiting almost a week for an unlike core approval from Lycoming and have heard nothing but crickets.

 

[WDD]

Is this going to be a new 150 to 180 HP conversion for you?

 

[ARFlyer]

Is this going to be a new 150 to 180 HP conversion for you?

It was done 20 years ago after the aircraft was bought by a wreak rebuilder. We’re just replacing it with a A4M instead of the current A4A. Air Plains said that the A4A was the first version and it’s no longer the preferred variant.

 

[Bob Noel]

you will learn to hate the phrase "ya know, while you are at it, you ought to..."

 

[ARFlyer]

you will learn to hate the phrase "ya know, while you are at it, you ought to..."

That’s already happened!! I just smile and add it to my list. So far everything has been reasonable.

 

[WDD]

Constant speed prop? Ground adjustable prop?

 

[ARFlyer]

Constant speed prop? Ground adjustable prop?

Fixed Pitch angled as a cruise prop. I’m getting it overhauled as the logs have conflicting numbers on the total time.

 

[WDD]

Makes sense - be a shame to saddle a new engine with an old prop

 

[Bob Noel]

That’s already happened!! I just smile and add it to my list. So far everything has been reasonable.

Then you have not yet learned to hate it...

not

yet

 

[Salty]

I would carefully check your control cables, now would be a good time to replace.
Paint the baffling and engine mount...easy and cheap for you to do.

I believe it’s mandated by AD to replace the control cables at overhaul.

 

[Salty]

Then you have not yet learned to hate it...

not

yet

For me, it was my wife that learned to hate it. Most people were telling me I didn’t need to, but I kept saying “while I’m at it...”. But I’m glad I did. The couple things I skipped, I now wish I had done then.

 

[Bob Noel]

For me, it was my wife that learned to hate it. Most people were telling me I didn’t need to, but I kept saying “while I’m at it...”. But I’m glad I did. The couple things I skipped, I now wish I had done then.

oh, I did most (if not all of the "while you were at it"), but I learned to cringe everytime someone walked by and uttered those words (I was doing an extensive overall of my pa-28-140 under the supervision of a couple of A&Ps).

It helped when I stopped adding up all the expenses, stopping at $23000 (2002 dollars) not including the A&P labor and not counting my own hours.[

 

[steingar]

It helped when I stopped adding up all the expenses, stopping at $23000 (2002 dollars) not including the A&P labor and not counting my own hours.[

When I did the first Cherokee formation flight into Oshkosh a Cherokee showed up that was the only one I've ever seen nicer than mine. A couple guys has redone it totally, new engine, paint, interior, lots of panel glass and everything. This was around 2010 I think. I own the question was asked, and they said they stopped counting at 50 grand, though they thought maybe they had 150 in it. Wouldn't be surprised, that aircraft was really nice.

 

[RyanB]

Exciting! The JPI install is a fantastic idea, too!