Picked up my ENGINE!!

A forum to discuss the installation and maintenance of the O-320, O-360, & O-540 engines and their variants.
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BSwayze
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Picked up my ENGINE!!

Post by BSwayze »

Let's see... it's a beautiful Saturday morning late in July... tomorrow is my birthday. What should I do today? Hmmm... what to do, what to do... Oh! I got it! I'll go get an engine for my airplane. Yeah, that's it!

Here's what I stumbled across on my trip over to Wal-Mart. Check this out:

Image

Actually, it didn't happen QUITE like that. hahaha This deal has been developing since earlier in the month, when I first heard there was an engine for sale in the area. It's a Lycoming O-360 A4A. What's an A4A? I looked it up... it's just like the A1A except it has a solid crankshaft. So I'll be going fixed-pitch. I was going to do that anyway, at least for a while. While I would have preferred the option of going constant speed at some point, I got this at such a good price, it's a small compromise to make to get me in the air much sooner than I would have been able to otherwise.

Image

It's a like-new zero-time engine, with all the yellow tags, logbook and records, and a number of nice extras. I've got the brand new 149-tooth ring gear, an oil cooler, and a complete exhaust system! Since it's just like the A1A that Vans sells, it should be easy to hook up everything firewall forward, fit the cowl, and so on. It has an Ellison Throttle Body (see it here: http://www.ellison-fluid-systems.com), no carburetor. I read up on this, and the more I read about it, the more I like it! I couldn't possibly tell you all the details here. Too much to say. There are a lot more pictures, and more details, on my engine page here:

http://www.europa.com/~swayze/RV-7A/Fir ... 20728.html

For now, I'm so excited I can hardly stand up. This was the biggest, major hurdle that up until now, I had no idea how I was going to cross the barrier. I'm starting to actually visualize a completion date for the project, out there in the distant haze. :)
Bruce Swayze
Portland, Oregon
http://www.BrucesRV7A.com
RV-7A Working on Firewall Forward

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hydroguy2
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Post by hydroguy2 »

go get 'em Bruce....the end is near!
Brian
Townsend, MT

Spike
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Post by Spike »

So very Kewl. Can't wait till the next one is born!

Spike
http://www.rivetbangers.com - Now integrating web and mail!
Current Build: 2 years into a beautiful little girl

1:1_Scale
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Post by 1:1_Scale »

Sweet deal, Bruce! Just gotta keep eyes and ears open, put the feelers out there, and the right deal will present itself :thumbsup:
Kelly
RV-7 Empennage done, wings done, fuselage to QB stage
1947 Stinson108-1 flying

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Joe Parish
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Post by Joe Parish »

Congrats Bruce! Keeping plugging away and you will be in the air in no time.
Joe
N525XC reserved
Empennage done
wings done
Fuse in progress
RV-9A

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captain_john
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Post by captain_john »

Bruce, That is a good grab!

What are the times on it? Do you have logs?

Are you going to zero it or just use it as is??? What are your plans?

The Ellison is a love/hate thing. Some people love them and others hate them.

I think that if you get to know it and learn how to run it, you will love it!

I think that most people just don't take the time in learning how it operates and so it goes.

It is basically a pressure carb.

I am interested in hearing how you do with it. I like them!!!

:) CJ
RV-7
Garmin G3X with VP-X & a TMX-IO-360 with G3i
It's all over but the flying! 800+ hours in only 3 years!

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BSwayze
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Post by BSwayze »

CJ, sorry for the slow response... I've been away for a couple weeks. :)

This engine only had one previous owner, the guy I bought it from. It was factory-new in 1995 and installed originally on a Skybolt. The Skybolt had a gear collapse and a prop strike when the engine had only 219 hours on it. It was completely torn down and overhauled, inspected, magnafluxed, the whole bit. It was done by reputable shops here, the main mechanic was a guy who is now in his 70's or 80's and has decades of experience, excellent reputation. I have all the logs. It's now a fresh zero-time engine and all yellow-tagged.

Before buying it, I wanted it inspected because it's been sitting in his shop for a long time since the work was done. I had two A & P's look at it, do a borescope, look inside. It's shiny and new inside, like the day it left the shop! It hasn't been run since the work was done, so I believe that's why it's in such beautiful condition inside. So I have essentially a brand new zero-time engine with only 219 hrs. TTSN

I can't wait to hang this thing! I have a list of tasks I have to complete first, though, before I can put the fuselage on its gear.

I contacted Ellison. I'm going to send the throttle body in to them and have them go through it, clean it and basically refurbish it to like-new condition. I can use it for a while, and always go to a full fuel-injection system if I want. The more I read and talk to people, though, the more I like it. All I would have to add is an inverted oil system, and I could have a fully-aerobatic setup! I'll have to price that and give it some thought.

I think I'm going to go with a Catto prop. I talked to Craig. He has his lead time down to only a few weeks, or even in stock! His shop has sophisticated new equipment to increase his production and meet the demand. I haven't placed an order yet but I'm excited about it.
Bruce Swayze
Portland, Oregon
http://www.BrucesRV7A.com
RV-7A Working on Firewall Forward

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hydroguy2
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Post by hydroguy2 »

Might as well order that prop, they're not getting any cheaper. Plus they make great wall art until you're ready to hang it
Brian
Townsend, MT

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