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Thread: What engine do I have?

  1. #1

    What engine do I have?

    Gentlemen here is the dilemma.

    I was told when I purchased this aircraft that it was an Lycoming O-320 with fuel injection and high compression pistons to make it 160hp. I have gone through the logbook and read and deciphered all the entries. This engine no longer has a data plate so I don't have that to go by.

    The title page shows an O-320-B3B. The engine was overhauled twice and went from constant speed prop to fixed in it's history. Now fixed so essentially it should be a B2B. Here is the kicker. A B3B and the B2B are listed as a high compression,wide cylinder flange model with no plates on the cylinder studs, my engine has the cylinder plates which tells me it is a standard cylinder hence not a high compression engine but the 150hp model. The logbook has no entries for cylinders being changed just overhauled.

    Frankly I think I have been swindled. Either the logbook is not for my engine or somebody put standard cylinders on this engine and never recorded it. If that was the case wouldn't the studs be different? I don't think that could be done. The engine logbook shows the original engine being from 1957. Could it still be a high compression engine with standard cylinders?

    How can I determine just what engine I have? Any advise would be appreciated because I may have to replace the cylinders and I really would like to be knowledgeable about what I have.

    Thank You.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    1,342
    Not real knowlegable about that engine but the fist question that I would ask is whether you have a copy of the Lyco parts book for the -320's. With that book you can see all of the configurations and most importantly know what part numbers to look for. If the representation is that the engine is an "O-320 with high compression pistons" then that may be exactly what you have. You will have to look at the piston part numbers to confirm that.

    I can not speak to what you think you were purchasing, but your post sounds like you were hoping to get something other than what you may have actually bought. Only you know whether the price you paid matches what is sitting in your shop.

    Best of luck,

    Wes

  3. #3

    Narrow Deck Lycoming

    Sir, to my knowledge the 160 hp narrow deck engines are the only ones that use the cylinder hold down plates. The 150 hp engines use the same nut but do not have the plates installed. I can not find my parts manual right now. Please consult your parts/ overhaul manual for specific installations.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Petro View Post
    Sir, to my knowledge the 160 hp narrow deck engines are the only ones that use the cylinder hold down plates. The 150 hp engines use the same nut but do not have the plates installed. I can not find my parts manual right now. Please consult your parts/ overhaul manual for specific installations.
    Going through the different parts catalogs I found that the B2A and some others that are high compression and have the plates use the standard narrow deck cylinders. The 150hp doesn't so that is good. I think the title page in my logbook may be wrong. ECI cylinders does show a B3B model with narrow deck so all I need is to make sure I get the same cylinder. If I can read the part numbers I should be good.

    Thanks
    Last edited by Acropilot; 07-25-2012 at 02:21 PM.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Clarklake, MI
    Posts
    2,461
    I agree it sounds like a narrow deck engine. The logs you have may not even go with that engine. Pretty common, probably why the data plate was trashed.

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