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Thread: Lycoming O-145 opinions?

  1. #11
    prasmussen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    2OH8
    Posts
    109
    The advice about 55 horsepower is absolutely true. My PA-15 which is powered by the Lycoming just can't keep up with the essentially identical PA-17 powered by an A-65.



    Couple of concerns:

    • The front oil seal is almost impossible to find.
    • It uses three gaskets between the steel cylinder and the aluminum head to deal with unequal expansion rates of the metals and the copper/asbestos inner gasket has been very hard to find.
    • The original exhaust sleeves to which exhaust headers attach are prone to rust-out and are hard to replace.
    • I think I paid over $200 per exhaust valve when they needed to be replaced.
    • You'll need to modify a wrench so that if will fit the nuts under the cylinders. It is completely necessary to “snug” those head nuts regularly.



    The good news:


    • The carb hangs from the oil pan and stays toasty for winter flying.
    • It is cheap to feed.
    • It is wonderfully smooth and mine has been completely reliable since 1987.
    • If I recall it has more main bearings than the Continental too.
    • And, there is almost always one sitting in the back of someones hangar. I've seen them sell on eBay for almost nothing.
    • When you are done with it, a museum will be happy to take it off your hands.



    Best of luck.
    The journey is the reward.

  2. #12
    kscessnadriver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Overland Park, KS
    Posts
    112
    Good to see there are some people out there who still know things about these engines. I'm in the process of picking up an O-145 powered aircraft. Very excited to get a more original aircraft, as it seems that many were converted off of O-145 power.
    KSCessnaDriver
    ATP MEL, Commercial Lighter Than Air-Airship, SEL, CFI/CFII
    Private SES

  3. #13
    The man who owns the license to the o-145 lives in Montrose Pa. He just built me a new engine for my Luscombe 8B. He has a number of parts, and acts as a clearing house for the engine. He is the go to guy for this engine. Google J P Hackenburg aviation in Montrose Pa.. Be aware this engine uses mineral oil not modern oils, The previous owner of my plane did not know this and damaged the engine!

    Joe

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