Key Maintenance

L y c o mi n g F l y e r
Lycoming Flyer
M A I N T E N A N C E
Me c h a n i c s C r e e d
UPON MY HONORIswearthatIshallholdinsacredtrust
therightsandprivilegesconferreduponmeasacertified
mechanic.Knowingfullwellthatthesafetyandlivesof
othersaredependentuponmyskillandjudgment,Ishall
neverknowinglysubjectotherstoriskswhichIwouldnot
bewillingtoassumeformyself,orforthosedeartome.
IN DISCHARGING this trust, I pledge myself never to
undertakeworkorapproveworkwhichIfeeltobebeyond
the limits of my knowledge; nor shall I allow any non-
certified superior to persuade me to approve aircraft or
equipmentasairworthyagainstmybetterjudgment;nor
shallIpermitmyjudgmenttobeinfluencedbymoneyor
otherpersonalgain;norshallIpassasairworthyaircraft
orequipmentaboutwhichIamindoubt,eitherasaresult
of direct inspection or uncertainty regarding the ability
ofotherswhohaveworkedonittoaccomplishtheirwork
satisfactorily.
I REALIZE the grave responsibility which is mine as a
certifiedairman,toexercisemyjudgmentontheairwor-
thiness of aircraft and equipment. I, therefore, pledge
unyielding adherencetothesepreceptsfortheadvance-
ment of aviation and for the dignity of my vocation.

Eventheprosofourindustryadmittheyneedtobereminded
fromtimetotimeofthebasicsofGeneralAviationmaintenance.
Therefore to review, the term maintenance means the inspec-
tion,overhaul,repair,upkeepandpreservationofanaircraftand
engine,includingthereplacementofparts,accordingtotheFAA.
Theowner/operatorisresponsibleforthepropermaintenanceof
hisaircraftandengine.Thepilotincommandofanairplaneis
responsiblefor:
1. Determining whether the aircraft is in condition for safe
flight.
2. Having a Registration Certificate and a valid Airworthiness
Certificate appropriately displayed in his aircraft during all
operations.
3. Having available in the aircraft an FAA-approved flight
manualoroperationallimitations.
4.Keepingabreastofcurrentregulationsconcerningtheoperation
andmaintenanceofhisairplaneandengine.
INSPECTIONS
FAR 91.409 establishes minimum requirements pertaining
to annual and 100-hour inspections. Not only does the FAA
requiretheseinspections,buttheystipulateinFAR91.405thatthe
owner/operator must maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft
and engine during the time between the required inspections
byhavinganyairworthinessdefectscorrectedandbyensuring
that maintenance personnel make the proper entries in aircraft
recordsapprovingthereturntoservice.Althoughmaintenance
requirements will vary for different types of aircraft, the FAA
statesthatexperienceshowsmostaircraftwillneedsometypeof
preventivemaintenanceafterevery25hoursofflyingtimeand
minormaintenanceatleastevery100hours.
ANNUAL INSPECTION
Thisinspectionmustbeperformedwithinthepreceding12cal-
endarmonths,byeitheracertifiedA&Pmechanicholdingan
inspectionauthorization,anappropriatelyratedcertifiedrepair
stationorthemanufactureroftheaircraft.
00-HOUR INSPECTION
Anaircraftusedtocarrypassengersforhire,orforflightinstruc-
tionforhire,mustbeinspectedwithineach100hoursoftimein
service byeither a certified A&Pmechanic,an appropriately
ratedcertificatedrepairstationorthemanufacturer.Theannual
inspectionisacceptableasa100-hourinspection,butthereverse
isnottrue.
DAILY AND PREFLIGHT INSPECTION
The owner/operator may conduct a daily inspection, if so
desired,butthepilotmustperformasatisfactorypreflightinspec-
tion before flight in order to determine that the aircraft is air-
worthy.
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
AirworthinessDirectives,commonlyreferredtoasADNotes,
provide aircraft owners with information of unsafe conditions.
TheADsspecifytheaircraftorcomponentfoundtobeunsafe
bytheFAA,andtheconditions,limitationsorinspections,ifany,
underwhichtheaircraftmaycontinuetobeoperated.
The Federal Aviation Regulation requires a presentation
showingthecurrentstatusofapplicableairworthinessdirectives,
includingthemethodofcompliance,andthesignatureandcer-
tificatenumberofthemechanicorrepairagencywhocomplied
withtheAD.
It is the aircraft owner/operators mandatory responsibility to
assure compliance with all pertinent AD notes. This includes
thoseADsofarecurrentorrepetitivenature;forexample,anAD
mayrequireacertaininspectionevery100hours.Thismeansthat
theparticularinspectionshallbemadeandrecordedafterevery
100hoursofflighttime.
MANUFACTURERS SERVICE BULLETINS
The FAA states that whenever an aircraft or engine manufac-
turer determines, through service experience, that its product
may be improved by some modification, or that the service
lifeofitsproductmaybeextendedbysomeparticularmainte-
nanceorrepair,thatmanufacturermayissueaservicebulletin.
The latter will tell what the trouble is and how to remedy it.
The service bulletin is mandatory because it supplements the
manufacturers maintenance manual that is required by FARs.
The service bulletin usually addresses those items that affect
safety of flight. The Lycoming overhaul manual and all appli-
cable service bulletins and service instructions, used in con-
junctionwiththeappropriateoperatorsmanuals,constitutethe
enginemaintenancemanualrequiredbytheFAA/FAR43.13.
Inadditiontoservicebulletins,Lycomingalsopublishesservice
instructionsandserviceletters.Aserviceinstructionisproduct
informationthatalsobecomesapartofthemanufacturermain-
tenance manual, and therefore compliance with these publica-
tionsbyownersandoperatorsisrequired.Theserviceletterat
Lycoming is product information which can be optional to the
pilot/owner.
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
Preventive maintenance means simple or minor preservation
operations and the replacement of small standard parts not
involving complex assembly operations. The holder of a pilot
certificateissuedunderFAR61mayperformpreventivemain-
tenance on any aircraft owned or operated by the pilot that is
notusedinaircarrierserviceorairtaxi.Allothermaintenance,
repairs,rebuildingoralternationsmustbeperformedbypersons
authorizedtodosobytheFAA.
ExceptasnotedunderPreventiveMaintenance,allrepairsand
alterationsareclassedaseitherMajororMinor.Majorrepairsor
alterationsmustbeapprovedandreturnedtoservicebyanappro-
priatelyratedcertifiedrepairfacility,anA&Pmechanicholding
anInspectionAuthorizationorarepresentativeoftheFAA.Minor
repairsandalterationsmaybereturnedtoservicebyanappropri-
atelyratedcertifiedA&Pmechanicorrepairfacility.
PROGRESSIVE MAINTENANCE
Thisisacontinuousmaintenanceprogramwherebytherequired
FAAandmanufacturerinspectionsareaccomplishedduringthe
most convenient time, while keeping the aircraft in a state of
continuousairworthiness.
SeveralGeneralAviationairframemanufacturershaveestablished
sound Progressive Maintenance programs with FAA approval.
Owners and operators are reminded that certain FAA require-
mentsmustbemetbeforeaProgressiveMaintenanceprogramcan
beused.TheserequirementsarecontainedintheFederalAviation
Regulations, Part 43, Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance,
RebuildingandAlteration,andPart91.409,GeneralOperating
andFlightRules.
The Progressive Maintenance program has had more appeal
whereplanesforhireareinvolved(i.e.,commuter,airtaxi,flight
instruction),ratherthanthoseprivatelyowned.
AIRCRAFT FLIGHT TEST AFTER REPAIR OR ALTERATION
TheFAAremindsusthatwheneverarepairoralterationhasbeen
madetoyouraircraftorengine,thepersonauthorizedtoreturn
theaircrafttoserviceshoulddecideiftheflightcharacteristics
have changed or if operation in flight has been substantially
affected.Ifthedecisionisaffirmative,theaircraftmustbeflight
testedbeforeitmaybeusedtocarrypassengersinaccordance
withFAR91.407.Thetestpilotmustmakeanoperationalcheck
ofthemaintenanceperformedandlogtheflightandfindingsin
theaircraftrecords.

Peoplewhoflyshouldbeconcernedaboutthereliabilityofthe
aircraft they fly and the engine that powers that aircraft. One
key to reliability is regular maintenance by a knowledgeable
A & P mechanic. Knowledgeable does not necessarily mean
themechanicmusthaveeverydetailofeveryjoblockedinhis
or her memory. It does mean that the individual should have
relevant information readily available and be able to refer to it
asneeded.
What has been stated above is not just good common sense; it
isthelaw.Aviationmechanicsarelicensed(certifiedinaviation
terms) under Part 65 of the Code of Federal Air Regulations
(FAR).FAR65.81(b)states:Acertificatedmechanicmaynot
exercise the privileges of his certificate and rating unless he
understandsthecurrentinstructionsofthemanufacturer,andthe
maintenancemanuals,forthespecificoperationconcerned.Isit
possibleforanyonetounderstandcurrentinstructionsormainte-
nancemanualsiftheyarenotavailableforreference?
The point which a concerned pilot owner should be thinking
aboutisthisdoesmyA&Pmechanicormaintenanceshop
have appropriate maintenance publications available for refer-
ence? While many maintenance activities do maintain a good
reference library, others certainly do not. This can be easily
determinedfromthequestionsthatareaskedofLycomingser-
vicerepresentativeswhocontinuouslyrespondtophonecallsfor
help. While theservice personnel whoareavailable to provide
help when troubleshooting does not readily reveal the source
of, or solution to, a problem, their time is being wasted when
they are asked to dig out information for a mechanic who has
not made the effort to acquire required reference materials.
Withoutthesereferencematerials,thequalityofmaintenanceis
opentoquestion.
How can publications that apply to Lycoming reciprocating
enginesbeobtainedandwhichonesareneeded?Starting
withthelastquestion,anoperatorsmanualshouldhaveenough
informationtosatisfytheneedsoftheengineownerorpilot.For
themaintenanceperson,whatisneededdependsonthedepthof
maintenancetobeperformedandtheparticularenginemodels
to be maintained. Once these items have been determined,
the latest revision of Lycoming Service Letter No. L114 and
SSP303areguidestoallservicepublicationsthatareavailable.
ItlistsLycomingPartsCatalogsandOverhaulManualswhich
provide much of the information needed for major work on
Lycoming reciprocating aircraft engines. Specialized proce-
duresandamplifyinginformationareprovidedfromtimeto
time in the form of bulletins, letters and instructions. These
publications serve as supplements to the Overhaul Manual.
Withoutthesepublicationstoprovidethelatestdatapublished
bythemanufacturer,theA&Pmechanicmaynotbereminded
of a required inspection or may be unaware of a new and
helpfulmaintenancetechnique.
Servicebulletinsaremanufacturerpublicationsthatarelikelyto
affectsafetyofflight.Therefore,abulletinshouldbeconsidered
tobemandatorybyeveryaircraftownerandbyallmaintenance
personnel.Insomecases,abulletinwillbecomethesubjectof
anFAAAirworthinessDirective(AD).TheADgetsverybroad
distribution to aircraft owners and is also mandatory by law.
Becausetheyaffectaircraftsafety,boththebulletinandtheAD
should receive the careful attention of all aircraft owners and
maintenancepersonnel.
Serviceinstructionsaremoreroutineitems,buttheydobecome
asupplementtotheFAA-requiredmaintenancemanual,sotheir
contentisbothinformativeandmandatory.Whenchangingspark
plugs,forexample,acopyofLycomingServiceInstructionNo.
1042providesalistingofrecommendedandapprovedsparkplugs
foreachenginemodel.Useofthisreferencewillensurethatthe
correctplugsareused.
Thereisamessageherewhichaircraftownersshouldconsider.
Qualityofmaintenancecannotalwaysbedeterminedbeforehand,
but the chances for good quality will certainly be better when
adequate reference materials are available.The idea of simply
askingwhatreferencematerialsareavailableinyourmechanics
referencelibrarywouldseemtobeagoodone.Itwillencourage
the mechanic or maintenance person to acquire and use appro-
priate reference materials, and it may help aircraft owners to
determinethequalityofmaintenancetheywillreceive.

(Something the pilot should also know)
Dust or some form of dirt is frequently the principal factor in
prematurepistonring,ringgrooveandcylinderwear.Ifaworn
orpoorlyfitairfilterallowsasmuchasatablespoonofabrasive
dirtmaterialintothecylinders,itwillcauseweartotheextent
thatanoverhaulwillberequired.Evidenceofdustorotherdirt
materialintheinductionsystembeyondtheairfilterisindicative
ofinadequatefiltercareoradamagedfilter.
LycomingServiceInstructionNo.1002addressestheproper
maintenance of carburetor air filters, but the information
willalsoapplytofuel-injectedengines.Onerecommenda-
tioniskeepinggroundrunningtoaminimum.Itisalsorec-
ommendedthattheairfilterbecleaneddailywhenoperating
industyconditions.Otherwise,thefiltershouldbeinspected
dailyandcleanedasrequired.Ifthereareanyholesortears
inthefilterorifitshowssignsofdeterioration,itshouldbe
replacedimmediately.
To prevent undesirable combustion chamber wear, follow the
instructionsoutlinedintheAircraftandEngineOperatorManuals
onfiltermaintenanceprocedures.Theywillstresssuchrecom-
mendationsasinspectingtheentireairinductionsystemtopre-
cludetheintroductionofunfilteredairbetweenthefilterandfuel
injectororcarburetor.Themanualalsorecommendsinspecting
thecarburetorheatdoor,orthealternateairdoor,toensurethat
theyareoperatingcorrectlyandsealingproperly.Anyaccumu-
lation of dirt and dust in or near the entrance of the alternate
airdoororcarburetorheatdoor,willbedrawnintotheengine
iftheabovedoorsareopened.Subsequently,aircraftparkedor
stored in dusty areas should have the unfiltered section of the
inductionsystemaheadoftheairdoorexaminedandcleaned,if
dirty,beforeuse.

TherearetwobasictypesofFAA-approvedaviationoilsusedin
generalaviationaircraftpistonengines.
1.Straightmineral
2.Ashlessdispersant(AD)
ManyLycomingenginesusestraightmineraloilforbreak-in
purposeswithanew,rebuiltoroverhauledengine.Theoperators
shouldthenswitchtoADoilafterbreak-inhasbeenaccom-
plished.Inthoseenginesthatusestraightmineraloilbeyondthe
normalbreak-inperiod(25to50hours),alaterswitchtoADoil
shouldbedonewithcautionasloosenedsludgedepositsmayclog
oilpassages.Oilscreensmustbecheckedaftereachflightuntil
clotsofsludgenolongerappear.
Those Lycoming engines that are to be broken in with AD oil
includeallturbochargedmodels,theO-320-HandtheO/LO-360-E.
Since modern FAA-approved ashless dispersant oils already
include additives that make them superior to straight mineral
oil,theuseofadditionaloiladditivesinLycomingengineshas
been very limited. The only additive approvedby Lycoming is
LycomingpartnumberLW-16702,ananti-scuffing,anti-wearoil
additive.Thepolicygoverninguseofthisoiladditiveisspelled
outinthelatestrevisionsofServiceBulletins446and471,and
inServiceInstruction1409.Thesepublicationsapprovetheuse
of LW-16702 for all Lycoming reciprocating engines except
those that utilize a friction-type clutch and a common engine
oilsystemforthetransmissionandclutchassembly.Theuseof
LW-16702 is required in certain engine models. These models
are the 0-320-H, O-360-E, LO-360-E, TO-360-E, LTO-360-E,
TIOandTIGO-541.
Clean engine oil is essential to long engine life, and the
full-flowoilfilterisanaddedimprovementoveroldermethods
offiltration.Generally,serviceexperiencehasshownthattheuse
ofexternaloilfilterscanincreasethetimebetweenoilchanges
providedfilterelementsarereplacedateachoilchange.However,
operation in dusty areas, cold climates and where infrequent
flights with long idle periods are encountered will require
proportionately more frequent oil changes despite use of
the oil filter. Theoilandoilfilterelementshouldberoutinely
replacedaftereach50hoursofengineoperation,andthefilter
should be cut open in order to examine the material trapped
in the filter for evidence of internal engine damage. In new or
recently overhauled engines, some small particles of metallic
shavings might be found, but these are not dangerous. Metal
found after the first two or three oil changes should be treated
asanindicationthataseriousproblemisdevelopingandathor-
oughinvestigationshouldbeundertaken.Theoilfilterdoesnot
remove contaminants such as water, acids or lead sludge from
the oil.These contaminants are removed by changing the oil.
Theoilfilterisevenmoreimportanttothehighcompressionor
higher-power engine. Some of the aircraft manufacturers have
hadgoodsuccessinthesmall,lower-compression,four-cylinder
engines without using a full-flow filter. Generally speaking,
these engines are also able to achieve their expected overhaul
life as long as oil is consistently changed, and operation and
maintenance is accomplished in accordance with the airframe
andenginemanufacturersrecommendations.
The latest revision to Lycoming Service Instruction 1014 gives
recommendations for lubricating oils, oil change intervals and
enginebreak-in.Pilotsandmechanicsshouldknowwhatweight,
typeandbrandofoilisbeingusedintheenginebeingserviced.
Ateachoilchange,thisspecificinformationshouldberecorded
intheenginelogbook.Exceptasatemporarymeasureinanemer-
gency,differentoilsshouldnotbemixed.Consistentindiscrimi-
nate mixing of oils may create high oil-consumption problems
orcloggedoilcontrolringsandoilscreens.
Oil consumption is a very important engine health trend to
monitor.Theoperatorandmaintenancepeopleshouldknowthe
generalhistoryofoilconsumptionduringthelifeoftheengine.
Itistypicalofanengineduringseatingofnewpistonringsthat
oil consumption may be erratic or high; but after the rings are
seated,generallywithinthefirst25to50hours,oilconsumption
should level off below the maximum limits established by the
manufacturer. Later, during the life of the engine, if there is a
noticeableincreaseofoilconsumptionwithina25-hourperiod,
thiscouldbeapossibledangersignalandcallsforaninvestiga-
tion.Theoilscreensandfiltershouldbecarefullyobservedfor
signsofmetal.Maintenancepersonnelshouldtakeacompression
checkofthecylinders,usingdifferentialpressureequipmentand
alsolookinsidethecylinderswithaborescopeorgoosenecklight
todetectanyunusualconditions.
Ithasoftenbeensaidthatregulardosesofclean,freshoilpro-
vide the least expensive maintenance an owner can give an
engine.LycomingServiceBulletinNo.480makesthesespecific
recommendationsforoilchangesundernormaloperatingcondi-
tions:
A. 50-hour interval oil change and filter replacement for all
enginesusingafull-flowoilfiltrationsystem.
B. 25-hour interval oil change and screen cleaning for all
enginesemployingapressure-screensystem.
C. Even if the aircraft is flown only a few hours, a total of
fourmonthsmaximumbetweenchangesforbothsystemslisted
underAandB.

The earlier article, The Oil and Your Engine, was so well
received that an expansion of the subject was deemed appro-
priate.Inthepreviousarticle,welistedthetwobasictypesofoil
usedingeneralaviationaircraftpistonenginesas straight min-
eral andashless dispersant (AD).Wealsostressedtheimpor-
tanceofcleanoilinachievinggoodenginelife,andoilconsump-
tionasanindicationofenginehealthwasanotherimportantitem
discussed.
Continuingourconsiderationoftheoilandtheaircraftengine,
theprimarypurposeofalubricantistoreducefrictionbetween
moving parts. Another responsibility of the oil is to help cool
the engine. As it circulates through the engine, the oil absorbs
heat.Pistonsandcylinderwallsareespeciallydependentonthe
oilforcooling.Inadditiontoreducingfriction,theoilactsasa
cushionbetweenmetalparts.Theoilalsoaidsinformingaseal
between the piston and the cylinder wall to prevent leakage of
gases from the combustion chamber. Oils likewise help reduce
wearbypickingupforeignparticlesandcarryingthemtoafilter
wheretheyareremoved.
Using a direct-drive, wet-sump Lycoming power plant as an
example, we can describe the basic lubrication system of these
lesscomplexaircraftengines.Amoredetaileddescriptionmay
befoundintheOverhaulManual.Inawet-sumpengine,theoil
iscontainedintheenginesumpasopposedtoadry-sumppower
plantwheretheoilisinanexternaloiltanklocatedperhapsin
the wheel well or the rear of the aircraft engine nacelle. In a
dry-sumpengine,theoilisdrawnfromtheoiltankandpumped
throughout the engine by the pressure section of the oil pump,
and then returned to the oil tank by the scavenge section of
the oil pump. The other basic parts of the oil system are very
similar to those used in the direct-drive, wet-sump Lycoming
powerplants.
In the wet-sump engine, the oil pump draws oil from the rear
of the sump through the suction screen and sends it to the
8 L y c o mi n g F l y e r
oil-pressure screen. A bypass valve insomemodelsislocated
betweenthepressuresideoftheoilsumpandtheoilscreen.It
permitsunfilteredoiltobypassthescreenandentertheengine
whentheoilfilteriscloggedorduringacoldstart.Thespring
loadingonthebypassvalveallowsthevalvetoopenbeforethe
oil pressure collapses the screen, or in the case of cold con-
gealed oil, it provides a low-resistance path around the screen.
Itisfeltthatdirtyoilinanengineisbetterthannolubrication
atall.Mostoilsystemsofferasoptionalorstandardathermo-
static bypass valve inthissamelocationwhichalsocontainsa
pressure-relieffeaturetobypassthecoolerincaseitisclogged.
Asthenameimplies,thisunitregulatesthetemperatureofthe
oilbyeitherrunningitthroughtheoilcoolerifitexceedsapreset
temperature,orbypassingtheoilcooleriftheoiltemperatureis
lowerthanthethermostaticbypasssetting.
Continuingitstravel,theoilnextencountersa pressure-relief
valve. The latter regulates the engine oil pressure by allowing
excessiveoiltoreturntothesump.Theoilcontinuesitstravel
through drilled passageways throughout the system and finally
returnsbygravitytotheoilsumpwhereitbeginsthejourneyall
overagain.
Thus the principal units inthetypical wet-sump engine are:a
sump of sufficient size to contain the necessary amount of oil,
anengineoilpump,oilcoolerandbypassvalve,pressurescreen
and bypass valve, pressure-regulating valve, oil pressure and
temperatureinstrumentsinthecockpit,anoil-sumpdrain,afiller
necktoputoilintheengine,adipsticktomeasuretheamountof
oilandasuctionoilscreen.Thefull-flowoilfilterisoptionalon
the small four-cylinder power plants, but is now recommended
forallengines.
Weneedscreensandfiltersintheoilsystemtokeeptheoilclean
asitcirculatesthroughtheengine.Iftheoiliscontaminated,it
carries that contamination as it circulates. We also need an oil
coolerformostenginessothattheoiltemperaturemaybekept
withinprescribedlimits,andtheoilisabletoperformitsfunction
efficiently.Ofcourse,thereismoretoanoilsystemthanthisbrief
description.Butfortheoperatorwhoneednotbea mechanic,
thisbasicinformationcanbehelpful.
Theoilcompaniestellusthebasicsabouttheirproduct.Viscosity
ofoilisresistance to flow. Anoilwhichflowsslowly hasahigh
viscosity.Ifoilflowsfreely, ithasalow viscosity.Unfortunately,
viscosityofoilisaffectedbyhighorlowtemperatures.Atbelow-
freezingtemperatures,somehigh-viscosityoilsbecomevirtually
solid,whichmakescirculationandlubricationimpossible.Butno
matterwhatviscosityoilisused,whentheoutsidetemperature
is 10 F or lower, preheating a Lycoming engine is recommended
beforeattemptingtostarttheengine,ordamagetothepowerplant
mayresult.Lycomingdoesnotapprovetheuseofoildilutionfor
cold-weatheroperationofitsengines.Itisextremelyimportant
thatonlyoilinthegraderecommendedbyLycomingbeused.
Tosimplifytheselectionofoils,theyareclassifiedunderanSAE
(Society of Automotive Engineers) system, that divides all oils
intogroupsasfollows:
Commercial Commercial Military
Aviation No. SAE No. Spec. No.
65 30 1065
80 40 1080
100 50 1100
120 60 1120
Ifyouarelookingforacanof30-weightaviationoilandithas
thenumber65onit,thenitis30andalso1065undertheMilitary
Spec.IfithasamorecompletedesignationwiththeletterW
added, then 30W indicates the viscosity (grade) of oil; it does
notindicatequalityorotheressentialcharacteristics.Generally
speaking, any FAA-approved aviation oil on the market does
a good job, but it is recommended that the latest revision to
LycomingServiceInstructionNo.1014beconsultedtodetermine
theappropriategradetobeused.
Multiviscosity oils have also been added to the field of avia-
tionproducts.Theseoilscoverabroadbandofviscositylevels,
and a number of them are approved by the latest revision to
LycomingServiceInstruction1014.Theseaviation-grade,ashless
dispersant (AD) oils have some definite advantages when used
duringcoldweather.Becausetheyflowmoreeasilyincoldtem-
peratures,startingtheengineiseasier,andlubricationofengine
componentsgetsstartedmorequickly.Unfortunately,theaddi-
tivesthatmaketheseoilscapableofoperationatalltemperatures
alsotendtoformcarbonproductsduringhot-weatheroperation
when the oil usually runs at the high end of the temperature
spectrum.Theseproductsmaysettleoutinthevalveguidesand
contributetostickingvalves.Thereforeeachowneroroperator
shouldconsiderthetypeofoperationtheaircraftisusedforand
takeadvantageofthequalitiesofferedbymultiviscosityoilswhile
avoidingtheiruseifitmaybethecauseofpotentialproblems.
Beforeweconcludeourdiscussion,wewanttoremindourreaders
of a couple of miscellaneous, but important, related items. On
multiengineaircraft,eachengineissuppliedwithoilfromitsown
complete and independent system. Another reminder every
enginehasabreatherthatcanbeconsideredpartoftheoilsystem.
Iftheenginedoesnothavespecialprovisionsforaerobaticflight,
and is flown inverted, the oil will be lost out the breather and
a serious engine failure may result. We definitely recommend
that engines not built for aerobatic flight should not be flown
inverted.
Insummingupthisbriefsupplementalbitofinformationabout
the oil and your engine, remember that it was not intended as
instructionasdetailedastheknowledgerequiredofamechanic.
ButwethinkyouwillagreethattheTypicalPilotshouldknow
moreaboutanaircraftenginethantheTypicalDriverknows
aboutanautomobileenginethepenaltyfornotknowingthe
basicsisgreaterinaviation.
L y c o mi n g F l y e r 9
Inordertoavoidconfusionoverwet-sumpengines,wearelisting
examplesofthemforclarificationsothatoperators,linecrews
andmaintenancepersonnelcanproperlycheckoil.Thefollowing
aircraftandenginemodelscarryacapacityofsixquartsofoil:
Aircraft Model Engine Model
CessnaSkyhawk172N O-320-H2AD
Cessna152 O-235-L2C
PiperTomahawk O-235-L2C
BeechSkipper O-235-L2C
PiperSeminole(Twin) O-360-E1A6D
GrummanAmericanTrainer O-235-C2C
In addition to the aircraft listed previously, there are others
in lesser numbers using these and other engine models with a
six-quart oil capacity. In order to be sure what an engine
requires,consultthePilotsOperatingHandbook.
One problem reported to us concerning the six-quart capacity
engineshasbeenthatofoverfillingtheenginewithoil.Byrefer-
ringtothePilotsOperatingHandbook,thepilotwillnotconfuse
hisenginewiththosewet-sumppowerplantsthathaveacapacity
ofeightquartsofoil.
ThePilotsOperatingHandbookfortheCessnamodels152and
172N Skyhawk have the following information concerning the
engineoil:
CapacityofEngineSump6quarts.Donotoperateonless
than 4 quarts. To minimize loss of oil through breather, fill to
5-quartlevelfornormalflightsoflessthan3hours.Forextended
flight,fillto6quarts.Thesequantitiesrefertooildipsticklevel
readings.Duringoilandoilfilterchanges,oneadditionalquart
isrequiredwhenthefilterischanged.
ThePilotsOperatingHandbookforthePiperPA-44-180Seminole
statesasfollowsconcerningoilrequirements:
The oil capacity of the Lycoming engines is 6 quarts per
engine with a minimum safe quantity of 2 quarts per engine.
It is necessary that oil be maintained at full (6 quarts) for
maximum-enduranceflights.
Thephraseaminimumsafequantityof2quartsperengine
shouldbeexplained.Iftheoperatorcheckedoilafteraflight
and found less than 2 quarts in the engine, it is quite probable
thatenginedamagehasresulted.Noflightshouldbestartedwith
only2quartsofoilinthesump.
Pilots and mechanics should not confuse the models just dis-
cussed with other Lycoming four-cylinder, wet-sump engines
that hold a maximum of 8 quarts of oil. There is no change in
our recommendations when checking oil for the latter. During
normalroutineflying,oillevelsarebestmaintainedatthe6-to
7-quartlevel.
Dont forget when in doubt, consult the Pilots Operating
Handbook.
Manyoftheaircraftenginesproducedtodayareequippedwith
full-flow,spin-onoilfilters.Forlongenginelife,itisnecessary
to change both the oil and the filter at regular intervals. The
information we receive indicates that problems are sometimes
encountered because proper procedures are not followed when
changingthespin-onfilter.Therefore,itisappropriatetoprovide
afewtipsfromacurrentserviceinstruction.
ThehardwarethatadaptsmanyLycomingenginesforuseofthe
spin-on oil filter includes an oil filter adapter (Lycoming Part
Number 15047) and a converter kit (Lycoming Part Number
LW-13904).Notallenginesusetheoilfilteradapterbecausethe
accessory housing on some models is machined to take a con-
verterkitandaspin-onfilter.Thekitincludesaconverterplate
thathasagasketpermanentlygluedtotheplate;thisgasketseals
the plate on the side that faces the engine. If the spin-on filter
seatstootightlyagainsttheoppositesideoftheplatewhenitis
installed, the converter plate gasket may be slightly damaged
whentheoilfilterissubsequentlyremoved.Thisdamagecould
resultinoilleakage.
Topreventdamagetotheconverter-plategasket,theoil-filter
gasketshouldbelubricatedwithathincoatingofDowCorning
Compound (DC-4) before the filter is installed. The filter
shouldthenbeinstalledandhand-tighteneduntiltheseating
surface makes contact with the lubricated gasket. The filter
shouldthenbeturnedwithatorquewrenchuntilatorqueof
18-20 foot pounds is reached. The 20-foot pound maximum
torqueshouldnotbeexceeded.
Theoilfilterelementshouldnormallybereplacedeach50hours
of engine operation. Before discarding the element of the
full-flow filter assembly, an examination of the filter ele-
ment should be accomplished. This examination is very
important to flight safety, but recent reports indicate that
somemechanicsarenotdoingthischeckformetalthatwould
warnofadevelopingengineproblemandpossiblecatastrophic
failure.Thefull-flow,spin-onfiltermaybeopenedbyuseof
Champion tool CT-470 or Airwolf AFC-470-I. This tool is
absolutelyessentialifthejobistobedonecorrectly.Theele-
mentisthenremovedfromthefilter,andfiltermaterialiscut
fromtheendcaps.Carefullyunfoldtheelement,andexamine
thematerialtrappedinthefilter.Innewornewlyoverhauled
engines, some small particles of metallic shavings might be
found,butthesearegenerallyofnoconsequenceandshould
notbeconfusedwithparticlesproducedbyimpacting,abra-
sionorpressure.Evidenceofmetalcontaminationfoundinthe
filter element requires further examination to determine the
cause.(SeeSuggestionsifMetalisFound...)
Afterthefilterelementhasbeenreplacedandproperlytorqued,
the lockwire must be replaced and the engine run to check for
oilleaks.
Lycoming Service Publication SSP-885-1 provides information
abouttheinstallationofengine-mountedoilfilters.

Becausethefailuretolookformetalinthescreensandfilter,or
ignoringwhatisfound,canleadtocatastrophicenginefailure,
wellattemptalogicalapproachtotheproperactiontobetaken
whenmetalshowsupintheoilscreenoroil-filtercartridge.
Thelackofprintedmatteronthissubjectmaybeduetothedif-
ficultyinadequatelydescribingtypesandamountsofmetal.Its
like asking for a precise measurement and getting the answer,
why its 25-thousandths plus a little bit. Therefore, what fol-
lowsaremeanttobegeneralguidelines,buteachcasemustbe
consideredasanindividualone.Lycomingdoesnotconsiderthis
discussionatechnicalbulletin,butmerelyasourceofgenerally
helpfulinformation.
GENERAL INFORMATION
1.Onsmallamountsofshinyflakesorsmallamountsofshort
hair-like bits of magnetic material. Experience has shown that
enginesaresometimespulledunnecessarily.
2. Dont panic ifitsalow-timeengine.Afewbitsofmetalleft
frommanufacturingarenottoouncommonintheoilscreen
orfiltersonnew,rebuiltoroverhauledengines.
3. Dont panic again, if its a low-time engine, it may be a
replacementforonethathadpreviouslysufferedastructural
failure. The metal may have just been dislodged from some
hidingplaceintheoilcooler,oillinesoroiltank.
4.Item3bringsuptheimportanceofproperlycleaningallitems
transferredfromafailedenginetoareplacementengine.Ondry-
sumpengines,dontoverlookcleaningoftheoiltank.Oilcoolers
andoillinesshouldbecleanedbyaprovenmethodorreplaced.
5.Insomerarecaseswherethepleatedcylindrical-typeoilscreen
isused,thescreenitselfmaybemakingmetal.Closelyinspect
theendoftheinternalreliefvalveball.Iftheballisdeformed,
thismaybetheculprit.Replacethescreenassembly.
6.Incaseswheremetalshowsupinthefilterofafactoryengine
thatisunderwarranty,anditsoriginisunknown,themetalmay
beforwardedtotheLycomingfactoryforinspection.Inallcases,
thefactoryProductSupportDepartmentshouldbecalledbefore
thematerialisshipped.
EXAMPLES:
1.Severalpiecesofshinyflake-like,nonmagnetic,orseveralshort
hair-like pieces of magnetic material place aircraft back in
serviceandagaincheckoilscreenorfilterin25hours.
2.AsinItem1,butlargeramount, suchas45-60small pieces
clean screen, drainoilandrefill.Runengineongroundfor
20-30 minutes. Inspect screen. If clean, fly aircraft for 1 to 2
hoursandagaininspectscreen.Ifclean,inspectscreenafter10
hoursofflighttime.
NOTE In cases one and two, we are determining whether
the small amount of metal was a one shot and done deal
(not entirely uncommon).
3.Chunksofmetalranginginsizeofbrokenleadpencilpointor
greater.Removesuction(sump)screenaslargepiecesofmetal
may have fallen into the sump. In any event, ground aircraft
andconductinvestigation.Amixtureofmagneticandnonmag-
neticmaterialinthiscaseoftentimesmeansvalveorringand
pistonfailure.Removingbottomsparkplugsusuallyrevealsthe
offendingcylinder.
4.Nonmagneticplatingaveragingapproximately1/16"indiam-
eter;mayhavecopperishtint.Quantityfoundteaspoonful
ormore;groundaircraftandinvestigate.Iforigincantbedeter-
minedandthisisafactoryengine(notafieldoverhaul)thatis
underwarranty,mailmetaltoLycomingfactoryforanalysis,to
theattentionofProductSupport.
5.SameasItem4,butmaybeslightlylargerinsizeandminus
copperishtint.Ondirect-driveengines,propelleractionmaybe
impaired.Groundaircraft.Iforigincantbedeterminedanditis
afactoryengineunderwarranty,mailmaterialtoLycoming,to
theattentionofProductSupport.
6. Nonmagnetic metal brass or copperish colored. Resembles
coarsesandinconsistency. Quantityofteaspoonfulormore
groundaircraft.Iforigincantbedeterminedanditisafac-
tory engine under warranty, mail metal to Lycoming, to the
attentionofProductSupport.
7. Anytime metal is found in the amount of teaspoonful or
more, it is usually grounds for engine removal. An exception
should be where problem is confined to one cylinder assembly
(rings,valves,piston,cylinder).Inthiscase,iftheentireengine
does not appear to be contaminated, the offending cylinder
assembly kit may be replaced. After corrective action is com-
pleted,conducttheroutinegroundrunningandscreeninspection
aspreviouslydescribedinItem2.
8.Ifanysingleorseveralpiecesofmetallargerthanpreviously
mentionedarefound,magneticornonmagnetic,groundaircraft.
If this is a factory engine under warranty, and origin of the
metalcontaminationcannotbedetermined,acallmaybemade
totheLycomingProductSupportDepartment.Agooddescrip-
tionofthemetalmayresultinplacingitsorigin.Whenphoning
Lycomingorwhenreturningmetalremovedfromengines,supply
thecompleteenginemodeldesignation,serialnumber,historyof
engine,oiltemperatures,oilpressuresandanyoddbehaviorof
theengineonthegroundorduringflight.
NOTE Metal samples for analysis can only by accepted if the
engine from which the sample is taken is a new, rebuilt or over-
hauled engine from the Lycoming factory and it is still under
warranty. Engines overhauled by other facilities may have parts
that cannot be identified by analysis at Lycoming.
POSTSCRIPT:
AsanimportantpostscripttoSuggestionsifMetalisFoundin
theScreensorFilter,factorypersonnelhavebecomeconcerned
over unnecessary engine removals because metalwas found in
a replacement engine after a prior malfunctioning engine was
removed.Theseunfortunateengineremovalswerelargelycaused
bymaintenancepersonnelfailingtothoroughlyflushandclean
allaircraftoilsystemcomponents.Becauseofthedifficultyof
removing contamination from an oil cooler, it is strongly sug-
gestedthatanewoilcoolerbeusedwiththereplacementengine
whenanengineisremovedbecauseitfailed.Asareminderthat
itisessentialtoremovemetalcontaminationfromtheoilsystem,
thefactoryProductSupportDepartmentnowsendsthefollowing
tagwitheveryserviceengineleavingourfactory:
IMPORTANT
Beforeinstallingthisreplacementengine,allaircraftoil
system components, oil coolers, lines and supply tanks,
whereused,mustbethoroughlycleanedforcontamina-
tion.Lycomingwillnotbeheldresponsibleforcontamina-
tiontothisnewlyinstalledengine.
ProductSupportDepartment
Lycoming
Williamsport,PA17701
The latest revision of Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1125

specifiesPOBNo.4PerfectSealandsilkthreadasthegenerally
useditemsforsealingcrankcasefinishedpartingsurfacesthatdo
notemploygaskets.Twootherproducts,RTV-102orLOCTITE-
515appliedasaverythinfilmwithoutsilkthread,maybeused
asalternatematerialsforsealingcrankcasepartingsurfaces.Other
sealantshavenotbeentestedandapprovedforthispurpose,and
NONEareapprovedforotherusesintheassemblyofLycoming
engines.Improperuseoftheseandothersealingcompoundscan
createseriousproblems.Asanexample,ared-coloredsealantwas
usedbyamechanictoholdthepressure-screengasketinplace.
As the material solidified, pieces broke loose and eventually
blockedtheenginessmalloilpassagescausingoilstarvationand
enginefailure.Thebottomline:Onlyusethosesealantmaterials
approvedbytheLycomingOverhaulManualandotherservice
publications,andonlyusethemforapprovedpurposes.
Hundreds of Lycoming engines leave the factory monthly
and are marked with a variety of colors on each cylinder.
These colors have a definite meaning and provide valuable
information about the engine. Questions concerning these
colorsandtheirmeaningshavebeenaskedbymanyowners
andmaintenancepersonnel.
In the past, color coding of cylinders was confined to colored
bandsaroundthebaseofeachcylinder.Today,newmethodsof
painting(enameling)engines,andaneedforquick,easyengine
identificationwereinstrumentalinchangingcolorcodelocation.
The factory color code, a large painted stripe, is now located
onthecylinderheadbetweenthepushrodsfromthesparkplug
bosstobottomofthecylinderhead.Additionalcolorcodinghas
beenaddedtoidentifycylindersrequiringlong-reachsparkplugs
versusshort-reachsparkplugs.Locationofsparkplugidentifica-
tioncolorcodeisbetweenthesparkplugbossandrockerbox.
COLOR CODE FOR CYLINDER IDENTIFICATION
LocationBetweenpushrodsoncylinderhead,orband
aroundbaseofcylinderbarrel.
EnginegrayorunpaintedStandardsteelcylinderbarrels.
OrangestripeChrome-platedcylinderbarrels.
BluestripeNitride-hardenedcylinderbarrels.
*GreenstripeSteelcylinder0.010oversize.
*YellowstripeSteelcylinder0.020oversize.
*Colorcodeapplicableonlytoenginesoverhauledinthefield.
Lycomingdoesnotselloversizecylinders.
COLOR CODE FOR SPARK PLUG IDENTIFICATION
LocationFinareabetweensparkplugandrockerbox.
EnginegrayorunpaintedShort-reachsparkplugs.
YellowLong-reachsparkplugs.
Caution Use only approved spark plugs for all models of
Lycomingengines.SeelatestrevisionofServiceInstructionNo.
1042forapprovedsparkplugs.

We receive many questions about engine break-in. To respond to
these questions, a complete reprint of Service Instruction 1427B is
included here.
Thisinformationappliestoallfixed-wingandrotary-wingair-
craft with horizontal installation of Lycoming reciprocating
aircraftengines.Theappropriateactionshouldbetaken:
1.Wheninstallingfactoryoverhauled,rebuiltornewLycoming
engines.
2.Afterfieldoverhaul(field-overhauledengineorenginewithpiston
ringchangeafteroneormorecylindersarehonedorreplaced).
3.Whenoneormorecylindershaveringsreplacedorcylinders
arereplaced(requiringnewrings).
NOTE All engines that have had initial run-in conducted
in a test cell (including all Lycoming factory new, rebuilt and
overhauled) should proceed directly to the FLIGHT TEST
section of this Service Instruction that is applicable to your
aircraft.
Ideally, a newly overhauled aircraft engine should be tested in
atestcellwhereoperatingconditionscanbecloselymonitored.
Iftheengineistest-cellrun,theenginemusthaveintercylinder
baffles in place, cooling shroud and club propeller to provide
engineRPMrequirements.Whereatestcellisnotavailable,the
engineshouldbetestedonateststandwithaclubpropellerand
acoolingshroud.However,itisnotalwaysconvenienttotestan
engineinthismanner.
Ifatestcellorateststandisnotavailable,anengineshouldbe
properly tested after it has been installed in the aircraft. If the
engine is run in the aircraft, it should still use a club propeller
forproperairflowcooling.However,theaircraftpropellermay
beused.Ineithercase,theintercylinderbafflesmustbeinplace.
Theenginetocowlingbafflesmustbeneworingoodcondition
toassurepropercoolingairflowdifferentialacrosstheengine.The
cylinderheadtemperaturegage,oiltemperaturegage,oilpressure
gage,manifoldpressuregageandtachometermustbecalibrated
toassureaccuracy.
Thepurposeofatestcellorgroundruntestifdoneintheaircraft
istoassurethattheenginemeetsallspecifications,RPM,mani-
foldpressure,fuelflowandoilpressure.Theoilcoolersystem
must hold oil temperatures within limits shown in applicable
LycomingOperatorsManuals.
NOTE Extended ground operation can cause excessive
cylinder and oil temperatures. Prior to start of a ground
run, the oil cooler system should be inspected for metal
contamination and be free from air locks. When the engine
oil is at operating temperature, oil goes through cooler first,
then through the oil filter. If a previous engine failed, the
oil cooler, propeller and governor may be contaminated and
should be replaced or cleaned and inspected by an approved
repair facility.
The purpose for engine break-in is to set the piston rings and
stabilizetheoilconsumption.Thereisnodifferenceorgreater
difficultyinseatingthepistonringsofatop-overhauledengine
versusacompleteengineoverhaul.
NOTE The maximum allowable oil consumption limits for
all Lycoming aircraft engines can be determined by using the
following formula:
.006 X BHP X 4 7.4 = Qt/Hr.
Thefollowingprocedureprovidesaguidelinefortestinganewly
overhauled engine that is mounted in the aircraft. Information
on the ground run after top overhaul or cylinder change with
new rings and the flight test after top overhaul or cylinder
changewithnewringsproceduresarepublishedintheapplicable
LycomingOperatorsManual.
I. FIXED WING
A. PREPARATION FOR TEST WITH ENGINE INSTALLED
IN AIRCRAFT
1.Pre-oiltheengineinaccordancewithlatesteditionofService
InstructionNo.1241.
2.Itisparticularlyimportantthatthecylinderheadtemperature
gage,oiltemperaturegage,oilpressuregage,manifoldpressure
gage,andtachometerbecalibratedpriortotesting.
3.Engineaccessories,suchasthefuelpump,fuel-meteringunit,
andmagnetos,shouldbeoverhauledinaccordancewithacces-
sorymanufacturersrecommendations,orreplacedwithnewunits
beforetestingengine.Thisappliestooverhauledenginesonly.
CAUTION CHECK THAT ALL VENT AND BREATHER LINES ARE
PROPERLY INSTALLED AND SECURED AS DESCRIBED IN THE AIR-
FRAME MAINTENANCE MANUAL.
4. Install all intercylinder baffles. Install all airframe baffles
andcowling.
5.Foroptimumcoolingduringgroundtesting,atestclubshould
beused.Wherethisisnotpossible,theregularflightpropeller
canbesubstitutedbutcylinderheadtemperaturemustbemoni-
toredclosely.
B. GROUND TEST
1.Facetheaircraftintothewind.
2.Starttheengine,andobservetheoilpressuregage.Ifadequate
pressureisnotindicatedwithin30seconds,shuttheenginedown
anddeterminethecause.Operatetheengineat1000RPMuntil
the oil temperature has stabilized or reached 140 F. After warm-
up,theoilpressureshouldnotbelessthantheminimumpressure
specifiedintheapplicableoperatorsmanual.
3.Checkmagnetodrop-offasdescribedinthelatesteditionof
ServiceInstructionNo.1132.
4.Continueoperationat1000/1200rpmfor15minutes.Ensure
thatcylinderheadtemperature,oiltemperatureandoilpressure
arewithinthelimitsspecifiedintheoperatorsmanual.Shutthe
enginedown,andallowittocoolifnecessarytocompletethis
portion of the test. If any malfunction is noted, determine the
causeandmakethenecessarycorrectionbeforecontinuingwith
thistest.
5. Start the engine again, and monitor oil pressure. Increase
enginespeedto1500RPMfora5-minuteperiod.Cyclepropeller
pitch, and perform feathering check as applicable per airframe
manufacturersrecommendation.
6.Runenginetofull-static,airframe-recommendedpowerfora
periodofnomorethan10seconds.
7.Afteroperatingtheengineatfullpower,allowittocooldown
moderately.Checkidlemixtureadjustmentpriortoshutdown.
8.Inspecttheengineforoilleaks.
9.Removetheoilsuctionscreenandtheoilpressurescreenor
oilfiltertodetermineanycontamination.Ifnocontaminationis
evident,theaircraftisreadyforflighttesting.
NOTE Compile a log of all pertinent data accumulated
during both the ground testing and flight testing.
C. FLIGHT TEST
WARNING ENGINE TEST CLUBS MUST BE REPLACED WITH
APPROVED FLIGHT PROPELLERS BEFORE FLYING AIRCRAFT.
1. Start the engine, and perform a normal preflight run-up in
accordancewiththeengineoperatorsmanual.
2.Takeoffatairframerecommendedtakeoffpower,whilemoni-
toringRPM,fuelflow,oilpressure,oiltemperatureandcylinder
headtemperatures.
3.Assoonaspossible,reducetoclimbpowerspecifiedinoper-
atorsmanual.Assumeashallowclimbangletoasuitablecruise
altitude.AdjustmixtureperPilotsOperatingHandbook.
4. After establishing cruise altitude, reduce power to approxi-
mately 75% and continue flight for 2 hours. For the second
hour,alternatepowersettingsbetween65%and75%powerper
operatorsmanual.
NOTE If engine is normally aspirated (non-turbocharged),
it will be necessary to cruise at the lower altitudes to obtain
the required power levels. Density altitude in excess of 8,000
feet (5,000 feet is recommended) will not allow the engine to
develop sufficient cruise power for a good break-in.
5.Increaseenginepowertomaximumairframerecommendation
and maintain for 30 minutes, provided engine and aircraft are
performingwithinoperatingmanualspecifications.
CAUTION AVOID LOW MANIFOLD PRESSURE DURING HIGH
ENGINE SPEEDS (UNDER 15" HG) AND RAPID CHANGES IN ENGINE
SPEEDS WITH ENGINES THAT HAVE DYNAMIC COUNTERWEIGHT
ASSEMBLI ES. THESE CONDI TI ONS CAN DAMAGE THE
COUNTERWEIGHTS, ROLLERS OR BUSHINGS, THEREBY CAUSING
DETUNING.
6. Descend at low cruise power, while closely monitoring the
engine instruments. Avoid long descents at low manifold pres-
sure. Do not reduce altitude too rapidly, or engine temperature
maydroptooquickly.
CAUTION AVOID ANY CLOSED-THROTTLE DESCENTS.
CLOSED-THROTTLE OPERATION DURING DESCENTS WILL CAUSE
RING FLUTTER CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDERS AND RINGS.
7.Afterlandingandshutdown,checkforleaksatfuelandoilfit-
tingsandatengineandaccessorypartingsurfaces.Computefuel
andoilconsumptionandcomparetothelimitsgiveninoperators
manual.Ifconsumptionexceedsfiguresshowninmanual,deter-
minethecausebeforereleasingaircraftforservice.
8.Removeoilsuctionscreenandoilpressurescreenoroilfilter
tocheckagainforcontamination.
NOTE To seat the piston rings in a newly overhauled
engine, cruise the aircraft at 65% to 75% power for the first
50 hours, or until oil consumption stabilizes.
II. ROTARY WING
(HORIZONTAL INSTALLATIONS ONLY)
Proper break-in of helicopter engines is accomplished by fol-
lowingasequenceofstepsrangingfromservicingtheengineon
the ground to progressively increasing its power output during
operation.Although this Service Instruction contains detailed
information pertaining to break-in, it is impossible to cover all
aspects of break-in for individual helicopter models. For that
reason,consultthePilotsOperatingHandbook(POH)forapar-
ticularhelicoptermodel.Also,refertotheLycomingOperators
Manualfortheengine.
Somefactsshouldbekeptinmindregardingbreak-inofpiston
enginesemployedinhelicopters.Theyareasfollows:
Because helicopters always operate at a fixed or rated engine
speed,anyreducedRPMrequiredduringbreak-inmustbeunder-
takenwiththehelicopteron-groundandwiththerotorengaged.
During flight, all power reductions must be made by manifold
pressurealone.
Manifold Pressure Values. Some helicopters do not have
red-lineonthemanifoldpressuregage,andthereforeuseallrated
power. Some are red-lined to airframe limitations and not to
engineperformanceparameters.InthecaseofLycomingmodel
HIO-360-D1A,ithasgraduatedmanifoldpressurevaluesthatcan
beobtainedfromtheLycomingOperatorsManual.
Themethodofrotorengagement,centrifugalclutchormanually
operatedbeltdrive,mustalsobeconsidered.
NOTE Because of the difference in helicopter models,
refer to the helicopter pilots operating handbook (POH) for
specific methods of operation for a particular helicopter con-
cerning rotor engagement and manifold pressure ratings.
A. GROUND TEST
1.Checkthatengineisservicedwithpropergradeandquantity
ofoil.
2. Review the appropriate starting procedure detailed in the
helicopterPilotsOperatingHandbook(POH).
3.Positionthehelicoptertotakeadvantageofprevailingwindto
assistinenginecooling.
4. Ensure that throttle and mixture control are at the full-off
position.
NOTE In following step, if adequate oil pressure is not
indicated within 30 seconds, shut the engine down and
determine the cause.
5. Refer to helicopter Pilots Operating Handbook (POH) for
proper starting procedures. Start engine, and run 5 minutes at
idleRPM(1200-1450RPM).
6.Adjustidlemixtureandoilpressureasrequired.
7.Shutengineoff.
8.Inspecttheengineforoilandfuelleaks.
9.Ifplugfoulingisnotedonmagnetocheck,remove,inspectand
test spark plugs. Clean oil and lead from plug. Reinstall spark
plugs and leads. Torque as required. (Refer to latest edition of
ServiceInstructionNo.1042).
10. Restart engine and run for 5 minutes at idle speed (1200
-1450RPM).
11.Engagerotor,ifrequired,andincreaseRPMto50%-60%
ofratedenginespeedfor5minuteswithrotorbladesatflatpitch
(collectivefull-down).
12. Increase engine RPM to 80% of rated engine speed for 5
minutes,followedby100%airframemanufacturersratedengine
speedforanother5minutes,providedthatoilpressureisnormal
and that oil temperature is between 180
F and 200
F,withthe
cylinder head temperatures between 350
F and 400
F.
NOTE For proper break-in, do not exceed 420

F
cylinder head temperature.
13.After running engine for the last 5-minute segment, cool
downasrecommendedinhelicopterPilotsOperatingHandbook
(POH),thenshutenginedown.
14.Drainoil,andcleanthesuctionscreeninthesump.Alsoclean
oilpressurescreen,orreplacepressureoilfilter.Makeproperoil
pressureadjustmentsatthistime.
15.Afterreinstallingthesuctionscreenandpressurescreen(or
newoilfilter)topropertorque,serviceenginewithcorrectgrade
andquantityofoil.(RefertolatesteditionofServiceInstruction
No.1014).
16.Startengine,andidleat1450RPM.
17.Engagerotor,ifrequired,andincreaseengineRPMto2000
RPM. Warm engine to ground-run check as described in heli-
copterPilotsOperatingHandbook(POH).
18. At this time, perform magneto check per helicopter Pilots
OperatingHandbook(POH).
B. FLIGHT TEST
Start engine, and warm up at 1450 RPM. Engage rotor, if
required, increase engine speed to 75% RPM. Warm up the
engine,andconductagroundcheckinaccordancewiththeheli-
copterPilotsOperatingHandbook,includingmagnetocheck.
NOTE It is advisable to have two qualified crew members
aboard to perform the various control operations and to
monitor the engine instruments. All aircraft and engine
operating temperatures and pressures are to be monitored.
If any exceed the helicopter Pilots Operating Handbook
or engine and aircraft operating manuals limitations, the
break-in is to be discontinued until corrective maintenance
has been performed.
1.Puthelicopterintoahovermodefor10minuteswhilecharting
manifoldpressure,fuelpressure,oiltemperature,oilpressureand
cylinderheadtemperature,etc.
2. If engine instruments prove satisfactory, climb to cruise
altitude.
3.Cruiseat70%to75%ofengine-ratedpowerfor30minutesat
anairspeedthatwillallowforaconstantsafealtitude.
4.Atterminationof30-minuteflightat70%to75%power,chart
manifoldpressureandenginetemperature.IncreaseengineRPM
andmanifoldpressuretomaximumlimitsallowedinhelicopter
PilotsOperatingHandbook(POH).Maintainthispowersetting
for45minutesataconstantsafealtitude.
5.Attheendof45minutes,againchartmanifoldpressureand
enginetemperatures.
6.Returntobase,andhoveraircraftfor10minutesorcooldown
timerecommendedinHelicopterPilotsOperatingHandbook.
C. AFTER FLIGHT ON GROUND
NOTE Reference helicopter pilots operating handbook
(POH) for cool down and shut down procedures.
1.Inspectengineforleaks.
2. Compute fuel and oil consumption. If figures exceed limits,
determinecause(s)andcorrectbeforereleasingaircraft.
3.Removeoilsuctionscreenandpressurescreen(oroilfilter).
Inspectforcontamination.
4. After reinstalling the suction screen and pressure screen (or
new filter) to proper torque, service engine with correct grade
andquantityofoil.(RefertolatesteditionofServiceInstruction
No.1014.)
Aftertheaircrafthasbeenreleased,anormallyaspiratedengine
must be operated on straight mineral oil during the first 50
hours of operation, or until the oil consumption stabilizes.
(Refer to the latest edition of Service Instruction No. 1014.)
Duringthistime,maintainenginepowerabove65%,andensure
thatallaircraftandengineoperatingtemperaturesandpressures
are monitored and maintained within limits. Refer to NOTE
understepII. B. FLIGHT TEST.
InGeneralAviation,thecompressioncheckisusedquiteuniver-
sallyasamaintenanceaid.Itwasalsousedformanyyearsbythe
military and airline maintenance people on their reciprocating
engines.Despiteuniversaluse,little,ifanything,wasavailable
in writing as a reference concerning its application to General
Aviationpowerplants.
Althoughtwomethodsofcheckingcompressionwereusedinthe
past,onlyoneisingeneralusetoday.Thedirectcompression(old
automotivetype)hasgivenwayalmostcompletelytothedifferen-
tialcompressiontestbecausethedifferentialcheckisconsidered
thebestofthetwo.Itisamuchmoreprecisemethodoflocating
specificareasoftrouble,anditissimpletouse.
WHY A COMPRESSION CHECK?
A compression test can be made any time faulty compression
is suspected, and should be made if the pilot notices a loss of
power in flight, finds high oil consumption, or observes soft
spotswhenhand-pullingtheprop.Itisalsoconsideredpartofthe
100-hourengineinspectionandtheannualinspection.Butmost
experienced maintenance personnel feel that the compression
checkisbestusedtochartatrendoveraperiodofflighthours.A
gradualdeteriorationofchartedcompressiontakenduringroutine
maintenance checks would be a sound basis for further inves-
tigation and possible cylinder removal.This attempt to reduce
the possibility of engine failure is generally called preventive
maintenance.
Preventivemaintenanceintheformofcylinderremovalshould
notbedoneonthebasisofonereading.Mechanicsmakehonest
errorsandequipmentbecomesinaccurate.Evenadifferencein
enginetemperaturewhenthecheckisdonecaneasilyaffectthe
accuracyofthereading.
Because the differential check is so widely used, several key
pointsregardingthismaintenanceaidarelistedhereforinforma-
tionofthosenotfamiliarwithitsuse.
DIFFERENTIAL COMPRESSION TEST
Wewillattempttorepeattheoperatinginstructionswhichaccom-
panytheequipment.Thisshouldbereadandfollowedcarefully
forbestresults.Thefollowingrecommendationswillsupplement
theinstructionsaccompanyingtheequipment:
1.Astandard80lbs.ofinputairisrecommended.Morepressure
makesitdifficulttoholdtheprop.
2.Alossinexcessof25%ofthe80lbs.,orareadingof60/80is
therecommendedmaximumallowableloss.
3.Theengineshouldhavebeenrunuptonormaloperatingtem-
peraturesimmediatelyprecedingthecompressioncheck.Inother
words,werecommendahotenginecheck.
4.The differential compression equipment must be kept clean
andshouldbecheckedregularlyforaccuracy.Checkequipment
withtheshutoffvalveclosedandregulatedpressureat80psi(the
cylinderpressuregagemustindicate80psiplusorminus2psi),
andholdthisreadingforatleast5seconds.Homemadeequipment
shouldbecarefullycalibrated.
5.Combustionchamberswithfivepistonringstendtosealbetter
thanthreeorfourpistonrings,withtheresultthatthedifferential
check does not consistently show excessive wear or breakage
wherefivepistonringsareinvolved.
6. If erratic readings are observed on the equipment, inspect
compressorsystemforwaterordirt.
7.Iflowreadingsresult,donotremovethecylinderswithouta
recheck after running up the engine at least three minutes, and
refertothecross-checkslistedlater.
8.Ifvalvesshowcontinualleakageafterrecheck,removerocker
box cover and place a fiber drift on the rocker arm immedi-
atelyoverthevalvestemandtapthedriftseveraltimeswitha
one-ortwo-poundhammer.Whentappingvalvesthusly,rotate
thepropsothatthepistonwillnotbeontop-deadcenter.This
isnecessaryinsomeenginestopreventthevalvefromstriking
the head of the piston.Then rotate engine with the starter, and
recheckcompression.
9.Caution.Takeallnecessaryprecautionsagainstaccidentalfiring
orrotationoftheengines.
CROSS-CHECKING IS IMPORTANT
Rather than rely on one source of information concerning
the condition of the combustion chamber, it is wise to make
cross-checks, particularly when the compression readings are
questionable. Therefore, we would like to recommend the fol-
lowingbeforeremovingacylinder.
1. Remember that spark plugs tell a story. Carefully check the
sparkplugsremovedfromanycylinderwithalowreading.
2.Useatleastagoosenecklight,orpreferablyaborescope,and
carefullycheckthetopofthepistonandcylinderwalls.
3.Considerthehealthhistoryoftheengine.Hasithadprevious
difficultyofthisnature?
4.Hasthepilotobservedanylossofpowerintheengineduring
flightorrunup?
5.Howhastheenginebeenmaintainedandoperatedduringits
life?Ifthemaintenanceandcarehavebeenproperandconsistent,
thereislesslikelihoodoftrouble.
6. The supervisor of maintenance should evaluate the known
factors such as those discussed here and make a recommenda-
tiontothepilot.
CONCLUSION
Whatever your opinion of the compression check as a mainte-
nance aid, it is probable that no pilot or mechanic would care
toomititduringa100-hourorannualinspection.Ontheother
hand, since most everyone seems to use it on the flat opposed
engines,weoughttoshareourexperienceswithitsapplication
toourpowerplants.Thishasindicatedthatthedifferentialisthe
bestmethodofcheckingcompression,andparticularlysowhen
the readings are charted as a trend over a number of routine
inspections.Itisagoodtoolforpreventivemaintenanceandaids
inavoidingin-flightfailures.Cross-checkingisgoodprocedure,
ratherthanrelyingononesourceofinformationconcerningthe
conditionofthecombustionchamber.
(Courtesy: Champion Spark Plug)
Today, the term hot and cold is commonplace in general
aviationespeciallywhenrelatedtoenginesparkplugs.
Withtheintroductionofhigh-compressionandhigh-horsepower
engines, a need for improved spark plugs was imminent.
Sparkplugsusedinlow-compression,low-horsepowerengines
werenotcompatiblewiththenew,moresophisticatedpower
plants. The noncompatibility factor of existing plugs with
new engines resulted in development of spark plugs capable
ofoperatingefficientlyathigh-compressionratiosandhigh-
powersettings.
Manyaircraftoperatorshavecomeindirectorindirectcontact
withthetermhotandcoldduringthecourseofconversation
withotherpilotsormechanics.Itsmeaningandrelationshipto
engineoperationwassometimesrathervague.Whatdowemean
byhotandcoldsparkplugs?Whatistherelationshipbetween
anengineandsparkplugs?Howimportantisittosmoothengine
operation?Thesearebutafewquestionswewilltrytoanswer
inthisarticle.
Both spark plug and engine manufacturer working together
determine the proper type spark plug suitable for each engine
model.Theseplugscanbeeitherfinewireormassiveelectrode
type.Beforebeingreleasedforproduction,eachnewtypeplug
ischeckedinthelaboratoryandunderactualflightconditions.
They are tested through a wide range of operating conditions
andatdifferentpowersettings,andonlyafterbothengineand
sparkplugmanufacturerarecompletelysatisfiedwithtestdata
areplugsreleasedforproduction.Toeliminateanypossibilityof
errorinsparkplugselection,bothmanufacturersprovidespark
plugchartsasaguideforproperplugselection.Finalauthority
concerningproperplugsforaspecificengineistheenginemanu-
facturer.Whenselectingsparkplugs,besuretoalsoconsiderthe
sparkplugsheatrange.
Operating temperature of the spark plug insulator core nose is
one factor that governs formation of troublesome combustion
deposits.Tohelpovercomethisproblem,selectionofsparkplugs
withtheproperheatrangeshouldbemade.Sparkplugsaresus-
ceptible to carbon deposits when the operating temperature of
the core nose insulator is at or below 800 F, but an increase of
just 100 F is sufficient to eliminate formation of these deposits.
Also,leaddepositsformbecausethebromidescavengercontained
in tetraethyl lead is nonactive at low temperatures. At 900 F
temperature,thebromidescavengerisfullyactivated,disposing
ofleaddepositswithcombustiongasesduringexhaustcycle.In
this case, an increase of just 100 F was sufficient to make the
difference between a smooth- and rough-running engine. To
eliminateorkeepthisproblemataminimum,avoidprolonged
idlingatlowRPM,avoidpower-offletdowns,andafterflooded
startsrunengineatmediumRPMbeforetaxiing.
Deposits formed between 1000 F and 1300 F are low in volume and
electricalconductivityandareleastapttocausesparkplugfouling.
Thisisthereasonforselectingaplugthatwilloperatewithinthe
aforementionedtemperaturerangeatallpowersettings.
Nowletsgetbacktothetermhotandcoldasrelatedtoengine
sparkplugs.Normally,ahotplugisusedinacoldenginelow
horsepower,andacoldpluginahotenginehighhorsepower.
Inactuality,thesetermsrefertotheplugsabilitytotransferheat
from its firing end to the engine cylinder head. To avoid spark
plug overheating where combustion chamber or cylinder head
temperatures are relatively high, a cold plug is recommended,
suchasinahigh-compressionengine.Acold-runningplughas
theabilitytotransferheatmorereadily.Ahot-runningplughas
amuchslowerrateofheattransferandisusedtoavoidfouling
when combustion chamber and cylinder head temperatures are
relativelylow.
Fromourdiscussion,itiscleartoseethatthereismoretospark
plugsthanjustbuyingasetandinstallingtheminyourengine.Be
sureyouknowwhattypeofsparkplugstousewithyourengine.
Also,goodsparkplugserviceandmaintenanceisasimportant
asproperplugselection.Takecareinselectingandmaintaining
your plugs, it can result in many additional hours of smooth
engine operation. Additional spark plug information is always
availablefromtheengineorsparkplugmanufacturersandother
serviceorganizations.
A listing of approved spark plugs in Service Instruction No.
1042 is available by writing to Product Support Department,
Lycoming, Williamsport, PA 17701. Additional informa-
tion about spark plugs and their servicing may be obtained
by writing Champion Spark Plug Division, P.O. Box 686,
Liberty,SC29657.

Spark plugs are frequently blamed for faulty engine operation
which they do not cause. Replacement of old spark plugs may
temporarily improve poor engine performance because of the
lesseneddemandnewsparkplugsmakeontheignitionsystem.
Butthisisnotthecure-allforpoorengineperformancecaused
bywornringsorcylinders,improperfuel/airmixture,amistimed
magneto,dirtydistributorblock,wornignitionharnessorother
engine problems. By analyzing the appearance of spark plugs
thatareremovedfromtheengine,itmaybepossibletoidentify
problemswiththeengine.
INTERPRETING THE APPEARANCE OF INSULATOR
TIP DEPOSITS
Thefiringendofthesparkplugshouldbeinspectedforcolorof
thedeposits,crackedinsulatortipsandgapsize.Theelectrodes
shouldbeinspectedforsignsofforeignobjectdamageandthe
massivetypealsoforcopperrun-out.
Thenormalcolorofthedepositsusuallyisbrownishgraywith
someslightelectrodewear.Theseplugsmaybecleaned,regapped
andreinstalled.Anewengineseatgasketshouldbeused.
Dry,fluffyblackdepositsshowcarbonfouling.Thisindicatesa
richfuel/airmixture,excessivegroundidling,mixturetoorichat
idleorcruise,orfaultycarburetoradjustment.Theheatrangeof
theplugisalsotoocoldtoburnoffcombustiondeposits.
Oil fouling will be indicated by black, wet deposits on spark
plugs in the bottom position of flat, opposed-cylinder engines.
Oily deposits on the top plugs may indicate damaged pistons,
wornorbrokenpistonrings,wornvalveguides,stickingvalves
orfaultyignitionsupply.Thissameconditioninanewornewly
overhauledenginemaysimplyindicatethatpistonringshavenot
yetproperlyseated.
Leadfoulinginmildcasesshowsasalighttanorbrownfilmor
slightbuild-uponthesparkplugfiringend.Severecasesappear
asadarkglaze,discoloredtiporasfusedglobules.Althoughmild
leaddepositsarealwayspresenttosomedegree,highlyleaded
fuels,poorfuelvaporization,operatingtheenginetoocoldand
sparkplugsnotsuitedfortheparticularoperationaretheusual
causesofsevereleadfouling.Extremelyfouledplugsshouldbe
replacedandthecauseofthefoulingcorrected.
Watch for bridged electrodes, a deposit of conductive material
between center and ground electrodes that shorts out the spark
plug.The gap may be bridged by ice crystals that form while
tryingtostart,bycarbonparticles,byleadglobules,bymetallic
particles or by ingesting silica through the air intake. When
metallicfusionbridgestheelectrodes,theplugsmustbereplaced,
butotherdepositsmaysimplyberemovedandtheplugsreturned
toservice.Thecauseofdepositsthatshortoutsparkplugsrequires
correctiveaction.
Electricalandgascorrosionwearsparkplugelectrodes.Under
normalconditions,thiswearoccursslowlyandshouldbeexpected.
Severeelectrodeerosionandneckingoffinewiregroundelec-
trodesindicatesabnormalengineoperation.Fuelmetering,mag-
netotimingandproperheatrangeshouldbechecked.Sparkplug
cleaningandrotationatscheduledintervalsisusuallyadequate
care until spark plug gap approaches recommended maximum.
Sparkplugswithwornelectrodesrequiremorevoltageforigni-
tionandshouldbediscardedwhenelectrodeshaveworntohalf
theiroriginalsize.
Copperrun-outiscausedbyveryhightemperaturesassociated
withdetonationorpreignition.Itoccurswhenhightemperatures
perforate or burn away the end of the nickel center electrode
sheath and expose the copper core. Melted copper then runs
onto the tip surface and forms globules or a fused mass across
the electrode gap.The engine must be inspected and the plugs
replacedwithnewones.
Ahotspotinthecylindermaycausepreignitionwhichcanalways
bedetectedbyasuddenriseincylinderheadtemperatureorby
roughengineoperation.Whenplugsareremovedafteraperiod
of preignition, they will have burned or blistered insulator tips
andbadlyerodedelectrodes.
Detonationisthesuddenandviolentcombustionofaportionof
the unburned fuel ahead of the flame front. It occurs part-way
throughtheburningcyclewhentheremainingunburnedfuelsud-
denlyreachesitscriticaltemperatureandignitesspontaneously.
Thereissevereheatandpressureshockwithinthecombustion
chamberthatwillcausesparkplugstohavebrokenorcracked
insulator tips along with damage to the electrodes and lower
insulatorseal.Enginepartssuchasthepiston,cylinderheadand
connectingrodmaysufferseriousdamage.Whendetonationhas
occurred,thecylindermustbeexaminedwithaborescopeand
mayrequirereplacement.Correctiveactionisimperative.
Thecylindersfromwhichsparkplugswiththeaboveconditions
werefoundshouldbeinspectedwiththeaidofaborescope.Itmay
bedesirabletoreplacethecylinder,especiallyifbackfiringwas
reportedbytheflightcrew.Thereasonforthisprecautionaryaction
isthatiftheenginewasoperatedundersomedetonationcondi-
tions,butnottotheextentthatitcausedacompletepistonfailure,
thepistonringscouldbebrokenandapistonfailurerequiringa
completeenginechangemayshowupatalaterdate.
DAMAGE FROM EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURES
Overheatingofthesparkplugbarrel,sometimescausedbydam-
aged cylinder baffles or missing cooling air blast tubes, may
seriously deteriorate the ignition leads. Any overheating of the
sparkplugbarrelbyadefectivebaffleorexhaustgasleakageat
theexhaustpipemountingflangecangeneratetemperaturesin
theinsulatortipsufficienttocausepreignitionandpistondistress.
OTHER SPARK PLUG PROBLEMS
Thecureforthreadsthatarestripped,crossedorbadlynickedis
replacementofthesparkplugwithanewone.Dirtythreadsin
theenginemaycausethesparkplugtoseizebeforeitisseated.
Dirty threads also cause poor contact between the spark plug,
sparkpluggasketandtheengineseat.Thisresultsinpoorheat
transferandwillcauseexcessiveoverheatingofthesparkplug.
Thisconditioncanbecorrectedbymakingsurethatthreadsare
clean,andbyobservingthetorquespecificationswheninstalling
newplugs.
Connector well flashover is caused by an electrical path along
the surface of the insulator, from contact cap to shield. It
occurs when the voltage required to arc across the electrode
gapexceedsthevoltagerequiredtotrackoverthesurfaceofthe
insulator.Thisconditioniscausedbyatoo-wideelectrodegap,
oil, moisture, salt track or other conductive deposit on the ter-
minalwellsurfaceorlead-inassembly.Whenflashoveroccurs,
combustionchamberresiduesquicklycoattheinsulatortipand
electrodessothattheconditionmaybeinterpretedasoilorgas
fouling.Iftheceramicoftheplugisnotbroken,theplugmaybe
cleanedandreused.Thoroughcleaningofthelead-inassembly
may solve the problem, or it may be necessary to replace the
assemblytoeffectacure.
ELECTRODE GAPS
Thesizeoftheelectrodegaphasaverydefiniteeffectonspark
plug service life and also on the performance of the engine.
Insufficient gap size will not only cause misfiring during idle,
but will also misfire during cruise power with lean fuel/air
mixture. This intermittent misfiring during cruise lowers the
temperatureoftheinsulatortiptosuchanextentthatleaddeposits
formingontheinsulatorsmaynotvaporizesufficientlytokeep
thetipsclean.
HINTS FOR SPARK PLUG SERVICING
Spark plugs with cracked, broken or loose insulators or highly
wornelectrodesshouldnotbecleanedandreused.Replacewith
newaircraftsparkplugs.
Topreventdamagetosparkplugsduringremovalandinstallation,
usetherighttoolsforthejob.
It is helpful to use anti-seize compound or plain engine oil on
sparkplugthreadsstartingtwofullthreadsfromtheelectrode,
butDONOTUSEagraphite-basedcompound.
Ifasparkplugisdropped,discarditandreplacewithanewone.
Atorquewrench,readingineitherfootpoundsorinchpounds,
isessentialtoproperinstallationofsparkplugs.
This is a brief summary of the Champion Spark Plug instructions
for connecting the spark plug to the connector:

Terminal sleeves should be handled only with clean, dry
hands.Beforeinstallation,wipeofftheconnectorwithaclean,
lint-free cloth moistened in methylethylketone, acetone, wood
alcohol, naptha or clean unleaded gasoline. Make certain
that the inside of the spark plug shielding barrel is clean and
dry. Then, without touching the connector or spring with the
fingers, insert the assembly in a straight line with the spark
plug. Screw the connector nut into place finger-tight then
tightenanadditional1/8turnwiththeproperwrench.Damaged
threadsorcrackedshieldingbarrelsmayresultiftheconnector
nuts are tightened excessively. Avoid excessive side load
whiletightening.
Bycomparingthetwosparkplugsinthispicture,youcanseethe
resultsofovertorquingatthedistortedendoftheleftsparkplug.
Since this distortion may make the spark plug unusable, great
careshouldbetakentotightentheconnectorinaccordancewith
themanufacturersinstructions.
The Positive and The Negative
Thepolicyofrotatingsparkplugsfromtoptobottomhasbeen
practicedbymechanicsandpilotsformanyyears.Itiscommon
knowledgeintheindustrythatthebottomplugsarealwaysthe
dirtyones,andthetopplugsarethecleanones.Byperiodically
switchingtheplugsfromtoptobottom,yougetaself-cleaning
actionfromtheenginewherebythedirtyplugplacedinthetop
iscleaned,whilethecleanplugreplacedinthebottomgradually
becomesdirty.Basedonthiscleaningaction,arotationaltime
periodmustbeestablished.
Due to the ever-increasing cost of aircraft maintenance and a
desiretogetthemaximumservicelifefromyoursparkplugs,the
followinginformationisofferedontheeffectsofconstantpolarity
andhowtorotateplugstogetmaximumservicelife.
The polarity of an electrical spark, either positive or negative,
and its effects on spark plug electrode erosion has long been
known,buthashadlittleeffectonsparkpluglifeintherelatively
low-performanceenginesofthepast.However,inthelater,high-
performance,normallyaspiratedandturbochargedengineswhere
cylindertemperatureandpressurearemuchhigher,theadverse
effectsofconstantpolarityarebecomingmoreprevalent.Asyou
canseeinthepicturecomparingsparkplugwear,whenaspark
plugisinstalledinacylinderthatisfirednegativeandisallowed
toremainthereforalongperiodoftime,moreerosionoccurson
thecenterelectrodethanonthegroundelectrode;whenaspark
plugisfiredpositive,moreerosionoccursonthegroundelectrode
thanonthecenterelectrode.Fromthis,wecanseethataperiodic
exchangeofsparkplugsfiredpositivewiththosefirednegative
willresultinevenwearandlongersparkplugservicelife.
To get a polarity change, as well as switching the plugs from
top to bottom, the following rotational sequence is suggested.
First, when removing the spark plugs from the engine, keep
them in magneto sets. After the plugs have been serviced
and are ready to be reinstalled in the engine, make the fol-
lowing plug exchange. For six-cylinder engines, switch the
plugsfromtheodd-numberedcylinderswiththeplugsfromthe
even-numberedcylinders.Forexample,switch1with6,2with
5, and 3 with 4. On four-cylinder engines, you must switch 1
scavenging agent that is effective only when the plug nose
core temperature is 900 F or more. To attain this tempera-
ture, you need a minimum of 1200 RPM, (TIGO-541 is an
exception). Besides, the engines fuel system is slightly rich
at closed-throttle idle. This ends up with Mr. Plug having a
sootyface.
DONTflywithwornordirtyairfiltersorholesininduc-
tionhosesandairboxes,forthisisthefastestwayofwearing
outengines.Mr.Plugdoesntlikeiteither.Oneofhisworst
enemiesissilicon(afancynamefordirt).
DONTyoumechanics,attempttocleanleaddepositsfrom
plugswithanabrasive-typecleaner(anexcellentwaytokeep
theplugmanufactureronovertimefillingreplacementorders).
Usethevibrator-typecleanersoldbytheplugmanufacturers.
Then,sparinglyusetheair-poweredabrasive.
DO properly lean your engine in flight as recommended
by the Pilots Operating Handbook and Lycoming Service
Instruction No. 1094. In addition to being helpful to the
engineinmanyways,italsohelpstheplugsruncleaner,more
efficientlyandlonger.
DOyoumechanics,bealittlemorecarefulingapsettingof
massiveelectrodeplugs.Thetopandthebottomoftheground
electrodeshouldbeparallelwiththecenterelectrode.
DONTreuseobviouslywornplugs,regardlessofhowthey
bombcheck.Morethan50%ofthegroundelectrodeeroded
away;thecenterelectrodeshapedlikeafootball;thecenter
coreofthegroundelectrodebadlydimpled?Iftheansweris
yes,replace.
DO use anti-seize compound when reinstalling plugs.
Caution:onlysparinglyonthefirstthreethreads.Hereisnot
acaseoftwiceasmuchbeingtwiceasgood.
DONTacceptdirtyandstainedcigarettes;theymay
causemisfire.
DONT use any spark plug that has been dropped. One
manufacturersaysIfyoudropitonce,dropittwicethe
secondtimeinthetrashbarrel.
DONTreuse any plug with cracked porcelain, regardless
ofhowitmayhavebeenworkingorhowitbombchecked.It
willcauseseriouspreignition.
DONTshrugoffoilysparkplugs.New,toppedormajored
engines with some oil in the plugs is normal because rings
haventseated.High-timeenginewithoilyplugsmeansrings
are wearing out. One oily plug with others dry means a
probleminthecylinderwiththeoilyplug.(Thebottomplugs
arealwaysfirsttotellthestory.)
DONTcleanplugswithapoweredwirewheel.Thisis
knownasaslowdeathonafastwheel.
DONTyoumechanics,determinereplacementsparkplugs
byreferringtomodelnumberonoldplugintheengine.The
mechanicaheadofyoumayhaveinstalledthewrongmodel.
Usethemanufacturerschartonallplugreplacements;Also
consult Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1042, Factory
ApprovedSparkPlugs.
with 4, and 2 with 3. During the following operating period,
each plug will be fired at reverse polarity to the former oper-
atingperiod.Thiswillresultinevensparkplugwearandlonger
servicelife.Thisrotationalprocedureworksequallywellonall
four- and six-cylinder Lycoming engines except four-cylinder
engines equipped with the single-unit dual magneto. This is a
constant polarity magneto, and the only benefit to be gained
by rotating the plugs is the reduction of lead deposit built up
onthesparkplugswhenarotationaltimeperiodisestablished
andfollowed.Anotherexceptionoccursonafewfour-cylinder
engines where one magneto will fire all of the top spark plugs
and the other magneto will fire all of the bottom spark plugs.
If the plugs are rotated as previously recommended, a polarity
changewillresultbutsincetheplugsdonotgetmovedfromtop
tobottom,noself-cleaningactionbytheenginewilloccur.This
mayresultinthenecessitytocleanthebottomplugsatregular
intervalsasthesearealwaysthedirtiest.Forthoseengineswith
magnetos which fire all top or bottom spark plugs, the choice
of rotating plugs to change polarity or to obtain bottom-to-
top cleaning action must be made by the aircraft owner or the
A&Pmechanic.
Spark plugs are an important engine accessory. Perhaps its
becausetheydosuchanimportantjobsowell,yetareoftentaken
forgranted.Thislittlefellowhascharacter.Forthealert,knowl-
edgeablemechanic,Mr.Plugiseverwillingtorevealitssecrets
pertainingtothehealthoftheenginesfuelsystem,oilconsump-
tion,combustionchamberandeventheenginetreatmentgiven
bythepilot.WehavecometoleanheavilyonMr.Plugsability
totellastory.Actually,hesouracetroubleshooter.
TomakeitpossibleforMr.Plugtodoanevenbetterjob,weare
listingsomedosanddonts.Thesetidbitsaredirectedatboth
themechanicandpilot.
Themassiveelectrode-typesparkplugsaretheleastexpensiveto
buyanddoafinejob.Thefine-wireplatinumplugismoreexpen-
sive but gives longer life, is less prone to frosting over during
coldstartsandappearstobelesssusceptibletoleadfouling.The
more expensive fine-wire iridium plug has all the qualities of
theplatinumplug,plusthefactthattheiridiummaterialresists
lead-saltserosiontoamuchgreaterdegreethanplatinum.This
resultsinlongerpluglife.Somakeyourchoice.
DONTreusesparkpluggaskets.
DOusetherecommendedtorquewheninstallingplugs.
DONT be a throttle jockey. For years, we have been
preachingthatenginesdontlikesuddenthrottlemovement.
Well,thesparkplugsdontlikeiteither.
DOafterasuccessfulfloodedstart,slowlyapplyhigh
powertoburnoffharmfulplugdeposits.
DONTclose-throttleidleanyengine.Fuelcontainsalead

Asairplanesandenginesattainage,thereappearstobeaneed
toreemphasizetheinspectionorreplacementofenginehosesor
linescarryingfuel,oilorhydraulicfluid.Thehosemanufacturers
definitelyrecommendregularinspectionandreplacementofall
suchhosesatengineoverhauleventhoughtheylookgood.
Agelimitofrubber-steelorfiber-bandedhosehasgenerallybeen
established at four years. This limit of four years is generally
consideredtobeshelflife.Allhosemanufacturedforaircraft
useismarkedindicatingthequarter-yearinwhichitwasmanu-
factured.Thelisting4Q06meansthehosewasmanufactured
inthefourth-quarterof2006.Maintenancepersonnelshouldnot
usehoseswithahighshelflifeage.
To eliminate relatively short shelf life limits, Lycoming has
phasedinTeflonhoseswithsilicone-coatedfiresleeves.These
aretheonlyhoseswhichareavailableforfieldreplacement,and
theywillbefoundonenginesshippedfromthefactory.Service
InstructionNo.1274liststhefuelandoilhosesusedbyLycoming.
It also explains how the numbering system defines hose size.
Thisinstructionshouldbeusedasareferenceanytimehosesare
tobereplaced.
LycomingServiceBulletinNo.509mustalsobecompliedwithif
rubberhoseisusedtocarrylow-leadaviationgasoline.Aeroquip,
themanufacturerofhoseusedbyLycoming,hasrecordedseveral
failuresof601-typerubberhose.Althoughitissatisfactoryforother
purposes,thishoseappearstobeadverselyaffectedbylow-lead
aviationgasoline.601-typerubberhoseusedforlow-leadaviation
gasoline is to be replaced after no more than two years of use.
AeroquipandLycomingrecommendthatrubberhosebereplaced
withTeflonhose.Teflonhoseisnormallyunaffectedbymanyofthe
operatingvariablesthatcontributetorubberhosedegradation.
Anytimeworkisdoneonthevalvetrainofanengine,suchas
grinding valves or seats, replacing valves or valve rockers, or
anyothercomponentofthevalveoperatingmechanism,thedry
tappetclearanceshouldbecheckedandadjustedtoensurethatthe
correcttappetclearanceismaintained.Anytimetappetclearance
isallowedtovarytoofarfromprescribedlimits,theenginewill
not operate properly. For example, if clearances are too small,
burnedvalvesorcompressionlossmayresult;andifclearances
aretoogreat,theenginewillbecomenoisy.
In both cases, the engine will become rough, and mechanical
failuremaybetheresult.
Thefollowingisabriefdescriptionofprocedurestocheckand
adjust the dry tappet clearance. After observing all safety pre-
cautions,rotatetheengineuntilthepistonisontopdead-center
(TDC)ofthecylindertobechecked.
1. Remove the rocker box cover, and also remove rocker shaft
covers on angle head cylinders, valve rockers, thrust washer
(angleheadonly),pushrodsandshroudtubes.
2. Then remove hydraulic unit from the tappet body. On
TIO-541 and TIGO-541 engines, remove the unit with fixture
ST-233. On all other engines, use special tool Part No. 64941
thatcanbepurchasedfromLycoming,orfabricateapullerfrom
apieceofwire.NOMAGNETPLEASE.
3.Disassemblethehydraulicunit,andflushoutalloilfromthe
unit.Also,removealloilfromthetappetbody.
4.Reassemblehydraulicunit,andinstallinthetappetbody.
CAUTION BE SURE AND KEEP HYDRAULIC UNITS AS ONE
ASSEMBLY BECAUSE MIXING HYDRAULIC UNIT PARTS MAY RESULT
IN CHANGING THE LEAK-DOWN RATE OF THE UNIT AND MAY CAUSE
A ROUGH OPERATING ENGINE.
CAUTION AFTER CLEANING THE HYDRAULIC UNIT AND TAPPET
BODY, AND UNIT IS INSTALLED IN THE ENGINE, DO NOT TURN THE
PROP BECAUSE THIS WILL PUMP OIL INTO THE HYDRAULIC UNIT AND
RESULT IN AN INACCURATE DRY TAPPET CLEARANCE CHECK.
5.Next,replacetheshroudtubesusingnewseals.
6.Installpushrods,valverockersandthrustwasheronangle
headcylindersonly.
7. To check dry tappet clearance, depress hydraulic unit by
pressingonthepushrodendoftherocker,andmeasuringthe
clearancebetweenthevalvestemandheeloftherockersby
usingafeelergage.
Onenginesusingrotatorsonthevalves,theclearanceismeasured
betweentherotatorandtheheeloftherocker.Inbothcases,the
clearance should be .028 to .080 on intake and exhaust valves
on all engines except the TIO-541 and TIGO-541 series power
plants;thelattershouldbe.040to.105.Ifclearancefallswithin
these limits, no adjustment is necessary. It not, then adjust to
withinlimitsinthefollowingmanner:Ifclearanceistoogreat,
removethepushrod,andinstallalongerone.Ifclearanceistoo
small,installashorterpushrod,andrechecktobesureclearance
iswithinlimits.
To determine a short push rodfrom along one,checkthepart
number on the end of the push rod. The lowest number is the
shortestrod,andthehighestnumberisthelongestrod.Onolder-
typepushrods,machinedgrooveswillbefoundononesideofthe
pushrod,threegroovesrepresenttheshortrod,andnogrooves
represent the long rods. Consult Lycoming Service Instruction
No.1060andapplicablepartscatalog.
IMPORTANCEOFTHECORRECTCYLINDER
BASENUTTIGHTENINGPROCEDURE
For those individuals who own an O-235 with 8.5:1 or 8.1:1
compression ratio, a TBO Extension Kit is available. The kit
includes four new pistons and all other parts necessary for the
change. It should be noted that the TBO extension may only
be applied to those engines that contain 100% GENUINE
Lycomingparts.
Those O-235 models with a compression ratio of 6.75:1
wereimmediatelyeligibleforthe2400-hourTBOiftheycon-
tained 100% GENUINE Lycoming parts. For those owners
who have maintained their engine reliability and durability
byusingonlyLycomingparts,thisnotificationofincreasedTBO
wasgoodnews.

Its important to constantly stress the correct cylinder base nut

tightening procedure. Operators in the field are occasionally
having engine problems and malfunctioning after reinstalling
cylinders, and not tightening the cylinder base nuts correctly.
Thelattertendstocausecrankshaftbearingshifting,crankcase
frettingorbrokencylinderstuds,andpossibleenginefailure.
Again, we remind all operators in the field that we called
this problem to your attention in Flyer No. 15, published in
1972,andrepeatedtheinformationineachrevisionoftheKey
Reprintssincethattime.Inordertoproperlyreinstallcylinders,
consultLycomingServiceInstructionNo.1029.
Maintenance people should ensure that torque wrenches have
beencorrectlycalibratedbeforeaccomplishingcylinderbasenut
tightening.Afterreinstallingcylinders,agroundrunoftheengine
should be accomplished as outlined in the Lycoming Engine
OperatorsManual,followedbyashutdownandinspection.Then
theengineshouldbetestflownnormally,andfollowingtheflight,
agoodinspectionoftheengineshouldbemadebeforereturning
theaircrafttoroutineuse.
Little things are sometimes forgotten. For that reason, a
reminder is sometimes necessary. In the case of the Lycoming
O-235 engine,itis a littledifferentfrommostotherLycoming
models.Othermodelsareequippedwithhydraulictappetswhich
donotrequirefrequentadjustment.Occasionally,thereisareport
of an O-235 which is running rough or not producing normal
power. Investigation often reveals that the solid tappets of the
O-235 need adjustment. The Lycoming Operators Manual
states that valve rocker clearance should be checked, and reset
ifnecessary,ateach100-hourinspection.Itisimportantthatthe
procedure outlined in Service Instruction 1068 for setting this
clearance be followed exactly. We find that since this engine
modelisalittledifferent,thisinspectionitemisoftenoverlooked.
ThisremindermayhelpoperatorsoftheO-235enginetokeepit
runningsmoothly.
AsecondproblemsometimesreportedwiththeO-235enginealso
istheresultofitbeingjustalittledifferentfromotherLycoming
models.SomeO-235engineswhichuseafull-flowoilfilterhave
hadverylowoilpressureatidleafterbeingoverhauled.Theoil
pressurewouldthenincreaseaspowerwasincreasedanddecrease
as power was reduced.This inconsistency from the normal oil
pressureindicationswastracedtoimproperinstallationoftheoil
filteradapter.LycomingServicePublicationSSP-885-1provides
instructionsforthisinstallation.
These instructions specify that for the O-235 engine only, a
plateLycomingPartNumberLW-12999istobeinstalled
betweentheaccessoryhousingandtheoilfilteradapter.Theplate
issandwichedbetweentwogasketsLycomingPartNumber
LW-12795. The plate is designed with a hole that meters the
amountofoilflowandpreventsanexcessiveflowofoiltothe
idlergear.Whenthisplateisnotinstalledasrequired,itresults
in the oil pressure discrepancy discussed earlier.Anyone who
hasoccasiontoinstalltheoilfilterkitafteroverhauloratany
other time, should follow the instructions carefully and should
considerthattheO-235installationisslightlydifferentfromother
Lycomingmodels.
TheprecedingparagraphsseemtopicturetheO-235engineas
an eccentric problem creator which it certainly is not. When
the engine is maintained and operated in accordance with
manufacturer instructions, it is so reliable that many models
becameeligibleforanincreaseinTBOfrom2000to2400hours.
LycomingServiceLetterNo.L213givesthedetailsthatowners
of O-235 engines built before mid-1986 may want to examine
more closely. Starting in June of 1986, all new, remanufac-
tured and factory-overhauled O-235 engines with compression
ratios of 8.5:1 or 8.1:1 are built with new increased-strength
pistons, Part Number LW-18729. This part change, together
with past service history, will allow Lycoming to increase
the recommended TBO from 2000 hours to 2400 hours.
Reports from operators of fuel-injected engines and from
Lycomingservicerepresentativesprovidesomeinsightsintothe
subject of clogged fuel-injector nozzles. Providing our readers
with information from these sources may help some of them
recognizeandtreatasimilarproblemintheirownaircraft.
Aletterfromtheownerofatwin-engineaircraftwithLycoming
IO-540enginesindicatedthatafter900hoursofoperation,the
engines had performed flawlessly except for minor problems
involvingthefuel-injectionsystem.Thisparticularaircraftwas
equippedwithanexhaustgastemperature(EGT)probeateach
cylinder,sothecylindercausingaproblemcouldbepinpointedby
usingtheEGTanalyzer.Hereisadescriptionofhowthisproblem
wasobservedbythisowner.
From time to time, there would be erratic combustion on one
cylinder which would either raise the exhaust gas temperature
as shown on the analyzer (an indication of a lean mixture on
thatonecylinder),orinsomerarecases,theindividualcylinder
wouldbecomeinoperative.Thoroughcleaningofthenozzleand
line had little effect, but simply replacing the nozzle and line
caused the cylinder to operate normally and brought exhaust
temperatures back into line; EGT was again responsive to
mixturecontrol.
Thebasicproblemboilsdowntoalmost microscopicpiecesof
brass,rubberorotherformsofdirtthatgetintothefuelnozzle.
These bits and pieces are extremely hard to dislodge, and they
mayseverelyrestrictfuelflowtotheindividualcylinder.Cleaning
thelineandnozzledoesnotalwaysremovethedirtandcorrectthe
problem,althoughonthesurfaceitwouldappearthatitshould.
Whenfuelflowisonlypartiallyblockedbydirtintheinjector
nozzle,theexhaustgastemperaturewillriseandnotrespondto
mixturecontroluntilidlecut-offisreached.Thereasonforthis
isthattheblockagenowbecomestheprimaryrestrictionandis
independentofmixture-controlposition.
InthoseaircraftthatdonothaveanEGTprobeoneachcylinder,
erraticcombustionorenginesurging,whichmaybeanindica-
tionofcloggedordirtyfuel-injectornozzlesordirtyfuel,may
possibly be checked by noting the fuel-flow gage. Those fuel
flowgagesthatactuallymeasurepressurewillhaveanindicator
calibrated to show gallons or pounds of flow per hour. With
this type of instrument, a cloggednozzle will cause a pressure
increaseand,therefore,anunusuallyhighfuel-flowindication.
Directflowmetersdonotreactinthismanner.
To pinpoint the individual nozzle or nozzles that are clogged,
itwillbenecessaryforamechanictoflow-checkalllinesinto
containersofequalsize.Thestreamfromeachnozzleshouldbe
smoothandsteady,withnofluctuation.Theamountoffuelfrom
eachnozzleshouldbeequalwhenthecontainersareviewedafter
theflow-checkiscomplete.Acloggednozzleornozzlesmaybe
identifiedbyasmalleramountoffuelinitscontainerafterthe
flow-checkperiod.
As indicated earlier, fuel-injector nozzles have traditionally
been difficult to clean. Under no circumstances should the
fuel-injectornozzlebeprobedwithasharpinstrument.Theproper
method of cleaning described in Lycoming Service Instruction
1275includes washing the nozzle thoroughly withacetoneand
blowing it out with compressed air. Also, as indicated earlier,
therehavebeentimeswhencleaningdidnotreturnthefuelflow
tonormal,andtheonlyrecoursewasreplacementofthenozzle
andlinetoachievesatisfactoryengineoperation.
Thedifficultjobofcleaningfuel-injectornozzleshasbeenmade
easierwiththeintroductionofthetwo-piece,air-bleedinjector
nozzle. These nozzles are installed in production engines and
areavailableasreplacementsforthenozzlesthatwereusedprevi-
ously.Theyarephysicallyandfunctionallyinterchangeablewith
thecorrespondingold-stylenozzle.
The minor fuel flow problems cited by the aircraft owner in
the first few paragraphs of this article were experienced with
old-stylefuel-injectornozzles.Thenewtwo-pieceinjectornozzles
introduced by Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1414 have an
advantage; they can be taken apart for easier cleaning. This
feature should make troubleshooting and repair of dirt-related
fuel-flow restrictions much easier. We should emphasize that
Cleanliness is Extremely Important wheninstalling,cleaning
orworkingwithfuel-injectornozzlesastheycanveryeasilybe
contaminatedwithsmallamountsofdirt.SeeLycomingService
InstructionNo.1414fortwo-piecenozzleinstallationinstructions,
andServiceInstruction1275forcleaningandtestinformation.

Some accidents and forced landings reported to us have been
caused by adding certain equipment to the engines out in the
field.Inmostinstances,theequipmentaddedtotheenginehas
not been approved by the airframe manufacturer or the engine
manufacturer.Herearetwoofmanyexamplesreportedtous:
Oneowneraddedamagneticpickuptotheengineoildrainplug
which restricted oil flow to the oil suction screen, causing oil
starvationtotheengine,andresultedinfailure.
Another owner installed an oil quick-drain plug on the engine
sumpofaplanewitharetractablelandinggear.Whenthegear
wasretracted,itknockedtheprotrudingplugoff,allowingtheoil
toescapeandtheenginetofailofoilstarvation.
Operators in the field desiring to add any part to the engine
shouldfirstconsultwiththeengineandairframemanufacturer.
Any addition or change of engine parts also calls for a careful
groundrunandinspectionoftheareaoftheengineaftershut-
down. Then the engine should be flown and the engine instru-
mentscarefullyobservedduringthetestflight.Afterthelatter,
the engine should again be inspected for oil or fuel leaks, etc.,
beforeflyingwithpassengers.TheEngineOperatorsManualhas
aground-runchecklistandaflight-testrecordforsuchoccasions.
The Lycoming standard warranty statement summarizes our
discussioninthefollowingall-inclusivestatement:
Lycoming reserves the right to deny any warranty claim if it
reasonablydeterminesthattheengineorparthasbeensubjected
to accident or used, adjusted, altered, handled, maintained or
storedotherthanasdirectedinyouroperatorsmanual,orifnon-
genuineLycomingpartsareinstalledinorontheengineandare
determinedtobeapossiblecauseoftheincidentforwhichthe
warrantyapplicationisfiled.

TheA&Pmechanicisoftencalledupontotroubleshootanengine
problem relating to low power. There are many causes for this
kindofcomplaint.Thisarticlewilldiscussonepossibilitythat
shouldbeconsideredifthisproblemoccursafteranenginehas
beenoverhauledordisassembledforotherreasons.
First,letusconsiderthesymptoms.Incaseofanenginefitted
with a fixed-pitch propeller, the static RPM may be several
hundredRPMbelowwhatisspecifiedforthisengine/airframe
combination.Foranenginewithaconstant-speedpropellerwhich
hasthegovernorandpropellerbladeanglesetproperly,itispos-
siblethatbothstaticRPMand/orperformancemaybelow.The
causeofthesesymptomsinanenginewhichhasrecentlybeen
disassembledmaybetheresultofimpropertimingbetweenthe
crankshaftandthecamshaft.Misalignmentbyoneortwogear
teethmayhaveoccurredduringengineassembly.
Ifthesesymptomsexistandifimpropertimingissuspected,it
isnotnecessarytodisassembletheenginetochecktheinternal
enginetimingbetweencrankshaftandcamshaft.Theprocedure
foraccomplishingthischeckwillbedetailedbelowforthoseA&P
mechanicswhohavenotbeenexposedtothismethodbefore.
First,ensurethatmagnetoandelectricalswitchesareintheOFF
position. Next, remove the cowling so that rocker box covers
and spark plugs are accessible. Then, rotate the engine so the
pistoninnumber-onecylinderispositionedattop-deadcenteron
thecompressionstroke.Thenumber-onecylinderofLycoming
engines is the right-front cylinder except for the 541 models
whichhavenumber-onecylinderattheleft-frontposition.Forall
Lycomingdirectdriveenginemodels,thetopdead-centerposi-
tionofnumber-onepistoncanbeverifiedbyobservingthatthe
markindicatingthe#1TDCpositionontherearsideofthestarter
ringgearisexactlyalignedwiththesplitlineofthecrankcaseat
thetopoftheengine.Asthelaststepofpreparation,removethe
rockerboxcoverfromnumber-twocylinder.
Engine timing is checked by first observing the number-two
cylinder valve rocker arms. Both valves should be closed or
nearlyclosed.Thenextstepistomovethepropellerslightlyin
one direction. Rocker arm motion should be seen as one valve
startstoopen.STOP.Nowrotatetheenginebacktotheoriginal
positionwiththe#1TDCmarkagainalignedwiththesplitinthe
crankshafthalves.Bothvalvesshouldagainbeclosedornearly
closed.Now,movethepropellerslightlyinthedirectionopposite
fromthefirstmovement.Rockerarmmotionshouldagainbeseen
astheothervalvestartstoopen.Ifthetwovalvesstartedtoopen
as described with only a small amount of engine movement in
eachdirection,theenginetimingiscorrect.
For some individuals, it may be simpler to rock the propeller
slightlywithabackandforthmotionwhileobservingthatfirst
one valve and then the other will start to open. If movement
in either direction exceeds 20 of engine rotation before motion
of the rocker arm occurs, the crankshaft to camshaft timing
isnotcorrect.
If the observed rocker arm movement indicates that internal
engine timing is correct, then this is not the cause of the low
powerbeinginvestigated.Ontheotherhand,ifbothrockerarms
donotmovefromenginerotationwithintheparametersdiscussed
earlier,theinternalenginetimingisnotcorrect.Thisindicates
aprobableerrorduringengineassembly,anditcanonlybecor-
rectedbyopeningtheengineandrealigningthecrankshaftand
camshaftgears.Instructionsforaccomplishingthistaskwillbe
foundintheappropriateoverhaulmanual.
The latest revision of Lycoming Service Instruction
No.1012providesinformationonthelocationandassemblypro-
cedureforcounterweightsoneachLycomingcrankshaftequipped
withcounterweights.Theillustrationsandenginelistinginthis
serviceinstructionshowthatsomecrankshaftsmayhavetwoor
more counterweights of the same part number attached to the
crankshaftwithrollershavingunlikepartnumbers.
This can be a little confusing, and we have had reports from
mechanics who assembled an engine using two different-size
rollers(twodifferentpartnumbers)inthesamecounterweight.
Anotherreporthadthemechanicidentifyingtherollersbythesize
ofthepartnumberletteringratherthanreadingandcomparingthe
partnumbers.Fortunately,inthecasesweareawareof,theerror
wascorrectedbeforeassemblyoftheenginecontinued.
Tohelpinclearingupthispossiblesourceofconfusion,itshould
berememberedthateach counterweight is installed with two
identical rollers. The rollers will have the same part number
andwillbethesamesize.Thenextcounterweightonthesame
crankshaftmayuserollersofadifferentsizeandpartnumber,
butthesetworollerswillalsobeidenticalinsize.
Formoredetailsontheassemblyofcrankshaftcounterweights,
seethelatestrevisionofServiceInstructionNo.1012.
S a f e t y N o t e s
In an attempt to reduce the cost of flying, some opera-
tors have resorted to methods of operation which are
consideredtobeunsafe.Lycomingmakesthefollowing
recommendationsregardingthesepractices:
1. Do not advance timing set timing in accordance
withtheEngineOperatorsManualforthespecificengine
model.
2. Do not use a hotter spark plug for low-power cruise
unlessitisapprovedforthespecificengineaslisted
inLycomingServiceInstructionNo.1042.
3.Donotabbreviatethewarm-upofaturbochargedengine
followtheinstructionsofthemanualpertainingtooil
temperatures, otherwise an overboost or erratic power
conditionwillresult.
4.Donotuseautomotiveoilsinaircraftenginesthey
willcauseenginedamageorpossiblefailure.
5.Donotuseautomotivefuelinaviationengines.Quality
ofautomotivefuelvarieswidelyandadditivesmayresult
in deterioration of fuel system components. The engine
manufacturerscontendthatuseofautofuelinanaircraft
inducesunnecessaryrisk.

OIL FILTERS
Cleanengineoilisessentialtolongenginelife.Generally,service
experiencehasshownthattheuseoftheexternalfull-flowfilter
canincreasethetimebetweenoilchangesprovidedthatthefilter
elementsarereplacedateachoilchange.Undernormaloperating
circumstances,theoilshouldbechangedevery50hours,andthe
oilfilterelementshouldbereplacedaftereach50hoursofengine
operation.Itisveryimportantthatthefilterelementbecutopen
inordertoexaminethematerialtrappedinthefilterforevidence
ofinternalenginecondition.However,operationindustyareasor
coldclimatesmayrequiremorefrequentoilchangesdespitethe
useofanoilfilter.Anenginewhichsitsforlongperiodsbetween
flightsshouldhaveanoilchangeatfour-monthintervalsregard-
lessofthelimitedflighttimeaccumulated.Thefiltercannotfilter
waterandacidswhichmayaccumulateintheoil.
OIL CONSUMPTION
Oil consumption is a very important trend to monitor in an
engine.Theoperatorandmaintenancepeopleshouldknowthe
generalhistoryofoilconsumptionduringthelifeoftheengine.
Itistypicalofanengineduringseatingofnewpistonringsthat
oil consumption may be erratic or high; but after the rings are
seated,generallywithinthefirst25to50hours,oilconsumption
should level off below the maximum limits established by the
manufacturer. Later, during the life of the engine, if there is a
noticeableincreaseofoilconsumptionwithina25-hourperiod
(onequartormoreperhr.),thiscouldbeadangersignalandcalls
foraninvestigation.
Theoilscreensandfiltershouldbecarefullyobservedforsigns
ofmetal,andmaintenancepersonnelshouldtakeacompression
check of the cylinders, preferably using differential pressure
equipment,andalsolookinsidethecylinderswithaborescope
orgoosenecklighttodetectanyunusualcondition.
THE AIR FILTER
The induction air filter is a very important element in the life
of an aircraft engine. With the modern high-performance
power plant, the operator must keep dirt and abrasives out
of the engine if it is to attain the expected life and trouble-
free hours. Although this is a maintenance responsibility, the
pilot/ownershouldbeawarethatexcessivewearandearlyfail-
ures of reciprocating engine parts is due, in many instances,
to contaminates introduced through or around the air filter.
The aircraft manufacturers instructions for maintenance of
theairfiltermustbecloselyfollowed.Whenoperatinginvery
dusty or sandy conditions, it may be necessary to service the
filtersdailyoreveryfewhoursinaccordancewiththeairframe
manufacturersrecommendations.

Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 401 makes recommendations
to operators any time an aircraft has been struck by lightning.
Itpointsoutthatdamagetoanaircraft,thathasbeenstruckby
lightningisoftenconfinedtoaspecificareaofthestructure.In
suchinstanceswheretheengineanditsaccessories,controls,fuel
orexhaustsystemsareinvolved,itisnecessarytoevaluateand
repairthedamagebeforetheaircraftisflownagain.
TheServiceBulletinexplainsthatalthoughthepathofthelight-
ning may appear to have been around the external housings of
the engine components, it is nevertheless impossible to assess
theinternaldamagethatmighthaveoccurredbyheatduringthe
lightningdischarge.Therefore,intheeventtheenginehasbeen
damaged by lightning, disassemble and inspect the component
parts. Heat generated by the arcing effect of the electrical dis-
charge can cause irreparable damage to the hardened surfaces
of ball bearings, crankshaft bearing surfaces, camshaft lobes,
gearteeth,andotherpartsthataresurfacehardened.Theseparts
shouldnotbereusedifdiscoloration,cracks,orotherindication
ofdamagebylightningisevident.

Therehavebeenincidentsoftheaccidentaluseofthewrongfuel
particularly turbine fuel.Turbocharged piston engines with
thetermTurbochargedpaintedontheenginenacellehavebeen
interpretedbyrefuelingcrewstorequireturbinefuel.Wemust
remindthepilot-in-commandagain,aswehaveovertheyears,
heorshemustberesponsiblefortheproperfuelintheaircraft
tanksatrefueling.
Turbinefuel,oramixtureofturbineandaviationgasoline,has
proventobeaparticularlyruinousfuelforpistonengines.Asa
result,iftheenginehasbeenoperatedwiththisunspecifiedfuel,
qualifiedmaintenancepersonnelmustmakeadetailedinspection
oftheenginewithparticularattentiontothecombustioncham-
bers.Ifdetonationhasbeensevereenough,furtherdamagewill
occurtocrankpinsandmainbearings,counterweightsandvalve
traincomponents.Inviewofpossibledamage,disassemblyand
inspectionoftheenginepartsistheonlysaferecommendation
thatcanbemadeaftertheenginehasbeenoperatedwithimproper
fuels.Ifithasbeendeterminedthattheenginehasbeenrunon
unspecifiedfuel,donotcontinuetooperateitunlessithasbeen
inspectedandcertifiedtobeairworthybycompetentmaintenance
personnel.
Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 398 is the latest reference con-
cerning Lycoming engines which have been operated with
unspecifiedfuel.

Asanenginemanufacturer,weareoftenaskedtoguidepilotsand
mechanicsconcerningwhattodoaboutanengineaftersudden
stoppage, or a ground strike by the propeller. Service Letter
No.163andServiceBulletinNo.475stateLycomingsposition
concerningthisproblem.Theseimportantpublicationspointout
thattheremaybehiddeninternalenginedamagefromsuchan
incident.Fromtheexperienceofpreviousincidents,weknowthat
the unseen damage to an engine by sudden stoppage or a hard
groundstrikehascausedsubsequentenginefailures.
Some failures resulted from an overstressed crankshaft gear
dowelwhichultimatelysheared.Whenthispartbreaks,allpower
islost.Becauseofthis,LycomingServiceBulletinNo.475and
ADNote91-14-22requireamandatoryinspectionandcompli-
ancewithrepairandreassemblyprocedures.
In other cases, stoppage or ground strikes have resulted in
overstressed connecting rod bolts which failed soon thereafter.
Whenarodboltfails,itallowstheconnectingrodtogetloose
andflailinsideoftheenginecausinganastyfailurewithaserious
firepotential.
After a prop strike or sudden stoppage, the incident must be
enteredintheenginelogbook.Lycomingmusttaketheposition
that in the case of sudden engine stoppage, propeller strike or
lossofabladetip,theonlysafeprocedureistoremoveanddisas-
sembletheengineandcompletelyinspectthereciprocatingand
rotatingparts.Thiswillrequireaskilledmechanicwhoknows
whattolookforintheaffectedengine.
Anydecisiontooperateanenginewhichwasinvolvedinsudden
stoppage,propellerstrikeorlossofpropbladetipwithoutdisas-
sembly and inspection will violate the AD Note issued by the
FAAandLycomingServiceBulletinNo.475,bothofwhichare
mandatory. Any decision to fly an engine without complying
withthesepublicationsmustbetheresponsibilityoftheagency
returningtheaircrafttoservice.

Many starters manufactured by Prestolite and Electro Systems
are in use with Lycoming engines. From time to time, these
startersusedonourdirect-driveenginesarereturnedtothefac-
toryreportedasmalfunctioning,butinvestigationhererevealed
the problem to be dirt. The location of the starting motor on
many aircraft engines subjects the Bendix Drive of the starter
tocontaminationfromdust,dirtandmoisturebecausethedrive
housingisopen,andtheengineconstantlycirculatesairaround
thestartingmotor.
TypicalindicationsofadirtyBendixDriveare:
1.Sluggishoperationoperatorhastomakeseveralattempts
beforethestartingmotorwillcranktheengine.
2. Noisy operation a grinding noise when the starter is
energized.
3.Failuretoengage.
Wheneveranyoftheabovecomplaintsarereceived,thestarting
motor should be removed immediately and the Bendix Drive
cleanedandlubricated.Oilshouldneverbeused,becauseoilin
thatlocationcollectsdustanddirt,becominggummyandcausing
theBendixDrivetostick.
In most cases, it will be necessary to partially disassemble the
starting motor in order to service the Bendix Drive. The latter
should be removed from the motor shaft to ensure thorough
cleaning and lubricating. Clean the area in front of the Bendix
Drivepinionbeforeremovingthedrivefromtheshaft.
Donotusecarburetorcleaneroranysolventsthatcoulddamage
therubberblockinsidetheBendixDrive.Useonlycleanpetro-
leumbasecleanerssuchaskeroseneorvarsol.
ThoroughlycleantheBendixDrivetoremovealldirtandcon-
tamination from the screwshaft threads and control nut. If the
driveisexceptionallydirty,thedrivepinioncupcanberemoved
toensureathoroughcleaningjob.Donotattempttoremovethe
controlnut.
AftertheBendixDrivehasbeenthoroughlycleanedandblown
dry with compressed air, lubricate the screwshaft threads and
ratchet with a silicone spray. Lubricate the motor shaft with
thesamesiliconelubricantbeforeinstallingthedriveassembly
ontheshaft.
ThesubjectofLycomingServiceInstructionNo.1278isstarter
drivelubrication.

Anarticleonenginebalanceexplainedthatcertainenginepartsare
organizedinmatchedsets,byweight,beforetheyareinstalledinan
enginebeingbuiltattheLycomingfactory.Occasionally,itmaybe
necessarytoreplaceoneofthesepartsduringtheoperationallifeof
theengine.Whenthishappens,mechanicsinthefieldshouldknow
thatLycomingpartswhicharematchedbyweightwhenanengine
isbuiltshouldonlybereplacedwithpartswhichfallwithindesign
specificationsforservice(replacement)parts.
Starting with connecting rods, the system of marking speci-
fiesthateachpartwillbemarkedwithoneoftheseletters:A,
B,S,DorE.Connectingrodswiththesameidentifyingletter
are installed when the engine is new; if only one or two rods
aretobereplacedinthefield,theymustbethosemarkedwith
theletterS.TheSindicatesaservicepartwhichwillalways
have a median weight. Use of a connecting rod stamped with
anSwillensurethattheweightmatchbetweenrodsisalways
withinthetoleranceallowedbytheLycomingspecificationfor
thatparticularpartnumber.
Ifapistonistobereplaced,itisstronglyrecommendedthatthe
power plant mechanic refer to Lycoming Service Instruction
No.1243.Thisserviceinstructionshowsthatcertainpistonpart
numbersaredesignedtofallwithinaspecifiedstandardweight
range.Any genuine Lycoming piston with that part number
willbeasatisfactoryreplacement,althoughtheweightsofeach
pistonshouldbecomparedbeforeinstallation.
Other pistons are marked asA or B weights and are used in
matchedsetswhenanengineisbuilt.Whenthesepistonsmust
bereplacedasapartialset,servicepartpistonsareprovided
by Lycoming. These will be marked withAS or BS and are
restrictedtoaverynarrowweightrangethatfallsbetweentheA
andBweights.Useofthesepistonsasreplacementswillensure
thattheentireset,botholdandnew,fallwithinoverallweight
limittolerancessetbyLycoming.
Whenpistonsareinstalledinanengine,anotherconsideration
for standardization of weight is the piston pin plug. Service
InstructionNo.1267describesthreepistonpinplugscurrently
inuse.Althoughthesethreeareinterchangeable,theymustbe
usedincompletesetsofthesamepartnumberbecauseeachpart
numberhasadifferentweight.
Connecting rods and pistons are one more example of the
need for appropriate reference materials when working on
Lycoming engines. Overhaul Manuals, Parts Catalogs or
serviceinstructionsarethesourceforthosedetailswecannot
retaininmemory.

Perhapsthefirststepindiscussingthissubjectistofirstgetthe
terminology correct. The latest revision of Lycoming Service
Instruction No. 1324 calls it a crankshaft oil seal. Although
almosteveryoneknowsexactlywhatyouaretalkingaboutwhen
thetermnosesealisused,correctterminologycanbeimportant.
Shouldthissealleakimmediatelyafterinstallation,itispossible
thatthesealwasdamagedduringtheinstallationprocess,buta
poorfitbetweenthecrankcaseandsealorthecrankshaftandseal
couldalsoberesponsiblefortheleak.
Before installation of a crankshaft oil seal, it is important to
checktherecessintowhichitfitsforpropersize.Excessivewear
whichenlargesthecrankcaseboreforanyreasonmaycausethe
crankshaftoilsealtoleak.Anundersizecrankshaftcouldresult
inthesamepoorfitandaleak.Thisisusuallycausedbyarusty
orpittedsurfacewhichhasbeenpolishedexcessively.Lycoming
Service Instruction No. 1111specifies the maximum undersize
grindorpolishwhichisallowablefortheremovalofrustorpits.
It also prescribes the procedures for replating the crankshaft
flange and seal area. Measurement of both the crankshaft and
thecrankcasetoensurethattheymeetTableofLimittolerances
shouldbestandardmaintenanceprocedurebeforeinstallationof
acrankshaftoilseal.
Toavoiddamageduringinstallation,itisimportanttofollow
the instructions provided in the latest revision of Lycoming
ServiceInstructionNo.1324.Thisinstructiongivesinforma-
tiononthetwotypesofsealswhichmaybeusedinLycoming
direct-drive engines, the part numbers of both the standard
and the oversized seals, and the method of installing both
typesofseal.
Whenaleakatthecrankshaftoilsealdevelopsaftermanyhours
ofnormaloperation,itisusuallytheresultofotherproblems.The
experienced Field Service Engineers at Lycoming indicate that
aleakingcrankshaftoilsealisfrequentlycausedbyarestricted
breather or an oil-slinger clearance that is too tight. The leak
might also be caused by a propeller defect which places an
abnormalsideloadonthecrankshaftoilseal.
To avoid the problem of oil leakage at the crankshaft oil seal
because of an engine breather restriction, examination of the
breathertubetodetermineitsconditionisanexcellentidea.Ifthe
tubeisingoodcondition,alsorememberthattheengineexpels
moisture through the tube. Under freezing conditions, there is
somepossibilitythatthemoisturemayfreezeattheendofthe
tubeandicewillbuildupuntilthetubeiscompletelyrestricted.
Shouldthishappen,pressuremaybuildupinthecrankcaseuntil
somethinggivesusuallytheCrankshaftOilSeal.
Since the airframe manufacturers know this is a possibility,
and since they design with the intention of preventing
engine-relatedproblemsofthiskind,somemeansofpreventing
freeze-up of the crankcase breather is usually a part of the
aircraft design. The breather tube may be insulated, it may
be designed so the end is located in a hot area, it may be
equippedwithanelectricheater,oritmayincorporateahole,
notchorslotwhichisoftencalledawhistleslot.Becauseof
itssimplicity,thewhistleslotisoftenusedandislocatedina
warmareaneartheenginewhereitwillnotfreeze.Aircraft
operatorsshouldknowwhichmethodofpreventingfreeze-up
is used and then ensure that the configuration is maintained
asspecifiedbytheairframemanufacturer.
Should leakage at the crankshaft oil seal occur as a result of
oil-slingerclearancewhichistootight,theproblemcaninitially
beidentifiedbycheckingforexcessiveendclearance.Thiscan
bedonewithadialindicator.Removethepropandthenpushthe
prop flange to the extreme aft position and zero the indicator.
Then,pullthepropflangefullforwardandreadthetravelonthe
indicator.ComparethisfigurewiththelimitslistedintheTable
ofLimitsfortheappropriateenginemodel.
Should the end clearance exceed the limits specified, the oil-
slinger clearance should then be checked. First, remove the
old nose seal, and clean the work area.Again, push the crank-
shaft to the rear of the engine. Insert a .002 inch feeler gage
about 3/16-inch wide between the oil slinger on the crankshaft
and the crankcase.Again, pull the crankshaft forward. If the
.002-inchfeelergageispinchedtight,therequired.002-to.007-
inchclearancehasbeenexceeded.Lackofappropriateclearance
istheresultofexcessivewearonthecrankcasethrustfacewhich
willallowoiltobepumpedoutpastthecrankcaseoilseal.
Overhaultimeisusuallywhenthecrankcasethrustfacemight
receiveneededrepair.Shouldthecrankcaseoilsealbeleaking
excessively, itmaysimply meanthatoverhaultimehas arrived
early. Fortunately this is something which does not happen
veryoften.
Crankcases with worn or damaged thrust face areas can be
repairedbyreworkingthethrustfaceareatopermitinstallation
ofnewthrust-bearingwashers.Thesebearingsareavailableas
repair items. Thrust-bearing washers may be reused if they do
not show wear and if their thickness is sufficient to maintain
compliance with the crankshaft and crankcase end-clearance
specificationsintheLycomingTableofLimits.
Instructionsforrepairingthecrankcasethrustfacearefoundin
thelatestrevisionofLycomingServiceInstructionNo.1354.This
repairshouldbringtheoil-slingerclearancebackintotolerance
andshouldcuretheleakingcrankcaseoilsealwhichwouldalso
havebeenreplacedduringthereassemblyoftheengine.
Theinformationprovidedinthisbriefarticlemayhelpaircraft
ownerstopreventthepossibilityofaleakingcrankshaftoilseal
andtounderstandtheseriousnatureoftherepairrequiredifthis
sealisfoundtobeleakingexcessively.
Thelobesofthecamshaft,andthetappetsthattheycontinually
operate against, have always been subject to wear. Someone
recentlystatedthatinrecentyears,therehasbeenanunacceptable
riseintheoccurrenceofspallingtappetsandworncamlobes.Is
thisafactualstatement?Perhapsitmayhelpifwetakealookat
oneortwoofthecausesofwearontheseparts.Fromthis,we
mayreachaconclusionaboutwhythisstatementcouldpossibly
betruetoday.
Corrosion is a known cause of tappet and cam lobe wear.The
enginesofaircraftthatarenotflownregularlymaybeextremely
vulnerabletocorrosion.Whenthefilmofoildrainsfromtheinte-
riorpartsoftheengineafterithasbeenrun,thosepartsbecome
preytothechemicalchangesthatarecausedbymoisture,acids
andoxygen.Tappetsfromengineswhichhavenotbeenoperated
forlongperiodshavebeencloselyexamined.Underamicroscope,
itisnotunusualtofindmicroscopicpitsonthefaceofthetappet.
Thisisthebeginningoftrouble.Startingwiththeseverytinypits,
tinyparticlesofrustalsoaffectthecamlobes.Oncestarted,the
processisnotlikelytostopuntilthewearreachesapointwhere
thesepartsaredoinganunacceptablejob.
Somepeoplemightquestiontheassertionthatenginescanattract
unusually large amounts of moisture: brief operating periods,
lowengineoiloperatingtemperaturesandcondensationallcon-
tribute.Itmightbeverysurprisingtotakeanenginewhichhas
flown15to25hoursoverthecourseoffourtosixmonthsand
draintheoilintoaclearcontainer.Theamountofwaterwhich
settlestothebottomislikelytobemorethanonewouldexpect.
Alsorememberthatcombustioncausesacidstocollectintheoil.
When these are not removed by regular oil changes, the acids,
aswellasthemoisture,willpromotethegrowthofmicroscopic
pitting which eventually leads to excessively worn tappets and
camlobes.
Anotherfactorintheunacceptableriseoftappetspallingingen-
eralaviationenginesmaybetheproductthatisputintomanyof
thoseenginesatoverhaul.Toreducethecostsofoverhaul,there
is an increasing tendency to put reground camshafts and tap-
pets into these engines. Although camshafts may be reground,
thereisaverystrictlimitontheamountofgrindingwhichcan
be tolerated. Grind too much, and the hardened surface of the
camlobeisgone.Afterthiskindofgrinding,thecammaylook
great, but it will be wearing on the soft metal which was once
protectedbyahardenedsurface.Lycomingdoesnotrecommend
theuseofregroundtappetsunderanycircumstances,butmany
enginesoverhauledinthefieldtodaycomebacktotheownerwith
regroundtappetsandcamshaft.Insomecasesatleast,theseitems
arenothingmorethangood-lookingjunk.
Because of the high percentage of refurbished used parts that
gointomanyoverhauls,andthemanyairplanesthatsitforlong
periodswithoutbeingflown,therecouldbemoretappetspalling
today than in the past. These are some of the reasons why the
statementthattherehasbeenanunacceptableriseinspalledtap-
petsandworncamlobesinrecentyearsmightjustbetrue.Ask
aboutthepartswhicharegoingintoyouroverhaul.Itmaybeless
expensivetopayfornewpartsatthetimeofoverhaulthanitisto
payforreplacingworn-outpartsbeforeyourenginehasreached
itsexpectedTBO.

It is unfortunate that the exhaust systems attached to aircraft
enginesareoneofthemostoverlookedandignoredpartsofthe
aircraft. Almost all aircraft with normally aspirated engines
haveanexhaustsystemsuppliedbytheairframemanufacturer.
EngineswhichareturbochargedbyLycomingwillalsohavemost
oftheexhaustsystemsuppliedbyLycoming.
Lycomingtechnicalrepresentativesgetmanycallsaboutexhaust
systemproblems.Itmakesnodifferencewhosuppliedthesystem.
There are several areas where discrepancies may occur: loose
bafflesinthemuffler,exhaustleaksattheexhaustflangegasket
andslipjointsthatdonotslip.Exhaustgasleakageattheexhaust
flangegasketwillcauseerosionofthealuminumcylinderhead
material,andafrozenslipjointwillcausecracksintheexhaust
pipesystem.Loosebafflesinthemufflermayresultinalossof
power. These problems can be minimized by regular exhaust
systemmaintenanceateachperiodicinspection.
Themufflershouldbecheckedcarefullyeachtimetheexhaust
systemisinspectedoranytimealossofpowerisevident.Baffles
whichhavecomeloosetendtolodgeatvariousplacesinsidethe
muffler. When the exhaust outlet is blocked, a power loss will
occurduetotheexcessivebackpressurecreatedintheexhaust
system.Attemptingtolookintothemufflermayrevealbaffling
which is loose, but usually this is not something that can be
determinedvisually.Asharpbumponthemufflerwiththepalm
ofthehandwhilelisteningforanyrattlingsoundmayproduce
better results than looking. If loose baffling is found, the muf-
flershouldbereplacedwithaneworoverhauledunitbeforethe
nextflight.
Another important part of the exhaust system is the exhaust
flangegasket.ThreedifferenttypesareavailablefromLycoming.
The manufacturing standard is the copper/asbestos gasket or
the beaded gasket. Where the beaded exhaust flange-type gas-
kets are used, they must be assembled (two each per exhaust
port flange) with their beads interlocking. The flat side of the
gasket must face toward the cylinder head, and the raised or
bead side, toward the exhaust stack. After initial installation,
exhaustflangenutsshouldbecarefullyretorquedafterthefirst
25 hours of engine operation. These standard gaskets should
notbereused.
ThethirdtypeofexhaustflangegasketavailablefromLycoming
hasV-shapedspiralwoundlayersofstainlesssteelandasbestos.
ThesegasketsareavailableforallLycomingenginesusingthe
2-or3-holegasketdesign.Thisdesignprovidesaresilientaction
thatautomaticallyadjustsformechanicalcompression,internal
pressurevariationsandtemperaturechanges.
The spiral wound exhaust flange gasket has superior sealing
qualities and, unless an exhaustleak is evident, may bereused
whentheexhaustmanifoldisloosenedorremoved.Newgaskets
shouldalwaysbeusedwhentheengineisoverhauled.
Allexhaustflangegasketswhichwereoriginallydesignedwith
asbestosasoneofthebasicmaterialsarenowmanufacturedto
a new standard. Although the part number may be the same,
asbestoshasbeenreplacedwithanalternatematerial.
Ateachperiodicinspection,theexhaustsystemshouldbechecked
toensurethatexhaustgasesarenotleakingattheexhaustflange.
Aleakcanbeidentifiedbythepowderyresiduewhichwillbe
evidentaroundtheplacewheretheleakisoccurring.Thisresidue
mayrangefromwhitetolightbrownincolor.
Aleakattheexhaustflangegasketisoftencausedbyimproper
torquing.Toolittletorque,andtheconnectionloosens.Toomuch
torque,andthegasketwillbowslightlyagainallowingexhaust
gasestoleak.Ifleftuncorrected,erosionofthealuminumcyl-
inderheadmaterialwilloccurquitequickly.Alossofmaterial
amountingtoonlyafewthousandthsofaninchcouldbeenough
tomakethecylinderunusable.Therefore,correctingtheproblem
quicklyisessential.
Ifthealuminumcylinderheadmaterialhasalreadyerodedasthe
resultofanexhaustgasleak,repairissometimespossible.This
cannotbedonebyhand.Studsmustberemoved,andthedamaged
surfacerefinishedbyuseofamillingoperation.Nomorethan20
thousandthsofaninchmayberemoved.Shoulditbenecessary
toremovemorethan20thousandthsofaninchtoobtainatrue
surface,thecylindershouldbereplaced.
Whereerosionofthecylinderheadhasnotoccurred,replacing
theexhaustflangegasketwithanewonewillusuallyeliminate
theleak.Ensuringthatthecorrecttorqueisappliedduringinstal-
lationofthegasketisnecessarytoavoidfutureproblems.
Fortunately, an exhaust leak at the exhaust flange is not a
frequent occurrence. A close visual check at each periodic
inspection and prompt attention to correct any defect which
maybefoundwillusuallybeenoughtoavoidtheneedformore
expensiverepairs.
Exhaust systems with slipjoints present another problem. The
joints are necessary because the pipes must move. Vibration,
alongwithheatingandcoolingofthesystemthatcausesexpan-
sionandcontractionmakeitessentialthatthesystembedesigned
sothatithasflexibility.Exhaustresidueandheatmayeventually
causeslipjointstoseize.Becauseaslipjointwhichhasseizedcan
beexpectedtocausebreakageoftheexhaustsystempipes,regular
maintenancetokeepthesejointsfreeisamust.MouseMilkor
a similar lubricant should be applied to the slipjoint at regular
intervalstopreventseizingofthepipes.
Maintenanceofanexhaustsystemwithslipjointsisapaynow,orpay
latersituation.Ifthepreventivemaintenanceisnotaccomplished,
itwillmeanbuyingnewpartsfortheexhaustsystem.Payingfor
anewexhaustsystemisnottheworstpart.Abrokenpipecould
allow hot exhaust gases to escape into the engine compartment
wherethereisthepotentialforfirewhichwouldfurtherdamage
theaircraftandpresentaserioushazardforpilotandpassengers.
Maintenance on this type of exhaust system requires that it be
taken apart if the slipjoint will not move. Should a slipjoint be
frozen,MouseMilkoragoodpenetratingoilshouldbeusedto
freeitup.Theneachjointmustbecleanedofallexhaustresidue
and thoroughly examined to ensure that there are no cracks or
damagethatwouldpreventfreemovement.Beforereassembling
theexhaustsystem,theslipjointsurfacesshouldbecoatedwith
high-temperaturelubricantsuchasFel-ProC5Aorequivalent.
Exhaustsystemmaintenanceprobablyshouldnotbeconsidered
ascompleteunlessithasincludedareviewofairframeandengine
manufacturerbulletinsthatmayapply.Fromtimetotime,product
improvements are made available. A prior review of service
bulletinswouldallowthesetobeincorporatedwhentheregular
periodicmaintenanceisbeingdone.
Thereasonforthisentirediscussionistopointouttheneedfor
regularinspectionsandpreventiveexhaustsystemmaintenance.
Prevention is always less expensive and less hazardous than
waitingforseriousproblemstooccur.
Thealuminumalloycylinderheadsusedonair-cooledaircraft
engines are subject to high stresses while operating. In addi-
tion, they are heated and cooled with each engine start-up and
shutdown.Overlongperiodsofoperation,thesestressescanlead
tofatigueandeventuallythecylinderheadmaydevelopcracks.
Lycomingmetallurgistsarguethatweldingofcracksinaluminum
cylinder heads is not likely to meet with long-term success.
Therefore, an overhauled cylinder has little chance of being as
serviceableasanewcylinder.Eveniftherewerenocracksatthe
timeofoverhaul,metalfatigueisstillafactortobeconsidered.
Buthow?Thereisnorecordoftimeinuserequiredforacylinder
assembly.Anoverhauledcylindercouldhave4000,6000or8000
hours or more when it is put on an overhauled engine. Even a
cylinderfromyourownenginewithonlyonetriptoTBOmay
notmakeittoTBOasecondtime.
As a result of the scenario outlined above, Lycoming has for
many years recommended new cylinders when engines are
overhauled. To practice what is being preached, Lycoming
uses new cylinders on all engines shipped from the factory at
Williamsport,includingfactoryoverhauls.Itislessexpensiveto
installnewcylindersduringtheoverhaulascomparedtohaving
the engine torn down once or twice for cylinder replacement
beforeitreachestherecommendedTBOasanoverhauledengine.
Theaddedreliabilitymustalsobeconsidered.

Wearefrequentlyaskedthequestionshouldmyenginehave
a top overhaul at some point between major overhauls? Our
reply to that question is top overhauls should only be done
when needed on the diagnosis of a competent mechanic.
It is unfortunate that people spend money needlessly on a top
overhaul.
Ifthenew,rebuiltoroverhauledenginestartsitsTBOcyclewith
newcylinders and is treatedto properoperation, good mainte-
nanceandfrequentflight,itshouldreachtherecommendedTBO
withoutatopoverhaulalongtheway.Anoverhauledenginethat
hasreconditionedcylindersisnotnecessarilyacandidateforatop
overhaul,butitisverylikelythatitwillrequirecylinderreplace-
mentbeforetherecommendedTBOisreached.
With the information above and a few explanatory details, the
Lycoming engine code is not difficult to understand. Starting
withtheprefixsection,anOwillbefoundintheenginedesigna-
tionofallflat-opposedcylinderengines.InadditiontotheO,a
combinationoftheotherlettersmaybeusedtofurtherdescribe
the engine. The O alone indicates a carbureted engine, but an
IOwillshowthattheengineisfuelinjected.Afurtherexample
is the TIGO prefix. Broken down, this says that the engine is
(T)turbocharged,(I)fuelinjected,(G)geared(whichmeansthe
propwillrunatalowerspeedthanthecrankshaft)and,finally,
the(O)foropposedcylinders.
Thethree-digitnumberalwaysprovidesanindicationofengine
sizeintermsofapproximatecubicinchesofdisplacement.En-
gines currently in production at Lycoming Williamsport have
displacement values of 235, 320, 360, 435, 480, 540 and 720
cubicinches.
*Note (541) A displacement ending in 1 indicates a specifc engine model which incorporates integral accessory drive.
EachLycomingreciprocatingenginehasamodeldesignation.
The designation is made up of a prefix which is a series of
letters, a three-digit number and a suffix which combines
lettersandnumbers.Thelettersandnumbersinthismodelcode
havemeaning.Mostpeoplewhoflyorworkongeneralaviation
aircraft are curious about the meaning of the code, but only
a small number thoroughly understand it. Perhaps the
explanationandexamplesprovidedherewillpromoteabetter
understanding of what the engine model designations mean.
Belowaresomeexamples:
TO-360-C1A6D
IO-540-AA1A5
IO-360-A3B6D
PREFIX DISPLACEMENT SUFFIX
L = Left-hand Rotation Crankshaft Cubic Inches* A or AA = Power Section & Rating
T = Turbocharged (exhaust gas driven) 3 = Nose Section
I = Fuel Injected B = Accessory Section
G = Geared (reduction gear) 6 = Counterweight Application
S = Supercharged (mechanical) D = Dual Magneto
V = Vertical Helicopter (Subsequent changes to models
H = Horizontal Helicopter are reflected in the suffix.)
A = Aerobatic
AE = Aerobatic Engine
O = Opposed Cylinders
The suffix of the reciprocating engine code is a little more
complex and the differences signified by each letter or
numberarenotreadilyapparent.Thefirstcharactersofthesuf-
fixwillalwaysapplytothepartsoftheengineindicatedinthe
examples;insomecases,suchastheIO-540-AA1A5,twochar-
actersareusedtodesignateonesectionoftheengine.Thefourth
place in the suffix will usually be a number to indicate a spe-
cificcounterweightapplication.Dependingupontheneedfora
counterweightnumber,aDmaybeusedaseitherthe4thor5th
character.TheDindicatesthattheengineusesadualmagneto
containedinasinglehousing.
To determine the minor differences in an engine model which
arereflectedinthemodelcodesuffix,itisnecessarytoconsult
theenginespecification.Mostaircraftownersorpilotswillhave
noneedforthistypeofdetail.Thosewhoarecuriousaboutan
engine can get a good idea of its size and character by simply
applyingthemodelcodeinformationwhichhasbeenpresented
inthisbriefoutline.
NOTES
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L y c o mi n g F l y e r

The latest revision of Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1125

Its important to constantly stress the correct cylinder base nut

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