Van's Air Force
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RV-3 help
- Thread starter deltamike
- Start date
JonJay
Well Known Member
Congrats...
I know of a couple HR 1's that had the big motors put on them. Hopefully someone on here knows what the mods where so you can see if they where done on your airframe.
If they where not done, and the aircraft flew with that motor on it for any amount of time, make sure you look very carefully at the motor mount/firewall and the rudder and elevators. The airframe and empennage was not designed for the big motors weight, airspeeds, and vibration issues where a concern for cracking especially in the empennage.
I would also check to see what was done CG wise, if weight was added to the tail or how they balanced out the extra wieght on the nose. Guy's with 0320's and light props still need to move the battery to the back to keep things balanced. Cant imagine the extra weight of the 360 plus CS prop unless it was one of the newer composites.
You might search the threads for the 3 wing mods as there are some good links there. I view the wing mods as a must but others have different opinions.
I have heard the 0290 is a great engine for the 3, although the 0320 seems to be the popular choice for 3B.
Have fun.
(PS - did you buy the one in Lakeview OR?)
I know of a couple HR 1's that had the big motors put on them. Hopefully someone on here knows what the mods where so you can see if they where done on your airframe.
If they where not done, and the aircraft flew with that motor on it for any amount of time, make sure you look very carefully at the motor mount/firewall and the rudder and elevators. The airframe and empennage was not designed for the big motors weight, airspeeds, and vibration issues where a concern for cracking especially in the empennage.
I would also check to see what was done CG wise, if weight was added to the tail or how they balanced out the extra wieght on the nose. Guy's with 0320's and light props still need to move the battery to the back to keep things balanced. Cant imagine the extra weight of the 360 plus CS prop unless it was one of the newer composites.
You might search the threads for the 3 wing mods as there are some good links there. I view the wing mods as a must but others have different opinions.
I have heard the 0290 is a great engine for the 3, although the 0320 seems to be the popular choice for 3B.
Have fun.
(PS - did you buy the one in Lakeview OR?)
N941WR
Legacy Member
Deltamike,
Which O-290 is it?
If it is a zero time converted GPU or -d or earlier, sell both engines and replace them with an (I)O-320. If you have an HR1, then the 200 HP IO-360 is the correct engine.
If you have an O-290-D2 and want to sell it, let me know. If you elect to keep it, there are some issues with the early O-290's. The most common issue is that the pre-D2 engines have mechanical valve lifters which need to be adjusted every 50 hours. While this is easy to do, it is just another maintenance thing to deal with and log. Upgrading an older engine to a -D2 is not really feasible as you would have to split the case.
Also, your O-290 probably doesn't have an engine driven fuel pump, which you will need for an RV installation. You can add the fuel pump by changing the accessory case and adding a few small parts. See the engine page of my web site for details.
If you want to sell the O-290, let me know. I'm always looking for a parts engine.
Which O-290 is it?
If it is a zero time converted GPU or -d or earlier, sell both engines and replace them with an (I)O-320. If you have an HR1, then the 200 HP IO-360 is the correct engine.
If you have an O-290-D2 and want to sell it, let me know. If you elect to keep it, there are some issues with the early O-290's. The most common issue is that the pre-D2 engines have mechanical valve lifters which need to be adjusted every 50 hours. While this is easy to do, it is just another maintenance thing to deal with and log. Upgrading an older engine to a -D2 is not really feasible as you would have to split the case.
Also, your O-290 probably doesn't have an engine driven fuel pump, which you will need for an RV installation. You can add the fuel pump by changing the accessory case and adding a few small parts. See the engine page of my web site for details.
If you want to sell the O-290, let me know. I'm always looking for a parts engine.
Stephen Lindberg
Well Known Member
0-290-D
I recently sold an 0-290-D powered airplane that I owned for 17 years. The engine was trouble free and ran strong. The mechanical valve lifters were trouble free as well. I don't think they need adjustment every 50 hours, I think it is more like every 500 hours, but I am at work and my engine manuals are at home. In any event, the valve clearances were checked last summer at 500+ hours and they needed only slight adjustment. (Install new rocker box gaskets to prevent leaks when you do.) The early 0-290's (non D and D2) are signifigantly different engines and I would stay away from them, but my experience with the D was good. Parts are getting harder to find, I hear. The cost of overhauling an 0-290 is high enough that it might make sense to step up to an 0-320 rather than overhaul an older engine.
I recently sold an 0-290-D powered airplane that I owned for 17 years. The engine was trouble free and ran strong. The mechanical valve lifters were trouble free as well. I don't think they need adjustment every 50 hours, I think it is more like every 500 hours, but I am at work and my engine manuals are at home. In any event, the valve clearances were checked last summer at 500+ hours and they needed only slight adjustment. (Install new rocker box gaskets to prevent leaks when you do.) The early 0-290's (non D and D2) are signifigantly different engines and I would stay away from them, but my experience with the D was good. Parts are getting harder to find, I hear. The cost of overhauling an 0-290 is high enough that it might make sense to step up to an 0-320 rather than overhaul an older engine.
Thanks for the help, very good info. I did buy the 3 from lakeview. I wish I had time to go look at it myself but was leaving on an overseas trip. As fate would have it I had a friend 2 hrs out of lakeview on his way to eastern OR, he was able to take a look at it.
The 0290 is a gpu model but has had converted for use in a aircraft. I am going to hang on to it for awhile until I get all of my ducks in a row.
Thank again, I can't wait to get home and get started.
The 0290 is a gpu model but has had converted for use in a aircraft. I am going to hang on to it for awhile until I get all of my ducks in a row.
Thank again, I can't wait to get home and get started.
N941WR
Legacy Member
DeltaMike,
Best of luck with the project!
The GPU is different than my engine and I couldn't use it, even if you were going to sell it off. Things like the cylinder, pistons, lifters, etc. are not interchangeable with the -D2. There is more but without pulling the OH manual I couldn't tell you exactly what they are.
Best of luck with the project!
The GPU is different than my engine and I couldn't use it, even if you were going to sell it off. Things like the cylinder, pistons, lifters, etc. are not interchangeable with the -D2. There is more but without pulling the OH manual I couldn't tell you exactly what they are.
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osxuser
Well Known Member
One of my customers airplanes has been flying the the 'G' for awhile with no real problems engine wise. We put a Catto 2-blade (aircraft is a Wittman W8) on it, and it purrs. We have a spare standing by.
These aren't your typical Lycoming, and there are quite a few things about them that are 'different'... I know more than I ever wanted to about um, but still not that much.
If you are OK with tweeking with stuff for your first few hundred hours, the O-290 is a pretty good engine. If you want to get in and fly, I'd probably sell both and get an IO-320 from one of the known suppliers. The IO-360 should fetch a pretty decent price on the used market.
These aren't your typical Lycoming, and there are quite a few things about them that are 'different'... I know more than I ever wanted to about um, but still not that much.
If you are OK with tweeking with stuff for your first few hundred hours, the O-290 is a pretty good engine. If you want to get in and fly, I'd probably sell both and get an IO-320 from one of the known suppliers. The IO-360 should fetch a pretty decent price on the used market.
Well I have had a couple of weeks to check things out and good news. This appears to be one of the planes built by the bakersfield bunch. It has had the front spar mod done, I am unsure about the rear mod. I think I will go the 320 fixed pitch route unless I come across a great deal on the 360. I like to fly more then wrench and simple works. I should get her home in the next two weeks and looking forward to that. Thanks for everyones help here.
Tony Spicer
Well Known Member
The O-320 in my -3 has conical mounts. It's every bit as smooth as the dynafocal RV-4's at the field. I did spend the big bucks for engine isolators from Van's, but can't say that's what made the difference.
Tony
I should have made myself more clear, LOL. I have a Dynafocal mount on the plane and don't know if it's a 1 or a 2 yet. I don't know anything about the Lycombing engines. If it burned Jet A I would be in good shape.
So my question is?????????? What is a good engine? I would like to get fuel injection, but those numbers and letters after the I0320. What should I look for. For give me if I sound like I don't know what I am doing, but I will soon.
So my question is?????????? What is a good engine? I would like to get fuel injection, but those numbers and letters after the I0320. What should I look for. For give me if I sound like I don't know what I am doing, but I will soon.
