Urgent Engine advice needed

Hi

I am looking at a RV6A with a Lycoming O-320-H2AD. Engine has est. TT 2400 SMOH 296.5, removed from a plane, had 100 hrs service completed, bench run and then prepared and detailed for shipping by Shilon Aviation Centre in 2008. New owner fitted it with Ly-Com Cylinders and 10.5:1 Comp Ratio and completed 150 hrs in the RV6. Not sure at this time if the crank is hollow type but it has fixed pitch prop fitted.

What are the Gotchas with this engine type - should i worry about the TT hrs and i believe there is something to do with Dual Mag types and certain spark plugs

Sound advice need to establish purchase of the plane or not.

Thanks
Bryan

The original H engines had cam/lifter spalling issues.
Does this engine have the 'T' mod? Does it use Cam guard? Does it run regularly? If all three answers are yes it should be okay.
I'm not a big fan of going to higher compression cylinders than stock, unless you really are an experimental engine guy.

Bob - To be honest i need to find out and not sure if the current owner will know...

Plane has been flying since 2011 and only done 150 wish hrs so i would say its not really flown regularly...

Should i just rather walk away from this and not enter into a possible maintenance nightmare. The compression issue at this stage is perhaps the least of my concerns..

Of course I cannot answer your question. I'd say you should find out all you can about the airplane; read all you can about the H engine; and ask if the price you're paying is fair, knowing what you know (or don't know but wish you did).

With the T mod and CamGuard, it is a good engine.

The fuel pump is mounted on the front of the engine. This will mean you will have you put a bump on the top of your cowl to clear it. That or use electric fuel pumps, as others have done.

I have one in my -4

Bryan,
I am running an H2AD in my -4. I re-built my engine from a run out core removed from a 172, and have nothing but good to say about it..I run it hard and often... I am close by you, based at 8A7 just south of Winston-Salem. Feel free to PM me and we can chat. I can fill you in on the differences from the other O-320 series engines.

H2AD

Not all of them have an engine driven fuel pump. If not,some folks install two electric pumps which might be a negative.

Another downside is that when it is time for you to sell, these same questions will come up again in the next buyer's mind and some will automatically rule out your plane because of it. The price would be discounted from an RV with a more typical engine.

I got good service from mine.

They are all fixed pitch engines; no provision for a prop gov.

The engine has the fuel pump mounted in the front but somehow the guy has managed to not need to mod the cowl.

I welcome all the feedback and realize that there are as many happy H2AD owners as there are ones whom are not. Also the more its used the less the issue with them.

Any A&P I have spoken to has said "if you have the choice - don't go there". They are not expected to get to TBO hrs and its not a matter of if but a matter of when those bits of metal appear in the Oil filter analysis. I do not know what a rebuild cost is either for cam and followers.... maybe someone can help with that rough cost estimate??

Due to not having any of the engines first 2400 hrs life history there is no data to say that the T mod has / has not been done.

Vern - yes the re-sale value really concerns me

The T mod is usually shown by a "-76T" on the data plate.

My philosophy is that you probably won't get lifter spalling if you don't get corrosion on the cam and lifters. You won't get corrosion if the engine oil is kept fresh and the engine is kept dry.

Every time I come back from flying, I blow the moisture out of the engine (an H2AD) with an air-mattress pump and hook up a homemade engine dehydrator. Do a google images search for "engine dehydrator" for how to make one.

I was not crazy about the dual mag so I use dual EIs.

Kent

Can you advise details of the Optional Mag you fitted (EI's)

Thanks
Bryan

First I would say don't try and over think it. You say the engine has 2400 hrs TT and about 250 SMOH. Was that the first overhaul? If it was, that means the it went 2150 hours. Not shabby. The dual mag. I don't really like them either, but I have flown 182's and 206's with them and now fly several Navajo"s with them. Never had a issue, so even though, I'm not fond of them they have done well. Use and oil with the Lycoming Addivitive, some camguard or Avblend and fly the plane. Have fun

bryannortje said:

Kent Can you advise details of the Optional Mag you fitted (EI's)

Click to expand...

Not a mag. I like EIs and I had some used Lightspeed EIs so that's what I used but at that time (and still?), Lightspeed did not make a bolt-on crank trigger setup for the H2AD so some fabrication was required. If you go with Lightspeed, PM me your email address and I'll send some pics.

Take a look at Flyefii which seems to have system somewhat easier to install. There may be other systems but I haven't researched them.
http://www.flyefii.com/products/ignition-systems/

When you remove the dual mag and mag gear, an oil pressure port that lubes the mag gear shaft is left uncovered. I fitted piece of 4130 tube to block the port but Flyefii's kit included a dual mag block plate with a nice shaft to do that.

As you said, lots of people are happy with the dual mag but the engine I bought did not come with one.

Others here have played with fitting a single magneto. Search H2AD and magneto here and you'll see the posts.

I have a friend with a 10 yr old RV-6, H2AD and 2 electric fuel pumps. He is happy.

T mod and lifters

I have an H2 in my soon to be flying 9A. If there's concern over lifters and the cam, they can easily be checked by pulling the pushrods tubes and looking at them. It's one of those things you can do with an H2 engine you can't with others.

Rick