Okay, I just put my ECI kit together here's my experience.
I am an A&P and 20 years ago I put an engine together in A&P school. Truth is, that's about the level of experience most A&P's have with the bottom end of a Lycoming. Most of my A&P experience is with jets. I felt confident putting the engine together myself.
Right away and right out of the box, I had my first problems. NO PAINT, ugh!! There's nothing I hate more in life than painting. Okay no big deal I'll paint it up. Uh, which type, do you prime, etc. I got some high temp primer from Auto/Aviation Zone. It went on great. (i should have stopped there). I primed the bosses under the bolt heads with the idea that I would then mask them so that I didn't top coat them (it can affect torque). Uh, guess what I forgot to do.
I ordered some Plasti-cote paint (couldn't find it locally). The Lyc manual says to "use one coat" Yeah right. Engine paint flows and covers like water. It took 2 coats just to make it non-transparent. Then of course, I ran out so I went and bought some Rustoluem that I could find locally. Of course the color what different, but I painted it anyway. Then I realized I painted the bold head bosses. arghh!! Not a big deal, but I had to remove all that. In the end, my paint job is a 2 out of 5. (there's no chance I am painting my own plane)
Okay, so then the next challenge. The Lycoming manual is 30 years old and many part numbers have been super-ceded. Thanks to Radomir, I was able to figure out that the cylinder valve spring lower retainers are the same (previously different part numbers). The cylinder's don't come with the valves installed. The guides are there, but you have to install the valves and springs. That went okay, kind of a pain, but not a big deal. At least I thought.
Here's where the fun began, I started on the bottom end. Marked my main bearing with a pencil line to make sure that it was clocked right when you join the cases. No problem right, friggen disaster strikes. I put the cases together, hand tighten the bolts, the crank wont turn, what. Pull it apart, the bearing moved just a fraction, but just enough to put a mark on it from the oil pins. *&%%$. So now its 2pm, my case is all set to go together, sealant applied, oiled, lubed. Oh and a bad bearing. I call Poplar Grove Airmotive, yeah they have one in stock. $111. 75 miles later I arrive there only to find out that they come as a set so yep $111 magically becomes $222.
Well the engines together now. And I am glad for that. Would I do it again YES! Only because I just did it. If I know what a pain it would be, uh NO!
As far as the chemicals you need, good luck! Lycoming manual says "use the oil from an eel from the kyabunga river" "or equivalent" Talk to 2 engine mechanics and you'll get 6 opinions. A photo of what I used is in my build log.
Make sure you get the Superior Overhaul Manual. It's great. I think I got that the day after I finished.
The good thing now is that, I will have no problem overhauling the engine. Any I will also be able to "zero" time it (re-manufacture it).
