alpinelakespilot2000
Well Known Member
My 300-hr Aerosport Power 0-320 has a fair amount of black paint flaking off all four of the barrels, particularly on the flange that connects to the case. Is this common, normal, OK?
Well, I see it a lot......does that make it normal?
A 3 mil layer of coating like Corrosion X is less of an insulator than 10 mils of rust! Not to mention stopping the corrosion damage. Myth busted. I'm with you Robert. Steel parts get some protective coating on my plane when/if the paint fails.Yes, if it is a factory engine they paint it after it is assembled. You are correct in, if you paint it as you go together with it, you want the flanges clean with no paint on the mating surfaces. It's not in the book, but you may want to hit that rust with a little corrosion-X from time to time. Most will rightfully tell you anything you put on the surface will change the heat exchange rate, but "I" have had good luck if this is not over done with my rust buckets.
Yours, R.E.A. III #80888
Thanks Steve. As noted above that was one of my initial concerns. Having said that, I can't imagine Aerosport Power would have installed it with paint on the mating surfaces, but might be worth a call to confirm.Seems to me there was a Lycoming SB to verify that there is not paint under the cylinder bolts. If the paint flakes away under the bolt, the torque values are lost and could cause a cylinder to loosen.
In one case I know of, this happened and caused a loose cylinder and a couple of broken studs.
So, it could possibly be a big deal.........depending on where the paint is.
YMMV