REFLECTOR: Engine choice

[NMFlyer1 at aol.com]

I have replied to this topic before, but I have a new chapter in my story. 
 
As I have said before, you must have a very good reason to shy away from the 
recommended engines for aircraft. There can be many reasons ... including "I 
just really want to", "More Power Scotty", "better fuel economy", or all the 
other justifications we builders come up with. 
 
One thing is for sure... It will cost more than you think and it will take 
much longer than following the plans. 
 
In my case, I needed more power to get a canard off the ground at high 
density altitude safely.  I also wanted to :) 
 
Recently I posted that I got my 340 HP Aluminum V-6 running in my velocity. I 
also posted that it was running rich and that I had an odd problem of the oil 
filter cannot getting warm. It is a damn good thing that I followed my 
instinct.. thinking that something was just not right. 
 
Long story somewhat shorter:  I discovered that the machine shop that 
assembled the short block after balancing the engine, had left out a critical oil 
galley plug.  The one that forces the oil to go thru the filter!  
So.. When you started the engine.. It would fill the filter can with cool oil 
... then effectively hydrolock it so that warmer oil would not flow thru the 
filter. 
 
As bad as that is .. it gets worse. Somehow, my crankshaft counterweights 
were very lightly scraping the side of the pan ... you guessed it ... shaving off 
little pieces of metal. Since the filter was out of the loop.. it sent that 
metal EVERYWHERE. 
 
The bearings that I looked at are toast and I can tell the crank needs to be 
polished. Hopefully it isn't much worse than that. 
 
The machine shop that did the work is now defunct so I'm out on that as well. 
Overall though I have mixed feelings.  Between being pissed... I'm very glad 
I found this out on the ground! I can tell from the progression of the 
bearings that the engine would have probably lasted until it was in the air... but 
not a whole lot longer. 
 
Another point here is... If I didn't have a whole lot of experience building 
engines, I may not have noticed this anomaly on the ground... and that would 
have been ugly. 
 
As it sits now.. I'm on my way out to the hangar to finish disassembling the 
engine so I can get it to a new shop tomorrow. I'll have it completely 
cleaned, checked, and have new cam bearings and that missing plug installed. Then I 
will put in the rest as I reassemble it. Then I will KNOW it is done right. 
 
I believe this whole escapade will only cost me about 10 more days and a few 
hundred bucks, but the piece of mind will be priceless. 
 
I know people have had "not good" experiences with LYC and CONT engine 
suppliers as well. So... Get some extra input and go with your gut. It might just 
pay off in the end. 
 
 Kurt Winker
173 FGE
 
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