Warbird Information Exchange

Yabut...where is this crap going? It better be greatly diluted in order to get it out of the case, no? Be careful my friend, you don't want to get bit.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

That is an excellent point. The rings aren't a big deal in the grand scheme of things and would probably sort themselves out eventually (a valid consideration though) but plug a passageway and starve a bearing or something and...

Methinks a 'bulk strip' now might save lots of heartache later. Clean up the cylinders etc and check that master-rod bearing. Also seals etc may not be good either. Don't risk it....

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I'll second that motion! Ive had the displeasure of a stripping a Merlin that lasted about 10 mins in the air before the oil pressure started dropping. This engine was straight out of a can and had been fitted to an aeroplane. (no finger pointing) Congealed inhibitor had blocked the centre main bearing oil passage, causing the bearing to sieze on the crankshaft and turned the crank journal blue. Trashed the engine

I'm thinking at the least, pull the jugs, get a good look inside and flush it out.

I've got a new W-670 sitting on the floor right now with five hours on the test stand. Last summer while working on another one I pulled the scavenge screen and found it full of silicone from some home-made gasket(s). To say I was choked is an understatement. This spring it'll be going to our local engine shop for a complete teardown and I'm really hoping nothing got ruined on the test stand.

I hate that crap.

Wow! the kinda things I've mentioned before in my previous thread.
"A screw driver found in an engine?" Oil holes plugged from preservative?
So what kinda stuff were they using for preservative?
I would think if an aircraft engine sat for more than 4 years without running, it should be overhauled before letting it fly. Unless it was very well monitered during storage. Did it have any desicant plugs in it?
What kind of precautions are you taking before you tried to rotate the crankshaft? Does this engine have logs? You have no way of knowing for sure what the real history is on this engine since it is from another country. If it is to be an airworthy engine it needs the overhaul for a clean bill of health. Maybe it is like you say, and the preservative that is causing it, then again maybe it is not. I would say someone used the wrong stuff. Read what the guy said about the Merlin burning up a bearing due to a plugged oil hole.
Which ever way you go it could cost some big bucks.

I think that I would look at the opportunity of having a "canned" motor as one great collection of virgin parts but it would only pass the test if I took it apart and built a fresh unit out of it. Too many questions that if left unattended, could mean a drop from the sky.

My passion is warbirds but my background is Indy. We had the same consequences but while on terra firma. There is only one way to do the job right and be confident that the result is perfect.

Good luck on this one and be very careful.

Regards,
Scott

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Well of course you're right. What's the history of the engine? What are you going to do with it? Ultimately, if it's going to fly, you have to do a complete teardown and rebuild. Anything less would be stupid. I've flown behind too much marginal equipment that so called experts said was fine. And then had had things go south. So, do the right thing and bite the bullet. As the oil filter guy says, "pay me now, or pay me later.' Depending upon skill and luck (much, much luck in my experience) you can get away with it. Or not.

Although the 1830's anvil-like durability is the stuff of legend, it sounds to me like an engine full of dried up crud would be best served by a teardown to clean it out.
I wouldn't want to take a chance either of this goop migrating somewhere else to cause another problem. Be a shame to trash a good engine because a big booger of cosmoline went where it wasn't welcome.

Canso42.

Spookyboss,
You've seen some of our engines... We have 2 "Rocks in the box", one boat anchor, one 1200 lb. paper weight and one with lots of missing parts that are in an Illinois lake, compliments of JRS. In addition, our props look like pretzels. "Those were the days".

On a serious note, it seems like the engine may have been filled with something like LPS-3. When that stuff sets up it's almost like cement. 100LL, like we discussed seems to cut it. JF

Spookyboss,
You've seen some of our engines... We have 2 "Rocks in the box", one boat anchor, one 1200 lb. paper weight and one with lots of missing parts that are in an Illinois lake, compliments of JRS. In addition, our props look like pretzels. "Those were the days".

On a serious note, it seems like the engine may have been filled with something like LPS-3. When that stuff sets up it's almost like cement. 100LL, like we discussed seems to cut it. JF

Are you sure it's not 350 hours and a bent rod?

I think it's trying to tell you something so you might want to you wake up and listen or you'll be headed for another one of those unnecessary CAF "incidents" !!

"hardened preservative" hmmm...........wouldn't that be considered an oxymoron?

Anybody ( or anybody you know) interested in a 4360 or a well flogged Griffon?

Are you convinced yet to tear down the 1830?

Canso42

I would really think hard about why someone took the time to take a "good" engine off an airplane and put it into a can. Just from the small bit of information this doesn't pass the smell test. Did you purchase this from someone you really trust or was this a "I know someone that knows someone" deal? Regardless I have always been told that anything sitting unused for more than 12 months is supsect regradless of what was done prior to storage and needs to get the seals changed adn bearings checked at a minimum.

It may seem like a lot of money to get her rebuilt but if she is as fresh as you have been told you shouldn't need to purchase antyhing really expensive and you wll know that in the long run it won't end up costing a whole lot more time and money to get it fixed if somehting lets go. Particualy if you are low down flying a show pass or taking off and don't have any margin for error.

No way would I want to take that kind of liabilty msyself, but that is just my humble opinion. Whatever you choose good luck and I hope it works out for you.

Steve S