---------------------------------------------------------- Pietenpol-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sun 10/16/05: 3 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 12:03 AM - Re: Continental Overhaul (Georgia Peach) 2. 06:42 PM - Re: Continental Overhaul / Low Oil Pressure... (Graham Hansen) 3. 07:09 PM - Re: Continental Overhaul / Low Oil Pressure... (Jeff Boatright) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 12:03:00 AM PST US From: "Georgia Peach" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Continental Overhaul --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Georgia Peach" Jeff: Your problem sounds similar to the problems I had with my A-80. I bought a Pietenpol two years ago from a person (scoundrel) in Georgia. It was advertised as having only 5 hours SMOH during a period from 1998 to 2003. When I got home and was doing the annual, I had to disassemble the engine because of oil pressure issues. There was so much rust in the engine, many of the oil journals were totally clogged up the rust particles. It seems that some of the rust that did manage to flow through the engine seemed to have done a job on many of the internal parts. It looked like someone had taken 80 grit sand paper and gone mad on the crankshaft bearings. I don't have an A&P license but my father does (we overhauled my Lycoming 0-320 E2A 4 years ago) and I felt pretty good about working on this smaller Continental... BUT, the Continental manual has some serious gaps and this overhaul hasn't been anywhere as satisfying/enjoyable as my Lycoming. (The Lycoming manual was really, really good compared to the Continental, but I have to save there are some parts of the Continental manual that are better than the Lycoming book...) I'm probably going to make a DVD to address some of the gaps in the Continental manual (and some of the gaps in an old Continental overhaul film I have.) The overhaul film was made in the early 50s and it has some outstanding features, but whoever spliced the film together did it out of sequence and it's a pain to follow and it doesn't address some issues that inexperienced folks like me need to have, in order to be comfortable with the overhaul process. Feel free to contact me later. I might have this DVD done in about 4 to 6 months... Kind of busy at the moment because I am the caregiver for my dad who is in Hospice care at home. My website is www. sterlingbrooks.tv. Been in the film/video business for a long time. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Boatright" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Continental Overhaul > --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Jeff Boatright > > Sterling, > > Thanks for the information. I checked the Matronics site earlier and did > not see an engines list. I'll look again. > > I may be facing an overhaul on an A65. It starts easily, runs well, > compressions are OK, but after warming up, it only shows 25 psi at 1900 > rpm in cruise. Also, it loses it's prime after sitting for less than a > month. It's less than 300 SMOH, but sat for years. > > Jeff > >>--> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Georgia Peach" >> >> >>The "engine list" is on the Matronics main website. You'll need to >>subscribe, just like you have done for the Pietnpol list. >> >>One of the subscribers sent me an Adobe PDF file (a Continental Teledyne >>Service Bulletin, dated 2-2005) showing nearly all the torque limits for >>every Continental engine made. Are you rebuilding a A-series Continental? >>If so, you'll find some missing information in the original Continental >>Maintenance & Overhaul Manual. >> >>Sterling Brooks >>Knot-2-Shabby Airport >>5TA6, San Antonio Sectional >> >> >>----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Boatright" >>To: >>Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2005 8:47 PM >>Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Continental Overhaul >> >>>--> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Jeff Boatright >>> >>>Where is this engine list? >>> >>>>Problem solved. Thanks to John Heath on the Engine-List. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> > > > ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 06:42:13 PM PST US From: "Graham Hansen" Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Continental Overhaul / Low Oil Pressure... --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Graham Hansen" Jeff, If the oil pressure is ok after starting the engine cold and drops after it warms up, it is possible that bearing clearances are too great and an overhaul may be necessary. Ideally, the oil pressure should go to, say, 30 - 35 psi after starting and stay there even at cruise with a hot engine. At hot idle it may drop off somewhat, but not much, with a healthy engine. The book says 10 psi hot idle minimum but, in my humble opinion, this is pretty low. The A-65 on my Vagabond goes to 35 psi upon startup and stays there, dropping to 30 psi at hot idle on a hot day. I had the crankshaft ground U10. The fit of the new bearings met new parts tolerances. The rear case was in excellent shape and new oil pump gears were installed. After over 340 hours, everything is still the same (Touch wood!). However, you mention that the oil pump loses its prime after a period of idleness. This is often due to a worn oil pump and removal of the rear case will determine the condition of this item. If your luck is better than mine, the oil pump may be the culprit and the rest of your engine will be fine. Sometimes a bit of debris will unseat the oil pressure valve, resulting in low oil pressure. I don't think this is your problem, but it is easy to check, anyway. Your cruise rpm seems low; most A-65's are cruised at about 2150 rpm. Have you checked the accuracy of your tachometer? Good Luck, Graham Hansen (Pietenpol CF-AUN) ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 07:09:20 PM PST US <002501c5d192$1b7fadf0$9865fea9@sterling> <000501c5d201$21c27700$9865fea9@sterling> <000601c5d2bb$e9cb4fa0$f83032cc@CPQ29466173462> From: Jeff Boatright Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Continental Overhaul / Low Oil Pressure... --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Jeff Boatright Graham, Thanks so much for the details commentary. I have not checked any of the gauges for accuracy. That's my next step. If accurate, will check pump. Then finally, the overhaul. Jeff >--> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "Graham Hansen" > >Jeff, > >If the oil pressure is ok after starting the engine cold and drops >after it warms up, it is possible that bearing clearances are too >great and an overhaul may be necessary. Ideally, the oil pressure >should go to, say, 30 - 35 psi after starting and stay there even at >cruise with a hot engine. At hot idle it may drop off somewhat, but >not much, with a healthy engine. The book says 10 psi hot idle >minimum but, in my humble opinion, this is pretty low. The A-65 on >my Vagabond goes to 35 psi upon startup and stays there, dropping to >30 psi at hot idle on a hot day. I had the crankshaft ground U10. >The fit of the new bearings met new parts tolerances. The rear case >was in excellent shape and new oil pump gears were installed. After >over 340 hours, everything is still the same (Touch wood!). > >However, you mention that the oil pump loses its prime after a >period of idleness. This is often due to a worn oil pump and removal >of the rear case will determine the condition of this item. If your >luck is better than mine, the oil pump may be the culprit and the >rest of your engine will be fine. > >Sometimes a bit of debris will unseat the oil pressure valve, >resulting in low oil pressure. I don't think this is your problem, >but it is easy to check, anyway. > >Your cruise rpm seems low; most A-65's are cruised at about 2150 >rpm. Have you checked the accuracy of your tachometer? > >Good Luck, > >Graham Hansen (Pietenpol CF-AUN) > >