I’d heard about engine work in passing from conversations between my dad and friends or with my childhood friend.
Removing cylinders to get honed or chromed if they need more work was not really on my radar.
The Bonanza was a part of my life from day one, she had gotten an engine overhaul while I had gotten braces put on as a kid. Can still remember Dad grumbling and sweating about that…..
Talking over options with the aircraft restorer, it was going to take two things to fix this – time and money. Depending on the condition of the cylinders and the engine overall would determine both.
Previous work had been done at Poplar Grove Airmotive in Belvidere, IL. They are a reputable maintenance facility we both know well.
The low time on the engine since overhaul was more than a bit annoying as I was not emotionally able to fly the airplane as intended.
However, with what we had to do to the tail, perhaps it is a blessing that it was not flown more.
The ultimate catch-22.
I am now at a time and place in my life where the airplane can be taken care of properly, thanks to the support and encouragement surrounding me.
As the cylinders are removed, we will know which direction to take.
The options as they have been discussed are as follows:
- Top overhaul – remove cylinders and rework. Honing would be the least invasive, depending on the amount of pitting in place would then go to oversizing and chroming to replace the thickness of the cylinder walls.
- Refresh – removing the engine, splitting the case and performing a detailed inspection of the engine internals with the replacement of necessary parts.
- Overhaul – as above, the engine is removed and restored to the manufacturers’ new specifications for all areas.
If an engine shop, such as Poplar Grove, does the work, they also have a test stand they can run the engine on as indicated by the manufacturer before installing on the airplane.
If the work is done in the field, the engine break-in must be performed by flying the airplane differently than usual.
As has been the case with how this has gone so far, things will be different than we think they will turn out.
I am starting to think about how and when the Bonanza and I will fly again – looking forward to finding new places to eat and exploring more areas than I had seen before.
Both her and I need to fly, to spread our wings (pun intended).
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