Saga continues on a local Apache G model.

Left engine that was 2500 since new never overhauled or off the wing since 1961
Right engine 2000 since overhaul in early 80s

Right engine swallowed a valve and made metal through the engine. Pilot called me and said it would not idle right and was showing high MP to taxi. Rough. He tried to take off again but it would not accept throttle enough to go.

It is at a field with a shop so I went over to look. They pulled it in and no compression on one cylinder.

So mechanic said he would pull the cylinder to look.

They pulled it and found metal. I didn't hear much after that.

The IA and owner found another early Apache that had been tied out at another airport for many years and bought it. Harvested the engines. Pulled the cylinders to look. Cleaned them and painted. Replaced the accessories with the ones from the removed engines and installed.
At least it has the right carbs for 160hp now.

I found out about this so I called and asked. Are they 160hp? IA said Yes it was upgraded.

So I stopped by a few weeks later to see and engines were installed but they are narrow deck O-320A2A. The logs have a single entry saying "Overhauled and upgraded to 160hp". in 1998 but no model change and no cylinder base plates.

Sooo after the test flight on shut down the right prop feathers itself. I heard from the guy who flew it now the left prop does the same but right was ok. He had no clue about the engines being wrong. I think they are sludged up from lack of oil changes. I did see one propeller the dome had come loose and they were trying to tighten it. (compact no AD props). Same oil coolers, governors and props on engine that made metal and the other that had long times between oil changes (100hrs usually).

TCDS does not allow the A2A on this late S/N Apache. Plus it's modified wrong anyway.
Owner is thrilled he got "New engines cheap".

Entry in photo below is all each log had. He said there were no other tags or paperwork in the donor airplanes logs. The engine serial numbers at the beginning of these logs are whited out and new ones written in... Anyone know who Pro Aero Aviation is or if there was ever an STC for a narrow deck O-320 without fish plates.

what do the engine logs say ?

I am replacing damaged (removed) Metco tip tanks on my Aztec D model, and I’m looking for diagram/parts list for the connector, check valve, T coupling etc that attaches from the tank to the outboard main.

Sadly the photo is all they had for an entry in each engine log. No overhaul entry or info from an engine shop at all. Nothing in airframe log.

The best I can guess is in 1998 the mechanic removed the engines and installed another set. But he did not have engine logbooks so he whited out the serial number at the beginning of each old engine logbook and then wrote in a new one. And put that entry in each log with the serial number.

After that they have normal oil changes for about 500 hrs then the donor airplane sat outside for 15 years. Cylinder bases have corrosion pitting from bird droppings. With current install the engines were repainted.

Unless there is an obscure STC that I haven’t heard of I don’t think there is a legal avenue to convert a 150HP O320 with short studs and no cylinder base plates without changing all of the case studs and through bolts and adding the plates. Someone probably just replaced the pistons and swapped to a -3 carb.

I have a 160HP with 320 SMOH by a good shop from an Apache if needed.

there is no STC to convert a narrow deck 150 hp engine to 160 hp.

That said, the experimental crowd does it by changing the pistons only. They don't change the cylinder base studs to accommodate the hold down plates used on the 160 HP cylinders.

I have the original patterns/ dies that Kevin mead sent for the baffle seals

Pa23-250

Pa23-250T

Ams3320 .093

Red

Blue

Black

All talc free

Since 1993 I have done a few

On a Turbo E model de iced and with appropriate avionics could the vacuum pumps and systems be removed.?

What a great thread! I’m printing it all out for future reference.

Thank You!

Those pump(s) run the boots.

Those pump(s) run the boots.

so its been de de ice'd

Sadly the photo is all they had for an entry in each engine log. No overhaul entry or info from an engine shop at all. Nothing in airframe log.

The best I can guess is in 1998 the mechanic removed the engines and installed another set. But he did not have engine logbooks so he whited out the serial number at the beginning of each old engine logbook and then wrote in a new one. And put that entry in each log with the serial number.

After that they have normal oil changes for about 500 hrs then the donor airplane sat outside for 15 years. Cylinder bases have corrosion pitting from bird droppings. With current install the engines were repainted.

A -150 Apache (early S/N) to 160 hp engines is a field approval of which I am undergoing now as we speak. This has been done before by others, (I have a B2A and B3B engines). The field approval process has stalled due to the AFMS written by my DER being at the Atlanta ACO and them just not doing anything. Anyone have any contacts at the Atlanta ACO? My Apache has the appropriate fairings and all 160 modifications

The general solution to the atlanta fsdo is to take your plane somewhere else.

Well, problem is the ACO, not so much the FSDO. The ACO are the only ones who can do an engineering concurrence on a flight manual supplement. Unfortunately I am on the east coast, so that’s the ACO I have to deal with.