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I've just returned from looking at a Skybolt project and have a couple of questions for the learned panel.
Workmanship looks to be excellent, lots of details, Steen Canopy (uninstalled), electric fuel pump, Zero SMOH C4B5 IO540 with inverted oil. Covered in Ceconite 102. Wings painted, fuselage remains to be painted. All sheet metal formed and prefitted (has been installed) with nut plates, no PK screws. It looks like it will not be a light weight plane, but I might have some influence on that if I purchase the project.
My hesitation is the engine. It was purchased several years ago and never run since the guy bought it (assume it must have been run on a test stand by the rebuilder). Mellinium Cylinders. Issue is it's never been stored with oil in it nor descant plugs and does not seem to turn freely. Outwardly it looks like it came off the workmans bench, but I have trepedations about the inside.
My thought is there might be corrosion so I want to have a mechanic take a look. I assume a prudent thing to do would be to pull a cylinder and take a look down into the case at the crank. My question (having absolutely no experience) is with the use of a borescope, can one look at the crank from a cylinder opening? Without pulling all the jugs, can he put the borescope into each cylinder through the spark plug hole and get an idea of the extent of corrosion? Are there any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance, I'll post other questions in separate threads to keep this tidy.
Best regards,
Brad
Workmanship looks to be excellent, lots of details, Steen Canopy (uninstalled), electric fuel pump, Zero SMOH C4B5 IO540 with inverted oil. Covered in Ceconite 102. Wings painted, fuselage remains to be painted. All sheet metal formed and prefitted (has been installed) with nut plates, no PK screws. It looks like it will not be a light weight plane, but I might have some influence on that if I purchase the project.
My hesitation is the engine. It was purchased several years ago and never run since the guy bought it (assume it must have been run on a test stand by the rebuilder). Mellinium Cylinders. Issue is it's never been stored with oil in it nor descant plugs and does not seem to turn freely. Outwardly it looks like it came off the workmans bench, but I have trepedations about the inside.
My thought is there might be corrosion so I want to have a mechanic take a look. I assume a prudent thing to do would be to pull a cylinder and take a look down into the case at the crank. My question (having absolutely no experience) is with the use of a borescope, can one look at the crank from a cylinder opening? Without pulling all the jugs, can he put the borescope into each cylinder through the spark plug hole and get an idea of the extent of corrosion? Are there any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance, I'll post other questions in separate threads to keep this tidy.
Best regards,
Brad
