engine STC

[n3439d]

I am looking into installing a lycoming O-320 engine. who is the current holder of the STC and what is a phone number to contact them.

[GAHorn]

Owners of STC's can be found at http://www.av-info.faa.gov
Phone numbers are usually not listed.
STC number SA135CE covers Lycoming O-320 engines with Hartzell props, and is owned by KWAD Company, 4530 Jettridge Dr. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30327
They also have an STC for the O-360 Lyc. engine, as does Barbara or Bob Williams, Box 431, 213 N. Clark, Udall, KS 67146

[zero.one.victor]

B & B Williams are the folks behind the scenes at Bush Conversions & Avcon Conversions,both of Udall Kansas. From what I've heard,don't send them any money for anything!

Eric

[jim4435B]

I sent off a letter to KWAD at the address listed on the FAA STC page for SA135CE over four weeks ago and have not heard form them. Also talked to the FSDO in Atlanta and haven't heard from them either. Jim

[jim4435B]

It had been a couple of weeks since I had tried the FSDO in Atlanta. Today I got some one that was helpful and she got lucky by finding an Engineer that had knowelge of the recent sale of the KWAD STC to Allen Peterson P.O. 208 Weslaco, TX 78599. They gave me a phone number 888-328-4626 that I called and reached a company named D'Shannon. Talked to Brain who said that the STC had been on the self for over 20 years and the company may make it availible in six to twelve months. If there are others that are interested maybe they should also write or call. (maybe both) they will deside to produce the STC for the O-320. Jim

[zero.one.victor]

I'm curious why you would want to do an O-320 conversion. Unless Lycoming ponies are bigger than Continental ponies,you're only gaining 5 horsepower.That's only about 3-1/2 %. If it's a 160-horse version,that's still only about 10% increase.
I think the 4 cylonder Lycoming engines are as close to bullet-proof as anything in aviation. They seem to go to TBO (or close anyway) more often without top-end work--the Continental's seem to have a problem with that,especially with valve guide wear. Maybe it's a rocker-arm geometry thing? Anybody?
That said,if I were to spend the money for a Lycoming conversion,I'd go with the 360. The engine itself is gonna cost ya a little more,but the other conversion costs (engine mount,baffling,exhaust,cowling mods,STC/paperwork) are probably gonna be about the same and you'll be gaining 24% more horsepower.
NONE of them engine conversions are cheap,I've talked to several; people who've done the O-360 Lyc,the IO-360 Continental,and the 220 Franklin.They've all set the owner back 33-40 thousand,by the time it was all over.
Don't mean to rain on your parade,but there it is.

Eric

[GAHorn]

It had been a couple of weeks since I had tried the FSDO in Atlanta. Today I got some one that was helpful and she got lucky by finding an Engineer that had knowelge of the recent sale of the KWAD STC to Allen Peterson P.O. 208 Weslaco, TX 78599. They gave me a phone number 888-328-4626 that I called and reached a company named D'Shannon. Talked to Brain who said that the STC had been on the self for over 20 years and the company may make it availible in six to twelve months. If there are others that are interested maybe they should also write or call. (maybe both) they will deside to produce the STC for the O-320. Jim

I've got personal experiences with the Alan Petersen/D'Shannon group in So. Tx. They're bad news. Brian (who you talked to is a good guy, but the owner, Petersen is a rich guy who just plays with this airplane stuff when he's bored. He has a really trashy shop (in Progresso actually, about 10 south of Weslaco) mostly surrounded by junk 18-wheelers. Warranty work (which you almost assuredly will need due to their temporary-worker policies) will be difficult to obtain, and you'll have to get your plane all the way back down to So. Tx for. They do a lot of "Beryl D'Shannon window and other conversions for Beechcraft's, and that's how I met them, my close buddy Bob met them, and the subsequent owner of my Baron met them. Getting them to stand behind their faulty work has been a costly nightmare. New mods they started for Bob's Debonair have never been completed after 3 years. They claim they "just haven't had the time" to finish obtaining STC approvals for work they've already done imperfectly on his plane. Nuff said?

[GAHorn]

I'm curious why you would want to do an O-320 conversion. Unless Lycoming ponies are bigger than Continental ponies,you're only gaining 5 horsepower.That's only about 3-1/2 %. If it's a 160-horse version,that's still only about 10% increase.
I think the 4 cylonder Lycoming engines are as close to bullet-proof as anything in aviation. They seem to go to TBO (or close anyway) more often without top-end work--the Continental's seem to have a problem with that,especially with valve guide wear. Maybe it's a rocker-arm geometry thing? Anybody?
That said,if I were to spend the money for a Lycoming conversion,I'd go with the 360. The engine itself is gonna cost ya a little more,but the other conversion costs (engine mount,baffling,exhaust,cowling mods,STC/paperwork) are probably gonna be about the same and you'll be gaining 24% more horsepower.
NONE of them engine conversions are cheap,I've talked to several; people who've done the O-360 Lyc,the IO-360 Continental,and the 220 Franklin.They've all set the owner back 33-40 thousand,by the time it was all over.
Don't mean to rain on your parade,but there it is.

Eric

My experience with Lycomings has been somewhat different. They claim high TBO's but they only get there IF you do mid-life top overhauls. Continentals have lower TBO's but they are much more realistic and more likely to need fewer repairs to make that TBO. An excellent treatise on the fictitious Lycoming durability legend is found at:
http://www.prime-mover.org/Engines/Marvel/tbo3.html
The actual horsepower ratings of engines cannot be depended upon unless ALL the parameters are met. Our C145/O300 engines only get 145 hp at 2700 rpm. When did you ever see that rpm? At takeoff, with our approved props, according to our Type certificates, we are only seeing 2230-2350 rpm or so. That's only about 120 hp, according to the power charts. An engine/prop combination that gets rated rpm will perform better if that hp rating is higher. The Lycoming STC's that use constant speed props get the rpm, so they get the performance. THAT's why they perform better!
The drawback to the 4-cylinder Lycs is the vibration, which causes airframe cracking and other maintenance cost increases (oil cooler cracking, radio failures, etc.) The better engine choices are the 6-cylinder conversions that run smoother like the Continental 360 series, and the Franklins, because you also get constant speed props that let you obtain those hp ratings at takeoff. Their drawbacks are cost of the conversion, and the loss of range due to higher fuel consumption, and loss of useful load due to heavier empty weights.

[c170b53]

Well I'm trying to do the impossible , I have this modification STC135c 160hp C/S that I removed from one aircraft and I'm now installing it into another. I too did the run around with Al and the boys , all I wanted was info and paperwork of which I was willing to pay for. I received little in return for my efforts.
As for the reason, the 0-320 is easily obtained and has an overall lower cost to maintain with a greater degree of reliability. If I could find an 0360a4m, I'd go with Harry Dicklers kit, but the RV horde has scooped all the 0360’s or at least made core prices of 10k seem acceptable .I should be complete this fall and hope its worth the effort. Should anyone wish to know more about this mod just email me.
This situation does point out a hazard about modifying your aircraft Even if a product has an STC , it doesn't mean that there will be any support or assistance from either the company that owns the STC or the FAA in terms of technical information

[Watkinsnv]

I just purchased a first time runout Lyc O360 A1A, C/S prop and engine mount from a C-175. I all ready have the STC from Harry Dellicker - Del Air 1-559-784-9440. I looked for 5 months and saw some good deals on the internet. I am tracking the crated boxs across the country. The owner bought the C175 with all the parts needing assy. He intends to put on a Cont O-470 and pull banners at Nascar races. So the engine went from Texas to NC and then turned around and is headed for NV. Does anyone know if the C175 Avcon engine mount is the same as one on a C170. The engine mount, STC and exhaust will be for sale. Lance Watkins

[C170Driver]

The engine mount for the 175 and the 170 are different. The 175 has a "step" in the firewall that means the lower mounts attach to the firewal a few inches forward of the top mounts.