New Owner Rant

[blueldr]

Iceman07,
I think you're in the market for a donut cushion if you expect to be comfortable when sitting down to dinner.

[kog]

I'm doing an owner assist annual on my first airplane right now. I'm doing it early as I don't trust what I've found in the craft, log books or responses from the previous owners and A&P. I've owned my first plane; a 170B, 3166A for just about 9 months now. I've been in constant contact with my A&P since my first landing after flying home from picking up the plane. I didn't know these guys before buying the aircraft but we've developed quite a relationship since then and I'm learning more and more about aircraft in general and 3166A specifically. My point is that these guys have bent over backwards to both inform me and help me understand the intricacies of airplane repair and and maintenance. In working on my 170, I've bumped into "overlooked" maintenance items, AD's and poor choices on repair. Some they point out, some I've found. I feel that when my OH commences; we will have discussed the options, the timing, the costs, the usual sticking points, the odd cases and the crazy cases enough that I won't face many surprises with either overhaul or engine change. My suggestion is to find an A&P of similar ilk.

[GAHorn]

...1) I don't have any issue at all paying Penn Yann for the work that they have already done. I do have a problem with paying them for parts that they have ordered BEFORE they did the magnaflux of the crank. .....

So a little update for ya'll:

Penn Yan still has the engine, they have the new crank, and have started to put the bottom end together.

I called them this morning, and appreantly, there are some parts on back-order from Continintal, and they have no idea whatsover when they might be done.

Three months into the OH, and they still don't have the foggiest idea when it will be done.

I guess this is the first 0-300A in history to have a complete OH.

I guess it would have been nice if they'd ordered the parts they'd need for an overhaul early in the game so they'd already have them on-hand when the crank came in, heh?

[hilltop170]

For anyone about to overhaul a C-145 or an O-300-D Continental, there is an engine overhauler here in Alaska who knows them intimately and does impeccable overhauls.

He is resistant to overhaul them though, because they are so expensive to do correctly, what with crankshaft and oil pans so hard to come by, not to mention oil pump gears and case/housing repairs. He charged me $6000 for his labor and charges his cost on parts. He does not mark them up and makes his money only on labor.

He will not skrimp on anything and will repair or knows who will repair everything on the engine. He finds the best deals on parts and you can help in the search if you desire. He does not leave the owner in the dark on anything and discusses plans and options available. It took almost 6 months from start to finish on my engine mostly due to outside work but also from some backordered parts no one could foresee.

He is the opposite of what I'm reading on this thread. If anybody is interested, PM me and I'll give you his contact info.