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320 vs. 360 engine/performance

B

bt3vex

Member
I have a lead on getting a screaming deal on a 320 150hp lycoming. However, i live in Montana and worry about performance on a hot day in the mountains. I know if i go with a 180 to 200 hp engine i will not have any issues, but this deal on this engine is not to be overlooked and hey lets be honest we all don't have 20k on hand for a new engine.

So what I am looking for is people who have 320 150hp engine, what your performance is, cons, pros. Or should i just stay away from it all together.

Thanks
 
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engine choices

are you going to put it in a TriPacer?
If you run 150 horse in an RV.... they get off pretty well, even at high altitudes.
 
Screaming deals should not be overlooked...might be perfect.

You'll lose some climb performance and a bit of cruise, look at Vans Performance specs.
You can gain some climb back by using a Constant speed prop. but it comes with a price and weight too.

with my 360, I only felt underpowered once. Coming back from OSH 2012 in Mobridge SD 98*F at 1pm Gross weight fully maxed out. I was still climbing over 1200fpm.....working good just seemed poor when I normally fly around with 1/2 tanks and solo.
 
I have no point of comparison, but Mike Seagers RV7 used for training is a 320. I was surprised at how fast it accelerated to rotation and only to find it was a 320 near the end of training. It did not feel underpowered at all. Of course that is as a new RV pilot experience, not quantified.

Just a novice experience.
 
My RV6 is a 160hp O-320. Takeoff from Johnson Creek with my camping gear aboard, solo and less than half fuel was about the same as my old Cherokee 140 with 3 people aboard on a hot summer Texas day. 160hp gives ample performance when solo, or even full of camping gear from Texas to Oshkosh where I'm at right now, but in the mountains or with two aboard plus some baggage the O-320 is definitely lacking in climb power IMHO.
 
I have an IO-320 160 HP with a 2 blade Catto prop in my RV-8. If you build it light and match the right prop to your operational environment, a 320 will provide good performance. I went with a 320 because I was able to get a very economical deal on it. I do not regret it. I just came back from my first trip to Osh in this acft and I am very impressed with the performance and fuel burn for an IO-320.
 
If you choose not to take the screaming deal, please share it with your forum buddies :)
 
Neal@F14 said:
My RV6 is a 160hp O-320. Takeoff from Johnson Creek with my camping gear aboard, solo and less than half fuel was about the same as my old Cherokee 140 with 3 people aboard on a hot summer Texas day. 160hp gives ample performance when solo, or even full of camping gear from Texas to Oshkosh where I'm at right now, but in the mountains or with two aboard plus some baggage the O-320 is definitely lacking in climb power IMHO.
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I agree. However, a c/s prop can really change the equation. So, to the OP, I'd either find a C/S prop to go with the O-320 or pass on it for your intended mission.
 
Doesn't have to be the forever engine

Fuel injection, a 3 blade Catto and weight management and you'll be fine.

I fly a stock Cherokee 140 powered by a mid-time O-320 with a gross weight of 2150 lbs. On a hot day with two adults, full tanks and a < 2700 foot runway, I take off with 10 degrees of flaps until above the trees and at best climb speed and it does climbs slowly (< 500 ft/min).

Your max gross will be 1800 (or is it 1850?). At that weight, my Cherokee, with way more drag, does fine but I've not flown at the elevations where you are located.

If it gets you in the air sooner, why not? Upgrade to a 180/200 down the road after flying and saving money on fuel in the process. Maybe another great deal will show itself.
 
Lyc power charts tell a story

My two cents;
a low comp 150 hp can burn auto gas.
at top overhaul time, you can bump to 160 hp, avgas.

at takeoff, you will likely be making about 85 hp at 2150 rpm....less in heat & at density altitude, so the argument for a C/S or ground adjustable for summer ops can't be dismissed.

and the screamin' deal ???.....it would be a shame if you found that the sump was wrong, and the fuel pump just didn't, and the mags were tired, and the carb sucked air, and the induction tubes too, and one valve was sticky, one or two lord mounts were toast....etc. etc. so factor those possibilities into 'the deal'. :)

I have a 150 F/P and like it light & simple.
would I like more power? :rolleyes:
 
Thanks Perry, I am being cautious of this deal. Here is what it is.
Its a 0 time Major overhaul, and has yellowtags. Which i know still could prove an issue. However its been sitting since 2001, the owner said i can come over and send a scope down it, or he would tear it down and send pics of crankshaft for me, which is a big concern for me. I would change the mags to a electronic ignition.
 
bt3vex said:
However its been sitting since 2001,
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I would pass on that one. Too many better engine deals out there with much less risk.

It has been my experience that engines are a "pay me now or pay me later" deal. The inexpensive ones will need $$$$'s soon but the more expensive ones will give you much longer service without major $$$$'s. Fly the engine for a few years and it will end up costing you about the same regardless of initial price.
 
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It's all about the possibility of corrosion, at this point. If properly pickled, it should be fine. Borescope and/or pull one cylinder at a time to inspect. Take a knowledgeable person along.

If it is selling for around core value (6 to 8k), I don't see much of a down side but it could still exist.
 
Let me suggest you picking up the 320 with this great price, then reselling it.
Keep the 2,4,6 thousand you'll gain on the flip and put it toward your newer 360.
Just putting it out there.
 
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I bought a similar 0-320 (160hp) for my 6a. I ended up replacing the rings and found no corrosion. I bolted an aluminum fixed pitch prop on it. I've never gotten the climb performance others talk about, but cruise performance is pretty good. No engine problems after 360 hrs on my plane. I'm fantasizing about a CS prop. It's a definite risk, but I'd do it again, but with a different prop. John
 
The possibility of cam and or lifter corrosion in a Lyc that's been sitting unflown for years is a real concern.

Also a CS prop on a 320 engine is a game changer. That really helps a great deal on a 320 equipped RV over a fixed pitch or even a ground adjustable prop.
 
My RV7 has 180+Hp and a CS prop. The RV8 I am building is getting an IO-375 and CS prop. You can figure out what I think. Someone else nearby just took the fixed pitch prop off his RV7 and installed a CS.

Assuming it is a good engine, the O-320 is a screaming deal because no one wants them. We have a guy not far from here with an overhauled one. He can't get $10k for it. There are plenty of other deals around. Look for someone who is pulling an O-360-A4M off an Archer.
 
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Pat Stewart said:
Dont let temptation get you, it's like putting a stock 350 Chevy engine in a corvette.

My 2 cents
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Well said. A 360 will cost more, bring more when you sell the plane and you will enjoy it more? However many owners are please as punch with their 320. Go for a ride in both and decide?
Larry
 
rwtalbot said:
My RV7 has 180+Hp and a CS prop. The RV8 I am building is getting an IO-375 and CS prop. You can figure out what I think. Someone else nearby just took the fixed pitch prop off his RV7 and installed a CS.

Assuming it is a good engine, the O-320 is a screaming deal because no one wants them. We have a guy not far from here with an overhauled one. He can't get $10k for it. There are plenty of other deals around. Look for someone who is pulling an O-360-A4M off an Archer.
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Be aware the O-360-A4M has a solid crank.
 
Neal@F14 said:
The possibility of cam and or lifter corrosion in a Lyc that's been sitting unflown for years is a real concern.
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Certainly a concern, but not a certainty. I recently bought an O-360 that had not run since the mid 1990s and was not preserved in any way. Internal parts were spotless, nothing inside the crankcase needed to be replaced. The exhaust ports were eroded from use, but the cylinder bores and rings were fine.

So check it out, but don't rule it out.
 
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