Lycoming IO-360 A2B

[brian257]

I have a question for the engine gurus. I have an opportunity to buy an IO-360 A2B engine. Looks like it has the forward facing sump so it is what I wanted, but I am not familiar with all the different variations. Looking at Wikipedia list of O-360 variants it says that it has a modified crankshaft to accept a fixed pitch prop. So does that mean it is a solid crank that can't use a constant speed prop or does it just mean it has the plug in the crank that can be removed to accept a constant speed? Anything else I should know about the A2B?

[chevelle000]

The A2B has a fixed pitch propeller that can be converted to a constant speed propeller

[brian257]

So are you saying the crank does have the oil passage and just a plug in it?

[penguin]

Look in an early build manual - it contains a listing of all the engines.
You are concerned about more than the crank. Is there a governor pad? If there is, are the internal gears fitted to drive it? Is the nose of the crankcase drilled to accept an oil fitting? The crank is almost certainly hollow and plugged, but worth checking.

The only show stoppers are probably a solid crank and no hole in the crankcase nose. Both can be fixed, but the cost will likely be too high. The gears in the back can be added, but will be surprisingly expensive. The less that is there the less the engine is worth to you.

If the cost at the end of all the work is more than 70% the price of a new engine, its probably not worth it. Used engines always seem to have something wrong with then 200 hours after being put back into service.
Pete

[James Ball]

I have a copy of the Lycoming certificated engines doc # SSP-110. We used to call it a "same as" manual at ECi because is gives information on similarities between models.
O-360 A2B- Same as a -A2A with straight riser in oil sump and -32 carburetor
O-360-A2A - Same as -A1A but with fixed pitch prop.
O-360-A1A - Controllable prop, 25 degree spark advance, Bendix S54LN-20 and S4LN-21 magnetos
So the engine can be converted to constant speed ( it has a hollow main crankshaft ) with the addition of the governor adapter, gear, oil line and related parts and changing the plug configuration of the crank. It is rated at 150 HP.
For a NEW engine with improvements to the original design of this old engine, a Titan engine by Continental Motors would be a great value.
James Ball (J.B.) Titan Engines

[659JR]

The IO360A2B is also a 200hp angle valve engine! It can be converted to constant speed with the gov off the rear accessory housing.

Jesse
970-874-7575