Lycoming Crank Nose Plugs?

[jsharkey]

I have a new YO-360-A1A experimental bought through Van's.
It has an updraft carb and a fixed pitch prop.

Do I need to do anything with the the plugs in the nose of the crank or is it good to go as received. It came with a Lycoming Service Bulletin covering the steps needed to switch from FP to CS and vice versa.

It has a blanked off rear governor mount and the oil pipe running forward from that to the front crank bearing. The plug at the tip of the crank is intact and I have no way of knowing the state of the next plug back unless I remove the foremost one which I am reluctant to do if I don't have to.

I had assumed that the engine is shipped in one state or the other, i.e. FP or CS and that you only have to take action to change from one to the other - but I have a niggling doubt that this might not be the case.

What can go wrong if I don't get this right?

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Almost there!

[Mel]

If the supplier states that it is indeed set up for F/P and you trust them, then you should be OK.
Personally I would pull the front plug and verify that the rear plug is either gone of punctured. It is very cheap to replace the front plug for peace of mind. Most I have seen come with both plugs intact. If you run with both plugs intact, you can expect to blow the front seal in about 70-80 hours. I have also seen this happen more than once.
My motto is trust but verify!
BTW, most C/S engines are shipped with both plugs installed to minimize leakage during shipping.

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by Mel

If the supplier states that it is indeed set up for F/P and you trust them, then you should be OK.
Personally I would pull the front plug and verify that the rear plug is either gone of punctured. It is very cheap to replace the front plug for peace of mind. I have seen many that came with both plugs intact. If you run with both plugs intact, you can expect to blow the front seal in about 70-80 hours. I have also seen this happen more than once.
My motto is trust but verify!
BTW, most C/S engines are shipped with both plugs installed to minimize leakage during shipping.

...from the blanking plate to the front port is installed, could the crank plugs be set up for CS operation, but be OK for FP operation due to the bypass channels in the rear governor blanking plate?

I thought that the "true" FP engines were shipped without the oil pipe even installed.

Check with your supplier, you should be good to go for FP, and an easy switch to CS in the future by adding the prop and a governor - in effect, the best of both worlds....

UPDATE - more details within this previous posting....

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ht=cover+plate

Don't punch any plugs if you don't have to...

[jsharkey]

Any way to tell if the governor blanking plate has the bypass slot without removing it? e.g. part marking

How do you remove the front plug without causing damage?

Where can I get a new front plug? - update $4.50 from Van's

How do you successfully replace the front plug? Tapping it in using a big socket as a drift comes to mind.

How difficult is it to replace the rear plug if it is pierced and you want to revert to CS?

Jim Sharkey

[Chappyd]

Removing is easy, I got the method I used from Brantel on these forums. Put the ball end of a ball peen hammer on the plug. Give it a good rap with another hammer. Put a magnet on it and pull it out. I admit I was very skeptical, but it worked like a charm!

[jsharkey]

Originally Posted by az_gila

...from the blanking plate to the front port is installed, could the crank plugs be set up for CS operation, but be OK for FP operation due to the bypass channels in the rear governor blanking plate?

I thought that the "true" FP engines were shipped without the oil pipe even installed.

Check with your supplier, you should be good to go for FP, and an easy switch to CS in the future by adding the prop and a governor - in effect, the best of both worlds....

UPDATE - more details within this previous posting....

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ht=cover+plate

Don't punch any plugs if you don't have to...

My engine was bought from Van's. Their web page says that all of the engines bought through them come set up for CS and that the rear plug needs to be punched for FP. Unless, I guess, the governor blanking plate has the bypass slot - but that might be a **** shoot. The front plug has to be removed for CS anyway and is in place for sealing during shipping. It looks like Van's/Lycoming expect the front plug to be removed regardless of FP or CS. For FP the aft plug is pierced and a new front plug installed.

It's starting to make sense

Jim Sharkey

[jsharkey]

Originally Posted by Chappyd

Removing is easy, I got the method I used from Brantel on these forums. Put the ball end of a ball peen hammer on the plug. Give it a good rap with another hammer. Put a magnet on it and pull it out. I admit I was very skeptical, but it worked like a charm!

I just ordered a new front plug from Van's.

How did you instal the new one?

Jim Sharkey

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by jsharkey

Any way to tell if the governor blanking plate has the bypass slot without removing it? e.g. part marking

.......

How difficult is it to replace the rear plug if it is pierced and you want to revert to CS?

.....
Jim Sharkey

...are in the long VAF thread I referenced previously....

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ht=cover+plate

It's easy to identify the blanking plates with slots.

I would call Lycoming before you do any unnecessary work.

If you go to CS in the future and have to remove a pierced rear plug and replace it, it's a lot more difficult than working on the front one.

[jsharkey]

Originally Posted by az_gila

...are in the long VAF thread I referenced previously....

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ht=cover+plate

It's easy to identify the blanking plates with slots.

I would call Lycoming before you do any unnecessary work.

If you go to CS in the future and have to remove a pierced rear plug and replace it, it's a lot more difficult than working on the front one.

I didn't read the earlier thread all the way to the end or down load the pictures. Now I know what to look for.

A quick fumble and feel should give me what I need - after all what else are Sunday mornings for

Jim Sharkey

[Chappyd]

Originally Posted by jsharkey

I just ordered a new front plug from Van's.

How did you instal the new one?

Jim Sharkey

I didn't install a new one, I have the cs prop, so I just needed to remove it.