TBirdDriver
11-12-2002, 04:36 PM
Here's a cut and paste of a web page. http://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:aRrgUFV9y9sC:bd-4.org/newsletter25.html+airplane+3.8+supercharged+engine&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
Seems some people are putting 3.8 Thunderbird SC Supercharged engines in planes.
Now I know our cars really fly!
SuperCharged Ford Information:
Two really great testimonials for the SuperCharged 3.8 L Thunderbird engine have recently come to light.
The first is from William O. Singer in Hale, MO. William and his son both have Thunderbird SuperCoupes. One of them recently blew a head gasket (at close to 200,000 hard miles). The subsequent partial overhaul showed unbelievably low wear. The ridge normally found at the top of the cylinder bore was non-existent and it was decided that a simple replacement of the head gasket and torqueing to the new Ford specifications was all that was needed.
The second occurrence was here in Seattle. An EAA acquaintance has a large auto repair facility and experienced the same situation on an engine with 160,000 miles on it. This engine was torn down all the way and everything measured. The bore taper was about 0.0007 inches! The pistons were pushed out the top of the bores without doing any'ridge reaming'. New rings were installed and the bore was lightly honed. The crankshaft was very lightly burnished and new bearings installed (original Ford quality, of course). The roller lifters and cam were in such perfect condition that they were not touched.
Ford uses rings that have a layer of molybdenum on the wear surfaces which really reduces ring and cylinder wear.
Steve Cralgle, Tim McGinnis, and John Steere continue to work on getting their SC engines installed and their airplanes finished. I have not heard of any of the engines as being ready to run yet.
John Steere sent pictures of his header tank installation. One of the things that have to be worked out on the fuel injected auto engines is the need for high pressure fuel pumps. John has worked out a nice header tank that holds two high pressure pumps. It is fitted with a float switch so he knows when it is not being fed from the wing tanks. A water sensor, a vent to BOTH of the wing tanks, and an input from the fuel rall for the overflow are also included. It looks like it has all the requisite equipment for good fuel feed.
Seems some people are putting 3.8 Thunderbird SC Supercharged engines in planes.
Now I know our cars really fly!
SuperCharged Ford Information:
Two really great testimonials for the SuperCharged 3.8 L Thunderbird engine have recently come to light.
The first is from William O. Singer in Hale, MO. William and his son both have Thunderbird SuperCoupes. One of them recently blew a head gasket (at close to 200,000 hard miles). The subsequent partial overhaul showed unbelievably low wear. The ridge normally found at the top of the cylinder bore was non-existent and it was decided that a simple replacement of the head gasket and torqueing to the new Ford specifications was all that was needed.
The second occurrence was here in Seattle. An EAA acquaintance has a large auto repair facility and experienced the same situation on an engine with 160,000 miles on it. This engine was torn down all the way and everything measured. The bore taper was about 0.0007 inches! The pistons were pushed out the top of the bores without doing any'ridge reaming'. New rings were installed and the bore was lightly honed. The crankshaft was very lightly burnished and new bearings installed (original Ford quality, of course). The roller lifters and cam were in such perfect condition that they were not touched.
Ford uses rings that have a layer of molybdenum on the wear surfaces which really reduces ring and cylinder wear.
Steve Cralgle, Tim McGinnis, and John Steere continue to work on getting their SC engines installed and their airplanes finished. I have not heard of any of the engines as being ready to run yet.
John Steere sent pictures of his header tank installation. One of the things that have to be worked out on the fuel injected auto engines is the need for high pressure fuel pumps. John has worked out a nice header tank that holds two high pressure pumps. It is fitted with a float switch so he knows when it is not being fed from the wing tanks. A water sensor, a vent to BOTH of the wing tanks, and an input from the fuel rall for the overflow are also included. It looks like it has all the requisite equipment for good fuel feed.