drwet
Well-Known Member
I fly a Murphy Rebel with an O-320 H2AD engine. The airplane has been in storage for a number of years and I recently resurrected it. I put about 25 hours on it this summer, and while it performed very well, I decided to tear into the engine over the winter, given the stories of camshaft deterioration from prolonged storage in these engines. Sure enough, I have corrosion on the camshaft, and spalling of the lifters. I'm looking at replacing the cam and lifters. It appears I can get a camshaft, but I am having trouble sourcing new lifters for the engine. The only source I can find wants $650 each! Needless to say I am looking for other options.
First, these lifters look for all the world like automotive valve lifters, and I find it hard to believe Lycoming engineered a whole new lifter design in a world filled with hydraulic valve lifters. There has to be an application that uses the same lifter. I have heard that there is a diesel engine possibly from Caterpillar or Cummins that uses the same lifter. Does anyone know of a lifter that will work in these engines?
The other option is to install a cam and mushroom style tappets from another Lycoming engine series. I have heard that this is possible, but that it is necessary to machine the case for the new lifters. Anyone know anything about this?
I am also open to other suggestions.
First, these lifters look for all the world like automotive valve lifters, and I find it hard to believe Lycoming engineered a whole new lifter design in a world filled with hydraulic valve lifters. There has to be an application that uses the same lifter. I have heard that there is a diesel engine possibly from Caterpillar or Cummins that uses the same lifter. Does anyone know of a lifter that will work in these engines?
The other option is to install a cam and mushroom style tappets from another Lycoming engine series. I have heard that this is possible, but that it is necessary to machine the case for the new lifters. Anyone know anything about this?
I am also open to other suggestions.