How to do an engine start after 8 months
Thanks for COVID and a move to another city, my '77 Archer hasn't been flown since flew it to it's new home at KSFQ at the end of July 2020. The engine was overhauled in 2014 and has been flown only 75 hours since then (which included 4 months in the shop for ADS-B compliance and avionics upgrades). I had nickel cylinders put on it when it was overhauled but that certainly doesn't do anything to mitigate potential issues with the cam.
I've read a number of articles about why you shouldn't let you plane sit idle without doing the "mothball" process. I've also read many articles about what you shouldn't do (i.e., don't pull it out, prime it and start it). But I've found no articles by "experts" about how you should do that first restart after the plane has been idle for months. One person on a forum site suggested a process that involved pulling the plugs, giving each cylinder a shot of a mixture of motor oil and a product whose name I can't remember (but it had the word "Magic" in it - which immediately told me the FAA wouldn't approve of it). He then said to pull the prop through a number of rotations and repeat the process to help get lubrication to the cam (although, as we all know, Lycoming engines don't lubricate enough of the cam by simply running the engine - or so I've been told).
So . . . has anyone been told by an A&P what should be done?
Comments
'What Mike said."
Below is what the Continental manual says about return to service after storage. The assumption is that you also followed their "pre-storage," recommendations so most of these steps are just undoing what you did previously.
Your A&P will probably recommend an oil change before returning to service, and another one in 25 hours. That's good advice. Suggest following it up with oil analysis, and make sure your iron content is trending downward.
Continental Standard Practice Maintenance Manual
CHANGE 1 1 Feb 2021
9-1.6. Return an Engine to Service after Storage
1. Remove seals and desiccant bags.
2. Remove cylinder dehydrators (or plugs) from top and bottom spark plug holes.
3. Change the engine oil according to the “Engine Oil Servicing” in Section 6-4.8.
Service the engine to the proper sump capacity with oil conforming to MIL-C-6529
Type II (Break-in oil, SAE J 1966 non-dispersant mineral oil).
4. Rotate propeller several revolutions by hand to remove preservative oil.
5. Remove AN-4060 protectors from the ignition leads.
6. Service and install spark plugs and leads according to the instructions in Section 6-
4.9.2, “Spark Plug Maintenance” and Section 6-4.9.3, “Ignition Harness
Maintenance”.
7. Prepare the turbocharger for return to service according to instructions in Section 9-
2.6 or Section 9-2.7.
8. Clean and service engine and aircraft according to the Aircraft Manufacturer’s
instructions. Perform a visual inspection and correct any discrepancies noted.
9. Perform a normal engine start according to the Airplane Flight Manual or Pilot’s
Operating Handbook.
10. Conduct an “Engine Operational Check” according to instructions in Section 6-4.7;
correct any discrepancies.
11. Perform a “Flight Check” according to instructions in Section 7-2.4; correct any
discrepancies before releasing the aircraft for normal service.
12. Change engine oil and filter after first 25 hours of operation.