DISCUSSION: Removing an Engine

NOTE: This procedure applies to N961EZ. This is a Lycoming O320-A1A. I guarantee every EZ will be different.

Take a lot of pictures. The cost of one screwup will more than pay for an inexpensive digital camera. Any time I say "Keep track", or, "count the spacers", This is a good que to take a photo.

Here are some suggestions that should make removing the engine a little easier, References to front ,back sides, etc are made as you are standing behind the aircraft looking forward; (remember, this engine is mounted backwards, so the left mag is on the right side, etc)

All circuit breakers should be pulled in the cockpit and all switches should be in the OFF/DOWN position, double check – Left side instrument panel, top instrument panel, right side armrest. No power is applied to the starter or alternator if the breakers are pulled.

1) Disconnect the Battery.

2) Place the nose of the aircraft on a 4 wheel dolly.

3) Remove the upper and lower cowling.

DO NOT LIFT THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE ENGINE REMOVED… STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WILL RESULT.

The aircraft nose must stay on the roller cart while the engine is removed. USE extreme care when moving the aircraft on the roller cart. It’ll catch on gravel and try and kick out.

4) Place the crank at #1 TDC… NOTE the position of the prop blades, Make a drawing to show how the blades are oriented.. Remove the prop and the black extension as an assembly. There is no need to remove the spinner or the extension from the prop. TWO MAN LIFT, this weighs 45 lbs and is very awkward…. STORE PROP IN A SAFE LOCATION, IT’S EXPENSIVE.

I believe its easier to pull most of the accessories (most of baffling, carb, mags, starter, alternator, etc) off the engine prior to pulling the engine

5) Baffling; Look / drill rivets under Starter, Should only be two or three rivets, and the and two sides will separate Look drill rivets on left side near oil dip stick, should only be one or two Remove two AN3 bolts on right rear below exhaust pipe holes The alternator bolts also hold the Baffling in place, (remove them) NOTE – look for a bolt on the right side bottom , between cyl #4 and mag that holds the back/right baffling on the engine.

The left, right, and back parts of the baffling will come off prior to pulling the engine, it may be easier to leave the front part of the baffling installed (the rubber motor mounts tend to hold the baffling on). It will come off as your pulling the engine

6) When removing exhaust system, keep track of spacer washers on supports near the #1 and #2 cyl, Do not remove the springs from the cylinder mounts, remove the nuts and the pipes will come off as a unit. (You may have to remove the springs that hold the rear of the pipes together)

7) When removing the starter from the bracket, keep track of spacer washers. This will be important for proper alignment of starter to gear ring. (I don’t remember if the starter has to come off the bracket to get the bracket off???)

8) When removing the three bolts that hold the air filter bracket from the crankcase halves (and also hold the crankcase together), keep track of spacer washers, this is important for proper mounting of this bracket on the engine crankcase halves.

9) Remove the Carb, cable bracket, and spacer plate from the engine and let hang. This way you don’t have to re-rig the mixture and throttle cables. (You may have to remove the Carb ram air door cable, but this can be done with one cotter pin)

10) Remove the electronic pickup from the left magneto hole (this is where the right mag goes)

11) Remove the flex hose between the fuel pump and the carb. This hose snakes through the engine mount and will keep you from pulling the engine back

12) Before loosening or removing the Impulse mag. Note how it sits all the way on one end of its adjustment range. I’ve had this mag off several times, when its properly timed, it will probably be at this same position, remember it. (This mag has less than 50 hours on it)

Remove the right magneto (normally called the LEFT mag) It will come out, but you have to talk to it nice.

13) Use an engine hoist to left the engine slightly. Remove the four bolts that hold the engine to the mount. Count the number of spacer washer on the mount, as this is important for proper engine thrust angle.

14) Slowly pull the engine back from the mount, observe that all wires, hoses, etc have been removed

REASSEMBLY

1) REVERSE ORDER

2) NOTE: This applies to a Bendix Magneto, Slicks should be similiar. Timing the impulse couple mag is tricky, but can be done.. I use a black felt tip pen and place a mark on the distributor tooth that indicates #1 fire, this makes it easier to see when the mag is crammed in between the engine and the firewall. You won’t be able to use a mag lock, as it interferes with the engine mount. I wiggle the mag into position, then visually look in the distributor gear and carefully line up the teeth I just marked, with the crankshaft at #1 at 25 BTDC, I carefully slide the mag in the hole, then check it with the buzz box, It usually takes a couple iterations of this to get it right. IMPORTANT FOR ME… Double check using the impulse couple.. it should snap at or slightly after 0 TDC as observed on the top crankcase halves at that timing mark (Starter timing mark is unusable)

There are two independent sets of MAG switches, One on the upper right corner of the instrument panel, and the other is located under the switch guard on the headrest. (Switch down / guard down is the normal ON position for this switch)

For timing the impulse mag, there are two terminal blocks on the left side of the firewall, I believe it’s the second terminal from the right on the right terminal block (you can verify this when you have the engine out)

3) Electronic ignition is easy. Put the crank at #1 TDC, Use top timing marks across top center of case halves. On the back of the pickup there is a small hole. Press a 3 inch piece of .040 - .050 safety wire in the hole and slowly turn the gear by hand until the safety wire goes all the way in (maybe 1 inch). When the safety wire goes all the way in, you can’t turm the gear any more. Install the pickup in the left hole (right magneto hole) VERIFY #1 TDC, tighten the clamp bolts. Remove the safety wire. The electronic ignition is now timed.

Clean the prop electric brush and speed sensor assy. With the brush assembly mounted on the engine, compress the brushes with you fingers and wrap a piece of masking tape to hold the brushes compressed while installing the starter ring and prop assembly.

GOOD LUCK

Waiter

Waiters GPS Set Time program.
Waiters Flight Data Recorder.
Flight Data Recorder.
Recording aircraft flight data.
Aircraft Voice recorder.
Garmin GPS.
Garmin GPS Serial data Format.
Recording EFIS data.
Capture Serial data.
Convert Raw Data Files.
Free GPS Software.
Reading GPS data.
Reading Garmin GPS data.
Aircraft EFIS Flight Instruments.
Electronic Flight Instruments.
Aircraft Engine Monitor System.
Garmin G format.
Infinity landing gear LongEZ Plans Built Airplane.
Oil Heat system for Homebuilt airplane.
LongEZ Canard and main Wing.
Dynon instrument panel.
Custom Mouse cursors.
Garmin Serial Data Format.
Easy, Free Computer Time setting by GPS Receiver.
Custom mouse pointers.
Custom airplane mouse pointers.
LongEZ Nose gear doors.
Long-EZ main landing gear doors.
LongEZ grasscutter landing gear door.
Custom LongEZ mouse pointers.
Lycoming engine in LongEZ.
MT Propellor with 6 inch propellor extension.
EZNose Lift retractable nose gear for Long-EZ.
Rutan LongEZ is a plans built aircraft.
High speed homebuilt airplane.
Retractable landing gear for LongEZ.
Custom Airbus mouse cursor pointer.
Custom Velocity mouse cursor pointer.
NMEA 0183 Serial data Format.
Custom Cozy mouse cursor pointer.
Custom Aerocanard airplane mouse cursor pointer.
Custom E-Racer mouse cursor pointer.
Custom Canard airplane mouse cursor pointer.
Custom LongEZ mouse cursor pointer.
Set your Computer clock with this free GPS software.
Custom F15 mouse cursor pointer.
Custom A10 Warthog mouse cursor pointer.
LongEZ Hydraulic pump.
Retractable landing gear for a Long-EZ.
Custom F16 mouse cursor pointer.
Custom F14 mouse cursor pointer.
Custom Boeing 747 mouse cursor pointer.
Custom Boeing 767 mouse cursor pointer.
Custom Boeing 777 mouse cursor pointer.
Custom Boeing 737 mouse cursor pointer.
GPS Time Sync.
Custom Boeing 727 mouse cursor pointer.
Landing gear door rigging.
Custom Boeing 757 mouse cursor pointer.
Custom MD80 mouse cursor pointer.
Custom DC9 mouse cursor pointer.
Setting your computer to a GPS Time.
Custom RV mouse cursor pointer.
Downdraft cooling for LongEZ.
Speed brake installation.
Waiters Flight Data Recorder.
LongEZ Baggage pods installation instructions.
Waiters Custom Airplane mouse cursors.
Free GPS Time Sync Program.
LongEZ Intercom installation.
Major airframe overhaul of plans built EZ.
Weight and balance for a LongEZ.
Weight and Balance spreadsheet download for a Long-EZ.
LongEZ fuel system design.
How To remove the wings from a LongEZ.
How To remove the canard from a LongEZ.
Waiters GPS Time sync program runs on PC.
How To remove the engine from a LongEZ.
Long-EZ Downdraft cooling for a Lycoming O-320.
Long-EZ Wing Removal and installation instructions.
Waiters Retractable Landing Gear Controller.
Landing Light installation in LongEZ.
Install free EFIS software on your PC.
How to Put several longezs in one hangar.
How to install an Infinity Aerospace Retractable landing gear in a Long-EZ.
How to install DownDraft cooling on a Long-EZ.
GPS Time.
Setting you computer clock to GPS time.
How to set your Computer clock to GPS Time.
Using your GPS Receiver to set your computers clock.
Low cost GPS receiver used to syncronize Computer clock to GPS time.
Neat Canopy stay system for an EZ.
Cabin Heat using engine oil as source.
Waiters GPS Time, Syncronize your PCs internal clock with the GPS satellite.
Remote display of EFIS on a PC.
Cabin Oil Heater for a LongEZ.
LongEZ Landing Gear Door.
Rigging a LongEZ Landing Gear door.
Icom Radio in LongEZ.
How to Build a Manometer.
LongEZ Electrical system upgrades.
Grand Rapids EMS.
Custom Windows cursors.
Custom Windows mouse pointers.
LongEZ Cowling for downdraft cooling.
Record holding LongEZ flights.
Using a PLC for a retractable Landing Gear Controller in a LongEZ.
Syncronize your PCs clock to a GPS receiver.
Airspeed vs pressure lookup tables.
How to build a homebuilt airplane.
Video of LongEZ taking off.
Grasscutter landing gear door.
EZ Nose Lift installation.
Landing Gear status indicator.
Shareware software can set your PC clock vie a GPS receiver.
Landing Gear controller computer for LongEZ.
Landing gear doors.
Dynon EMS10 installed in instrument panel of a LongEZ.
Dynon EFIS D10A installed in instrument panel of a LongEZ.
Flight Data Recorder Software.
PlansBuilt LongEZ.
Video of High G turn in a Long EZ.
Strong Pitch Trim system installed in a LongEZ.
Strong Pitch Trim mounted on Left Side of Long-EZ.
Free software sets your PC clock with a GPS receiver.
Video of LongEZ Taking off.
Video of LongEZ Landing.
Video of LongEZ performing a high G turn.
Video of Infinity Landing gear being retracted into a LongEZ.
LongEZ Color White.
Painting your LongEZ.
White LongEZ.
Camoflage LongEZ.
Infinity Landing Gear for LongEZ.
Strong Pitch system.