Joe Nunley wrote: >I am in search of an affordable engine, as we all are. My dream is to have an O200 because I would like to have 100HP, not much luck finding one that I can afford. What experience do you have with other engines?<
Regarding the Corvair, have you contacted any local Corvair clubs, visited, spoken at their monthly meeting that you need an engine to power an airplane? That's what I did, and that's where my first engine came from. Have you joined the CorvAircraft email list and asked there? Also, I don't know if he still does this, but Larry Hudson used to sell core Corvair engines and would deliver them to Corvair Colleges. I think Joe Horton either sold or offered a Corvair just a few weeks ago. Given my checkered record with Corvair crankshafts, it may be a surprise that I still think a Corvair is a viable aircraft engine, IF it has a NEW 4340 crankshaft from Sport Performance Aviation in it (but they aren't cheap!). Sure...most reground stock crankshafts seem to last as long as a fifth bearing is installed, mine being the notable exception so far. The rest of that engine is just about trouble free. They run a lot cooler than a Type 1 VW due to having more fin area, have very few valve issues thanks to self adjusting hydraulic valves, and you only adjust the valves one time, on the workbench, for the life of the engine. And the big payoff is the safety of six cylinders and gobs more power to get altitude quickly for a safer climbout. Yes, I'm still a big fan of the Corvair. Having said that, with the money you'll put into a Corvair, or even a new VW, you could spend a little more and rebuild an O-200 and have a very reliable engine as well. If reliability is your ultimate goal, you should keep beating the bushes for an inexpensive O-200. If they are simply out of range, the Corvair is a good runner-up, and statistically, a reground stock crank is a pretty good bet, given that only one has failed with a fifth bearing, as far as I know...mine! When you factor in a torn up airplane, the playing field is more-than leveled when you start with an O-200... Mark Langford ML at N56ML.com http://www.n56ml.com
