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Pre 1st flight engine run.

Bsquared

Well Known Member
I will be running my factory new IO-390 On my 14A for the first time in a week or two. I had planned to run it one time without cowling and once with and then go fly. However, I also need a transponder cert and the avionics shop is a one mile taxi from my hangar. If I watch temps is it a bad idea to taxi it there. I can pay extra to have them come to my hangar if needed. It is not my home airport and I don’t have access to a tug.
 
See Mahons ground run procedures

If the engine has not been run before, there is a ground run procedure you should do to help with "initial" ground break in procedure for testing. Mahon sent it to me and others years ago...will see if I can find it.

Basically you do about 4 or 5 short run ups at specific and different RMPs and then allow the engine to cool between runs.

Once you do this procedure you want limit all taxi runs to a min., and then fly the first flight and about the 1st 20 hrs + or so at a minimum of 75% power setting so the rings will seat. I think I actually did 75% power for about 30 hrs. (you will know when they seat as the CHT temps will drop in flight).

Doing this procedure works....all my rings in the 0360 seemed to be well seated...engine is using about 1/2 a quart of oil over every 25 hrs, and now have about 200 hrs on the engine.
 
If the engine has not been run before, there is a ground run procedure you should do to help with "initial" ground break in procedure for testing. Mahon sent it to me and others years ago...will see if I can find it.

Basically you do about 4 or 5 short run ups at specific and different RMPs and then allow the engine to cool between runs.

Once you do this procedure you want limit all taxi runs to a min., and then fly the first flight and about the 1st 20 hrs + or so at a minimum of 75% power setting so the rings will seat. I think I actually did 75% power for about 30 hrs. (you will know when they seat as the CHT temps will drop in flight).

Doing this procedure works....all my rings in the 0360 seemed to be well seated...engine is using about 1/2 a quart of oil over every 25 hrs, and now have about 200 hrs on the engine.

If its a factory new engine, its been run in the test cell for at least two hours. So this ground round procedure is not necessary. If the engine is a factory lycoming, it came with paperwork that explains exactly what they did and the results.
 
I will be running my factory new IO-390 On my 14A for the first time in a week or two. I had planned to run it one time without cowling and once with and then go fly. However, I also need a transponder cert and the avionics shop is a one mile taxi from my hangar. If I watch temps is it a bad idea to taxi it there. I can pay extra to have them come to my hangar if needed. It is not my home airport and I don’t have access to a tug.

The ideal thing to do is start it up, ensure that you can make full power (run up to 2700 RPM (or whatever max RPM for the 390 is) and then shut it down until first flight.
 
You do not need to get the transponder check to do phase one.

If you are flying Phase I inside Mode C airspace, including Mode C veil under Class B airspace, you DO need a transponder certification. If you can not get a transponder check on you airport, you can get a waiver from ATC to go to an airport where you can get it.
 
Ummm... SEARCH is your friend here! This topic has been covered extensively in multiple threads. Bottom line is taxiing for a mile is not a wise choice.

Your engine has been "run in" by the factory, so the "so many minutes at so many RPM" run in procedure is not required. "Break in" is what you'll be doing next, seating the rings against the cylinder walls. You want a good break in in order to get good compression and low oil consumption. Mahlon Russell provided an excellent discourse on this topic.

Here's a link to Mahlon's commentary - it starts out with "run in" instructions, then proceeds to share valuable words of wisdom about all ground runs. Pay heed to these instructions and you are unlikely to have glazed cylinders and a failed break-in. Ignore these instructions at your peril.

http://rvplane.com/pdf/EngineRunin.pdf

I had a brand new O-360 and followed Mahlon's instructions (no run-in required as that was done by Lycoming in their factory test cell). I ended up doing a total of 10 ground runs as both my prop low pitch stops and my governor needed to be adjusted. Now nearly 3 years and over 200 hours later my oil consumption is around 23 hours per quart and compressions are all 78/80 or better. It's hard to argue with Mahlon's advice because it just plain works.
 
Brake break-in

Dont forget the procedure for seasoning the brakes, as well...

Where is this brake break-in procedure?

Notice I didn't ask for seasoning. I just knew someone would point me to Amazon or Safeway for some muffler bearings or blinker fluid! :D
 
Where is this brake break-in procedure?

Notice I didn't ask for seasoning. I just knew someone would point me to Amazon or Safeway for some muffler bearings or blinker fluid! :D

The collective wisdom on VAF leans toward not cooking your brakes, so no special seasoning is needed! ;)
 
Where is this brake break-in procedure?

I don't have it in front of me, but my Matco pads came with instructions. It was a three step process as I recall

1. Do a static runup and see at what rpm your brakes stop holding.
2. Get up to 25-30 mph in a straight line and apply even, firm braking until you get to a low speed, do not come to a complete stop. Repeat a second time.
3. Redo the static runup test, you should see a significant improvement in holding power.

They are targeting a specific temperature with these tests, but I don't recall the number. This wasn't all that difficult to do and I had very good results.
 
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