Engine Theory and Overhaul

Engine Theory and Overhaul

(Continental motor engine model 0-470-11)

Machines operate with the use of the engine as their heart propelling them. An engine is a machine we use every day. Different engines exist with different companies struggling to gain the market and demand of diesel in the variety of machines using engines by providing various specification s on their engines. Big machines such as airplanes and other vessels require high capacity engines compared to those engines used to propel the cars. However, engines have had various advanced starting from the heat engine due to the need for increasing efficiency and creating more economical engines through the consumption of little fuel. Continental Motors engine is one of the biggest companies whose success started in 1931 with the production of four-cylinder engines. 0-470 engine series is one of their most significant achievement belonging to the family of carbureted and fuel-injected six-cylinder horizontally opposed air-cooled engines developed for use in light aircraft (“Continental 470 Series Avgas Engine”). The study looks at one of the continental 0-470-11of serial number 269.

History of 0-470-11 engine

The 0-470 engine series is a product of the Continental motor’s engine in the United States. The engine has become most used in aircraft due to its smooth and power, providing economic benefits to the industry by its ability to use less fuel in providing much energy. The engine was Certified on 19 January 1951 and had a 213 hp (159KW) at 2600rpm dry weight 391Ib (177 kg) with two sixth-order dampers. The series underwent various specifications, including those of changing of its pistons, making it have a four ring piston with semi keystone compression rings. The company has over 15 0-470 models of the engine flying over the airspace. It can run at cruise power without producing any burble or vibration as other engines do while at full power (“Continental 470 Series Avgas Engine”). The engines are five inches in diameter, and their stroke has a four inches long in width. The crankcase and the cylinder is the only thing that varies among the series of the model.e.

The need for the company to come up with the new model was to upgrade from the previous old E-225 series which, however, enjoyed a successful career over some models of aircraft. However, the need for a better engine with a weight-to-power ratio and simplified carburetion with the lubrication system made the company introduce the 0-470 model to the market in the year 1951. One significant advantage of the series is the fact that during the overhaul of the crankcases, it accepts and is compatible with any part number and casting number of the engine without requiring an upgrade. Nevertheless, one disadvantage of the engine is that its exhaust guide does not hold the heat created in the exhaust port from its valve equipped with aluminum-bronze intake. And exhaust valve guides, making it fail faster from the prolonged burning of the higher octane fuels. The engine also uses reinforced casting similar to the sand –cast 520 case, which is hard to fit with the different valve cylinders, especially the parallel one. The companies are used in a variety of air crafts, but the most significant aircraft in the use of the 0-470-11model is the Cesena aircraft. The Beechcraft’s Debonair and the very early Cessna 180 model use the engine to propel their crafts.

Q.2

To carry out a successful and detailed account of the disassembly procedure, I utilized the MM (IPC) procedure manual guideline in engine theory and overhaul procedure. The aim of the undertaking was aimed at getting more insights on the efficiency of the engine while also trying to adopt new ways of improving the ability of the whole engine by identifying the possible areas that required changes. The overhaul undertook the guiding procedures of the IAW manual guide and recorded any single discrepancy of the main parts of cylinders and pistons of the engine. And what affected efficiency while utilizing the manual and the knowledge about the compatibility of the engine cylinders and valves in repairing damaged parts of the engine. Most of the affected parts seemed to originate from non-overhaul of the engine over a long period since they were affected by being eroded, reducing their efficiency, and worked abnormally that the required ability to propel the plane.

In executing the overhaul of the engine, it is paramount for everybody working on the engines to have an understanding of the manual. And be able to follow the guidelines precisely to avoid causing more damage to the engine or reassembling different parts together since it would create a problem to the engine. I, therefore, made sure that before operating, I could follow the instructions as listed by the manual, such as examining each cylinder of the engine at a time and recording the observations of each cylinder with the possible solution to repair it. The ease of understanding and following the procedures was because the instructions were precise and clear, and I had no struggle in understanding them. The instructions are written in a way one can easily understand without the complication of ambiguous terms. One requires knowledge of the engine to understand the words of the engines and identify those parts of the engine without confusion.

The clear instructions do not provide for deviating. Thus I did not need to deviate from the manual, but I had to use specialized tools for opening the engine. Some cylinders are attached with bolts, which are tightly fixed, and thus there is a need to open them with special tools and handle them with care to avoid damaging the inside of the cylinders for reattachment purposes. The tools used include the T-gauge, piston ring compressor, spring compressor, and the filler gauge.

I used the available catalog in recording discrepancies of each cylinder alongside measures for repairing and also regarding the status of the valves with recommendations to be taken. Most of the cylinders from cylinder one to cylinder six were destroyed on their exhaust valve spring seats, where the actions taken were the action of sanding and repairing corrosion according to the IAW manual guide. Consequently, the correction measures were taken by involving the mechanics in executing the correction measures. Since the malfunction of the cylinders may lead to the engine being broken down, and also the lack of the cooling fin to perform its duty may lead to the overheating of the engine, which we saw that the prolonged running of the engine caused overheating of the exhaust valve, making it impossible for the plane to fly well, thus causing the engine to become damaged.

Q.3

The conditions of the engine were not in a good state since the cylinders were severely eroded, and the cooling part of the fin did not work appropriately as supposed. However, after the disassembly process and overhaul of the engine through following the standard guidelines and involving the experts, the engine was returned to its efficient state. The cylinders were fixed by the mechanic removing the eroded parts and fixing them with new parts of the engine models to increase efficiency and rectify the situation.

Q.4

However, for the future overhaul project, the students need to keep into account the possible ways of preventing the damage of the engines and maintenance even without requiring to do an overhaul. The world is changing and incorporating the use of technology. Therefore, the students should integrate technological inventions to execute the repair of the engines without necessarily operating them and also enable the system to detect any problem immediately for rectifying. The waiting of the engine until the next overhaul process leads to more damages to the system. Still, immediate actions on an issue would prevent the spread of the engine problem reducing the cost of repairing and maintenance.

Q.5

However, it is also essential to consider the operations of the aircraft and how they may impact the status of the engine. Some engine problems are brought up by the aircraft not meeting the regulations of either the weight or frequent checkup on the state of the engine. The reluctance and negligence of the operators lead to the company incurring costs in maintenance and repairing. At the same time, it would prevent this by making it their daily practice in maintaining their engine. The levels of the fluids in the cylinders should be at the desired levels before flying and changed regularly since it prevents corrosion of the cylinders and prevents many problems.

Work cited

“Continental 470 Series Avgas Engine”. Continental motors.Aero, 2020, https://www.continentalmotors.aero/engines/400.aspx.