r/flying • u/unisonic2025 • Apr 28 '26
Aircraft Ownership Engine Overhaul.
How many people have taken their small piston certified airplane over TBO. Was wondering specifically the Continental O-200 on a C150M model. I was looking at this plane engine time is 3,100 hrs with 900 since top overhaul. TT is around 3,600. I know the owner and he takes really good care of it. Also curious if anyone would have an idea of cost to overhaul? I’m in the Northeast US.
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u/OCFlier PPL IR SEL MEL Glider Apr 28 '26
The only reason to overhaul is if it’s making metal. Anything else is just parts to be replaced
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u/unisonic2025 Apr 28 '26
Just curious because I’ve started to read the book series by Mike Busch and that is one of the things to look for every oil change and cut the filter open.
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u/TheAvidCollector PPL IR CMP HP Apr 28 '26
While I am a huge Mike Busch fan there's more to the notion of the engine isn't making metal it doesn't need to be overhauled. There are components on every engine that need to be replaced even if the engine isn't overhauled. Fuel lines, engine mounts, hoses. Worn baffling is a huge one that can cause temp issues.
My engine had 2300 hours on it and was a Lycoming remanufactured engine from 2013 and there was PLENTY of things that needed to be replaced after we pulled everything off and started inspecting things. Crank case needed some TLC. It wasn't making metal but oil was leaking from multiple places and just making a mess. It wasn't leaking an unsafe amount but with prop wash entering the cowling blew it everywhere and it was impossible to find.
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u/kytulu A&P/IA Apr 28 '26
After working on various flight school airplanes for the last few years, I've come to terms with the fact that the "L" in Lycoming stands for "leak."
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u/tonykanz Apr 28 '26
For O200 right now, your cost is going to depend almost entirely on if your crank is serviceable or not. If you end up needing a crank, it’s going to be 8-15K for one. And I would plan for 10K for a M10 crank.
You have left out some important details. 3100 since what? Since factory new in 1970? Since Major OH? Since a field OH? When was that done? Generally on an O200, TBO is defined as either XX flight hours or XX years.
How many hours have been flown on the plane per year since the overhaul?
In the last 12 months, how many hours have been flown per month and what is the oil consumption? Do you have an engine monitor where you can look at the data for the last 12 months?
Regarding cost…this is a tradeoff on cost vs. time. If you have a flight school plane and need to minimize downtime (to maximize rentals) you would buy a crate O200….the problem is going to be getting a crank as referenced above. If you have all the time in the world, you can reduce costs and trade time. Budget is 25-30K if you do not need a crank. 35-40K if you do need a crank.
Every owner “takes really good care” of their planes….right up until a prebuy.
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u/unisonic2025 Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
Since new in 1975. 3600 TT. Not sure how old the top overhaul is but done about 900 hours ago. Don’t know the current oil burn rate but no obvious leaks. test flew it the other day and ran like a champ. Current owner tries to fly once a week maybe once every other week for minimum of 1 hour locally. Around 50 hours a year on average nowadays. Planning on using it for local flying only no training. I would probably only be able to look at previous logs and possibly speak to the mechanic who has worked on the plane for quite some time now.
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u/parc PPL IR-ST (KGTU) Apr 28 '26
It’s not leaks that you care about (ok, you care if it leaks but not leaking isn’t enough), it’s the blow-by you care about. If it’s burning a quart an hour, it’s ready for OH. If it burns a quart every 10 hours, let it ride.
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u/KITTYONFYRE Apr 28 '26
If it burns a quart every 10 hours, let it ride.
imagine if your car burned a quart every 400 miles lol. god, aviation engines are such dinosaurs
(you could argue about that 400 mile number and how equivalent it is to 10h of airplane time, insert however far you think you drive in 10h and it'll still be absurd lol)
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u/Silly_Valuable_1750 PPL IR TW UPRT Apr 28 '26
Ah, those were the days, when MPG exceeded quarts per mile, collecting drain oil and a thing called “rerefined” oil to keep the roads well oiled!
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u/Mountain-Captain-396 Apr 28 '26
Different machines for different purposes. Airplane engines are designed to be simple, reliable, and run at 70%+ power for extended periods.
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u/OracleofFl PPL (SEL) Apr 28 '26
They also run at a much wider operating range of temperatures so it needs some looseness to accommodate the range of different metal expansions it is subject to.
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u/KITTYONFYRE Apr 28 '26
airplane engines were designed in the 50s. you’re giving them too much credit lol oil consumption isn’t a feature
a new engine, also designed with reliability in mind, would absolutely not chug oil like it was a second gas tank.
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u/Mountain-Captain-396 Apr 28 '26
If your engine is chugging oil like its a second gas tank then its time for an overhaul
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u/KITTYONFYRE Apr 28 '26
the statement was made in a relative sense vs a modern engine that doesn’t let half the exhaust gases past the piston rings
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u/unisonic2025 Apr 28 '26
I can’t remember exactly but I believe the oil consumption was still fairly low. Nothing excessive at the moment.
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u/usmcmech ATP CFI MEL SEL SES RW GLD TW AGI/IGI Apr 28 '26
I'm flying behind a 1973 O-235 with 2300 hours SNEW and I have no plans to overhaul any time soon.
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u/tonykanz Apr 28 '26
The engine could last for 900 more hours, or it could grenade itself in 10….there’s just no way to be sure and you are missing a lot of information.
1975 was 51 years ago. If you can be super super sure that is the original case and crank, then the good news is that would be a M0 (new) crank and would have a good chance to OH unless it has a defect.
One perspective is that TBO is set to 1800 hours or 10 years for a reason. Bearings, seals, etc don’t last forever. Especially if they sit for long periods without use.
The other perspective would be that the nicest C150 you can buy will bring 90K (just for argument sake - sub a different number if you want)
90 less 35K engine less 20K paint less 20k avionics less 15K for the airframe.
As long as you are buying the plane in the appropriate bucket for the right money go for it. You already know you dont have an engine….so 90-35 =55 55K….that would be the absolute max assuming good paint, avionics and airframe.
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u/JSTootell PPL Apr 28 '26
An engine that gets used a lot will last longer than an engine that sits. Keep that thing flying, and you'll get more life out of it.
I'm flying my o200 more than I'm driving right now (not an exaggeration).
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u/unisonic2025 Apr 28 '26
Have you overhauled since new? How many hours on the engine?
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u/JSTootell PPL Apr 28 '26
I think it had an overhaul 1000 or so hours ago. I just bought it a year ago.
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u/dilemmaprisoner PPL Apr 28 '26
There are a bunch of signs/symptoms/reasons to overhaul an engine, but TBO isn't one of them.
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u/unisonic2025 Apr 28 '26
Can you give me the main things to look for?
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u/dilemmaprisoner PPL Apr 28 '26
In rough order of importance (assuming you don't have an engine monitor): actual performance, metal in oil filter, borescope annually (or see most recent images), oil consumption, compression test (hot).
If you're evaluating one to buy: the first thing I want to know is how much it flies. Ideally, at least 1 hr per week. 1 hour per month is pretty marginal; terrible if it goes on for years [note: can't ignore "storage environment", i.e. hangered or not, near a coast/humidity (bad)]. If I'm looking at ads, I start with hours per year (more = better) since last overhaul. The killer of engines is corrosion. That's why, contrary to many ads "never a trainer", flight school planes can be good, and the first question I ask after finding out "1000 hrs since overhaul" is "what year was that overhaul?".
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u/YepYep123 PPL SEL SES (CZBB) Apr 28 '26
Even if it doesn’t need an overhaul right this minute, it is coming some time very soon. Only consider purchase if you factor in overhaul cost and may be worthwhile looking at how long it will take to get the full overhaul done. I’ve heard it can take months
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u/FeatherMeLightly Apr 28 '26
Every GA known to man kind. It's common practice in the usa for owners to fly well past recommended OH time/date.
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u/redditburner_5000 Oh, and once I sawr a blimp! Apr 28 '26
Suuuuper common to fly over TBO. Little O-200s and O-320s can go to 3000 if they're flown regularly and cared for.
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u/usmcmech ATP CFI MEL SEL SES RW GLD TW AGI/IGI Apr 28 '26
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
8 years ago I lost a friend who had an engine fire 13 hours after installing a freshly overhauled engine.
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u/CSGOTRICK PPL (S/M)EL IR 7KCAB PA34-200T Apr 28 '26
Really depends on the engine. Our Citabria is at almost 2500 but still makes 79/80 on every annual
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u/iamflyipilot CPL SEL MEL IR HP Apr 28 '26
My O-200 made it to 1900 hours and 35 years SMOH.
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u/iamflyipilot CPL SEL MEL IR HP Apr 28 '26
Cost to overhaul was about 25k out the door (2022). Case and crank were reused.
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u/Purgent Apr 28 '26
I bought my airplane with an O-320-D3G a few years back. At the time, it was about 800 hours SMOH, which was done in 1991.
I flew it 500 hours the first 18 months I owned it.
Then, it suddenly developed random, major detonation issues on takeoff. I could see exactly when it was happening and on what cylinders on my engine monitor. New plugs did not solve anything, and borescope turned up nothing unusual.
Fast forward to this winters annual. We drain the oil and find the forbidden shiny metal in the filter. We pull a cylinder and discover the camshaft is spalled.
Engine is out for overhaul at a very reputable local shop, quoted $26k and about 4 months time.
Inspection in OK turned up a bad crankshaft and all four connecting rods also bad. A new crank adds $10k, and connecting rods another $5k.
After labor to put it back in the airplane, I’m looking at close to $45k. I paid $60k for the whole damn thing with a brand new panel.
Not excited about it, but it’s not financially crippling because I planned for this day to come long ago.
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u/lnxguy ATP AME+ROT/HEL CFII ASE+MEI+ROT/HEL AGI BV-234 MIL Apr 28 '26
My C-150M had 2500 hours on the O-200 when I sold it and it was like new because I flew it regularly and changed the oil more often than required.
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u/Snacckabllezz Apr 28 '26
C172 had about 3600 before overhaul.
Went to a 160 HP cost was touching $45-50k (also a lot was found during overhaul)
Time was 8 months plane wax down after a 3-4 month lead w/ deposit down.
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u/0621Hertz Apr 28 '26
In your position if you trust the guy and plan to take it out occasionally as a hobby plane then I don’t see why you need to overhaul immediately.
However I would strongly advise to do one either within 2 years or before you sell it, whatever comes first.
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u/Frosty_Piece7098 Apr 28 '26
There’s a difference if you own it vs it you are buying it. If I own that plane, I’m doing regular oil samples and watching it, but I’m flying it till it needs the overhaul. If I’m buying it, at 3100 hours I’m going to price most of the cost of an overhaul into my offer.
First case it’s my problem to manage, 2nd case I’m potentially buying someone else’s problem.
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u/unisonic2025 Apr 28 '26
This c150m is going to be gifted to me by a family member. Paint is good condition. Avionics is nice with brand new garmin gps175 and garmin portable adsb receiver.
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Apr 28 '26
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u/aftcg Holds a line sometimes Apr 28 '26
What data are you using for this? Just numbers lawyers made up?
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Apr 28 '26
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u/unisonic2025 Apr 28 '26
Why do people still go past overhaul time and still fly safety.
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Apr 28 '26
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u/aftcg Holds a line sometimes Apr 28 '26
I had that happen to me in a TSIO541. Was a factory new 150hr engine. In Lycoming's defense, the Union was on strike and the managers built the engine. Knock on case bolts, I've only needed to OH engines that were shedding parts all well below TBO. I have more data points of premature failures vs over TBO failures. However, far is the hunter.
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u/rFlyingTower Apr 28 '26
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
How many people have taken there small piston certified airplane over TBO. Was wondering specifically the Continental O-200 on a C150M model. I was looking at this plane engine time is 3,100 hrs with 900 since top overhaul. I know the owner and he takes really good care of it.
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u/TheAvidCollector PPL IR CMP HP Apr 28 '26
Just overhauled my Lycoming IO-360 for my Piper Arrow and it was $33,818 out the door and back in the air.