New Motor Mounts

After many, about 15 hours, of cleaning the engine the rebuild isstarting. The first step was to replace the engine mounts. As you can see in the photos the original ones were shot. I replaced the bolts, washers, seats, nuts and ruber mounts on all four mount points. The after photo of one of them is shown. The next step before putting on the cylinders is to sand blast the firewall. That is next weekends project.

The before photos of the engine compartment

These photos show the condition of the engine compartment. As bad as it looks the engine runs very well. Fuel consumption is only 5.5 gallons per hour leaned at altitude. The biggest problem is oil consumption. The oil is not being burned but leaking out of various locations. The most leakage is coming from the pushrod tubes. These are know to leak and little can be done to prevent it in the long run. There is a modifaction available from Real gaskets of Tennessee which I will be installing on all four cylinders.

On e of the cylinders was replaced earlier this year. I have three new cylinders that I will be putting on so that engine has a fresh top. The baffles are all but gone as you can see from the pictures. I have new ones that will be installed. New plugs and wires are also part of the upgrade.

New motor mounts are going to also be installed with new hardware. Additionally all scat hose will be replace.

This process has started. The cylinders have been removed and the cores sent to the supplier of the new cyclinders. They should be here by next weekend.

Here are two pictures of the project airplane.

1972 Cessna 150L Restoration

The project airplane is a 1972 Cessna 150L model, serial number 15073047. The 150L was built starting in 1971 and continued through 1974. A total of 3777 L models were built. In 1972, 1029 were manufactured. All were powered by a Continental 0-200 engine which develops 100hp.

The project plane is cosmetically challenged both inside and out. The royalite wing tips, horizontal stabilizer tips, elevator tips, vertical stabilizer, rudder cap, lift strut fairings and landing gear fairings are cracked, brittel or broken. The paint is faded.

The interior carpet, door panels, side panels, headliner, door posts and seats are in need of replacement. The side and rear windows are fogged and need replacing.

The Instrument Panel covers are either missing or broken. The radios are out dated and the instruments are in need of overhauling.

The engine while it runs very well and is using only 5.5 gallons of fuel per hour. It uses almost as much oil.

The restoration will include topping the engine, new baffles, new plugs and wires and upgrading the pushrod tubes where most of the oil leakage comes from. All exterior roylite parts will be replaced with fiberglass ones. The panel will get a complete makeover to include overhaul of all flight instruments and upgrading the avionics. New side and rear glass. And of cousre a new paint job to the origianl factory paint scheme.