Hi all,
I am looking to buy my first plane, an experimental. It has a jabiru 2200 in it with 153hrs, serial 22a2987.
I love the cnc machining to these motors, great looking motor. And I am assuming, it would out perform an o-200 contintal due to the lower weight.
During my research, I found out that this is a 2nd generation and the generation with the most issues.
My questions are:
The through bolts, lifter, prop flange bolt issues that I read about. Are they a concern or just make sure the service bulletins are complied with?
Any other issues I should know about and address if purchased?
Is it a concern with that low of hr on a 2006 or 2007 motor?
I also read about 1000hr tbo and 2000 full oh. Is the 1000hr just pistons and heads? Price?
Any input on the 2200 would be most appreciated!
Thx
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Performance comparisons can be tricky due to the different torque curves, weight, frontal area etc: the nature of the thing is that you're never really comparing apples with apples. An O-200 might be a better fit for a bigger "classic" configuration ultralight where swinging a bigger prop at lower RPM is an advantage and suits the "look" of the aircraft. On the other hand, a Jabiru 2200 is a better bet for the newer/smaller airframes. But of course guidelines like those are made to be broken!
Like any aircraft engine, use and installation plays a huge role in how an engine behaves in service. A lot of the Jabiru Service Bulletins etc are graded depending how the engine is used so following them is the obvious place to start. Service/maintenance history is also really important - making sure it's had a "good" prop fitted and has been looked after. The other thing with an "old young" engine is to make sure it's been stored properly - rust in the bores is a real and common problem and should be checked for with a borescope or similar before committing.
The 1000 hour top end overhaul is pistons, rings, valves and a few other items. The Overhaul manual (available from this site) spells it all out. Pricing depends on who does it (Jabiru Oz, local dealer etc), so you'd need to contact them and see. If you're in Australia the folks in the engine shop are happy to talk you through it all and any other questions you've got.
Best Regards,
Doug.
Thx Doug,
By graded do u mean if it's used in a flight school or not?
I'm looking at making this engine as reliable as possible.
I am assuming if I treat it as if it was used for flight school then it would be more reliable?
Hi Aaron,
"By graded do u mean if it's used in a flight school or not?" - Yes, that's one of the risk factors. The type of fuel and propeller used are others.
In theory, doing more maintenance is better than doing less and treating the engine like it's in a school is not a bad idea - at least initially until you learn its character and habits. However, I would personally tend to limit that approach to inspections and adjustments and only replace parts (excluding consumables) "on condition" or at the standard intervals.
Best Regards,
Doug.
