On Sun, 2 Oct 2005 23:21:21 -0400, "John Doe"
wrote:

I'm in the market to purchase a turbo aircraft...(specifically a 1979 Turbo
Lance)

Can someone tell me their experience with the engine maintenace in relation
to having to top overhaul the cylinders? I've heard from some owners that
you should only expect about 800 or so hours on the cyliners before having
to get them topped, while others have said if flown properly they should
make it to the engine TBO.

The plane I'm looking to buy has 800 hours SMOH and they haven't touched the
cylinders since the overhaul. Am I looking at a heavty bill to top the
cylinders soon? (I'm thinking about getting a prebuy done this week) Will a
compression check tell me what I need or does the A&P have to tear the
engine apart to really tell?

My father in law had a Seneca II (Continental TSIO-360s) that ate a
cylinder or two each annual. He was gentle with the throttles, and
used speedbrakes on approaches to slowdown (vs cutting the engines),
so I am not sure the cause, but he definitely went through a lot of
cylinders.

If I was buying a turbo'd (or for that matter high HP per cubic inch)
engine, I would plan on doing a top at least once on the way to TBO.

Contrast that with the Lyc O-360 in my PA28-180. 1400+ since SMOH,
same cylinders, and compressions are still in the mid/upper 70s.

-Nathan