No, BMC kits do not caintain the piston. However, it comes with the hardware needed to complete the job and installaiton tooling.

Yes, the STC paperwork is included in the box. 

Per the supplier, customer will use their current belt.

Placing a permanent reference mark at 180°F on the green band of your oil gauge is a good way to get accurate readings.  To do this, simply place your sending unit and an accurate, referenced thermometer in a steel container filled with oil, and slowly heat it to 180°F with a hot plate. You may not be able to hold 180°F constant, so first mark your gauge with a pencil as the oil temperature passes 180°F. Then let the oil cool back to 180°F. Repeat the process to ensure accuracy. 

And be extra careful with the hot oil. In a naturally aspirated aircraft engine, a cruise oil temperature significantly below 170°-180°F will not ensure that the moisture in the oil is boiled off, especially during short flights. As oil goes through the engine, the highest instantaneous temperature will be about 50°F higher than the oil sump temperature. 

So, if you have an oil temperature of only 150°-160°F, the oil will not get above the 212°F necessary to boil off the water that can accumulate from condensation. The result is increased moisture and acid buildup in the crankcase, which will probably lead to rust and corrosion. 

Knowing this is especially critical if your aircraft is not flown regularly and sits in a humid climate for weeks at a time. If your oil runs well below the 180°F mark, have your mechanic check your oil cooler system and vernatherm. Also, ask about a winterization kit. 

Conversely, the concern with the typical turbocharged piston engine is excessive heat. In many of these engines, instantaneous oil temperature can increase 70°F or more at its hottest point versus sump temperature.  These high temperatures can cause deposit buildup and increased wear due to improperly cooled components or low oil viscosity. (All oils, especially single grade oils, thin out as the temperature

It is critical the owner or maintenance shop obtain a PN off the brake master cylinder assembly, not from the IPC manual. 

The screw kit depends on if the holes in the floor of your airplane have been carefully removed and are close to new size or if they have been enlarged by unskilled rivet removal or the rails have been changed before. It will make a difference if the previous rails installed were Cessna rails with predrilled holes in the rail. (They do not normally line up well and the floor has been mis-drilled some to force them to align). If the holes are good, use the SR6-SCREW-KT kit. If the holes are enlarged some, use the SR8-SCREW-KT kit.

Curtis Superior and SAF-AIR valves are designed for installation in a standard NPT port for NPT threaded valves or an AND-10050 style port for UNF threaded valves. Use a thread sealant or Teflon tape on pipe threaded valves. Never allow any thread sealant on the first thread . This will prevent contamination of the fuel system. Refer to aircraft manufacturer's torque specifications for the aircraft in which it is being used.

Replace the rubber seals as per the aircraft manufacturer’s recommendations or every ten years when no guidance is given. McFarlane stocks replacement seals and seal kits for both Curtis Superior and SAF-AIR valves. The new Curtis valves use a O-ring type seal instead of the flat seal that was previously used. 

SAF-AIR valves are designed to be disassembled and the O-rings replaced. Over time, if the valve should start to leak, check to make sure the drain valve is tight. If drain valve is found to be tight, then check the O-rings. All O-rings used are buna "n", MS29513 Style, MIL-P-5315. SAF-AIR O-ring seal kits are available for most of their valves. Add a "K" or "-K" suffix to the valve part number.

Never have a hose attached in flight to the oil drain valve. Engine vibration and the additional attached mass can cause premature seal and valve wear which could result in valve failure and a loss of engine oil.

There are several ways of repairing worn cowl surfaces. Epoxy fill is sometimes used for minor wear, or flush or double flush riveted aluminum doubler plates can be formed and installed over the damage. McFarlane has a high temperature (400deg F) sandable two part epoxy with an aluminum filler that works well for filling minor cowl skin defects; please see P/N 20 GLUE KIT. Consult with your A&P mechanic for the best repair solution for your aircraft.

The kits fit exactly the same space that the OEM parts do. However, the most important difference is that the parts in the kits cannot corrode or seize together because of the self lubricating polymer bushings used to replace the steel bushings. If the steel OEM parts corrode and seize, the result is costly repairs to the supporting structure in the wing. 

It's just a matter of removing the doors, pressing out the steel bushings and then pressing in the replacement parts. The kits include all necessary hardware including new bolts and spacers. Where the OEM sleeve part is flanged, the space is made up with a thin washer. Installation videos are available to demonstrate kit installation. 

Baffles and seals are critical to keeping an engine cool, yet they’re often overlooked.  When you’re flying, air enters the cowling and creates static pressure above the engine. This pressure then forces cool air down through your cylinders and oil cooler to the lower pressure areas below and behind the engine. From there, the air travels out through the flaps or other flaring openings. 

What’s important to consider is that there is only a given amount of air coming in through the cowling at any given time. If your baffles are broken or misshaped, the amount of air going past a particular cylinder or area will increase. And if you increase airflow in one area, then airflow past other cylinders and the oil cooler will decrease, leading to higher temperatures in some parts of the engine than others.

Seals can create similar problems. If your seals aren’t in good condition or aren’t properly adjusted, they’ll allow air to bleed out.  Which can reduce static pressure and cooling. So what can you do? Whenever you install a new engine, always have the baffles checked. Also, as part of your periodic inspections, check all the seals for fit and condition. 

If the seals aren’t soft and pliable, replace them. Do this if your oil or cylinder temperatures seem abnormally high as well. Also check how the seals fit against the cowling. If there are noticeable gaps, adjust the seals to reduce air leakage. Be sure to inspect the holes at the rear of the cowling for excessive leakage. If your cylinder heads still run hot, it may be necessary for you or your mechanic to check the static air pressure above the engine during flight. The spec should be available from your airframe manufacturer.

Preheating your engine makes a world of difference. This procedure heats the oil so it’s thin enough to flow through the engine and properly lubricate all critical wear surfaces.  Preheating also heats the metal parts in the engine. That’s important because aluminum crankcases have a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than iron crankshafts. 

This means as your engine cools down, the clearance is reduced.  And as a result, you may not have sufficient oil film thickness for proper hydrodynamic lubrication at very cold temperatures. In other words, the wear rate is going up. 

One final note of caution on heaters: Do not plug in a heater and leave it on for extended periods of time. If you have moisture in your oil, the heater will increase vaporization, which will condense on the cool, nonheated engine parts and increase rusting.

Airplane air/oil separators are also worthy of discussion. Separators are designed to remove the oil from the blow-by gas and return it to the crankcase. This reduces oil consumption and keeps the belly of the airplane clean. Properly installed, separators work well. 

However, if the system is installed with parts in a cool area under the engine cowling, it can condense all of the water evaporated from the oil and return it to the crankcase. 

If you have a separator, make sure it’s properly installed with the exit tube in a low pressure area which will evacuate the water vapor and not force it back into the crankcase. While preheating and the proper air/oil separator are essential to long engine life, they are no more essential than the oil you use. AeroShell® Oil W 15W-50 offers unsurpassed anticorrosion and antiwear protection for all kinds.

There are many components all connected to keep the nose gear in line. If one component is worn or out of tolerance it can cause shimmy problem. Reference Dave McFarlane’s article: Can You Stop Nose Gear Shimmy instructions and suggestions.

Overlooked items also include the rod ends, shimmy dampener mounting and attachment, shimmy dampener, and steering collar. The steering collar is where the steering rod tubes connect and the upper torque link is attached to, along with the shimmy dampener on most aircraft. If the steering collar has play vertically and laterally and is allowed to tilt; that will cause excessive wear and force on the torque links, steering, and strut components. There are three different thicknesses of shims to help get the collar in place.

Ensure that the shimmy dampener is working properly with no dead spots in dampening action. The cylinder could be worn on the inside or on a piston that warrants replacement of components. All of the nose strut components are tied to each other and any movement is transmitted through to the tire and back through the dampening system, which if remedied will continue to be more pronounced.

It is certified to meet AMS3320G, which is the same industry standard specification to which other fiberglass reinforced silicone baffle seal material is certified, however it is not an STC or FAA-PMA product. It is ultimately the installing mechanics responsibility to determine whether the material is appropriate to repair the baffle seals on a specific aircraft.

McFarlane does have FAA approved die cut baffle seal kits for the re-start Cessna 172 aircraft; please see P/N BSC-KT-1. We developed this first because our patented material solves the firewall crack and other baffle seal related problems on these airplanes. McFarlane will develop more FAA approved baffle seal kits as engineering time permits.

Most of the time, it means you need to charge the battery as it is at a low charge level but it could mean several things. First thing you need to do it put a voltmeter on the battery, if the voltage is less than 13.28V, the LED light will flash to let you know to charge the battery. If the voltage is above 13.28V and flashing, then you could have a weak cell /a cell out of balance/or defective cell and you need to contact EarthX for a warranty coverage if it is less than 2 years old. The LED will also flash if the voltage is too high, above 14.6V. If the light is solid and remains on for more than 10 minutes, then it is an indication of a BMS electronics problem and contact EarthX.

Yes, low oil temperature can lead to excessive rusting and corrosion of critical engine parts. When an aircraft sits on the ramp or in a hangar, the engine heats up during the day and cools again at night. While the engine is cooling, some of the moisture in the air condenses on the engine walls and drops into the oil. 

This can form rust on internal engine components. The moisture can also react with by-products of combustion in the oil,forming acids which can lead to corrosion. The best way to remove this water is for the engine to boil it off during flight. Studies have shown that the temperature of your engine oil increases about 50°F as it circulates through the engine.

Therefore, unless the oil temperature reaches 170°F to 180°F during flight, the engine will not boil off the water that has accumulated in the crankcase. The result: rust and corrosion.

Note that an excessively high oil temperature will also cause problems. Here are some tips to help avoid oil temperature problems:

Check your oil temperature gauge for accuracy. It should read about 212°F when the sensor is placed in boiling water.

Monitor the oil temperature during flight. It should be about 180°F even in winter. If it is lower, you may need a winterization kit. Otherwise, check with your mechanic to see what is causing the excessively low oil temperature.

The unique additive feature in anticorrosion/antiwear AeroShell® Oil W 15W-50 can also help control problems caused by rust and corrosion.