Our Husky 0360 is getting close to TBO. We took our last TSIO-520 to 200 past TBO and it was still strong when we sold so I understand running past TBO. BUT, I'm 74 and thinking why not OH now and get more HP so we (wife/I both PICs) can enjoy the additional HP BEFORE we need to sell. Airplane owners since 1981; not a mechanic- strictly a parts replacer with adult supervision.

That being said:

1) looking for actual user factual info re how to get additional HP (most/cheapest)- port/polish, bore/over sized pistons etc. Want to keep max reliability.

2) pireps for OH shops (live north of Denver); but, don't mind driving for a good engine builder-. We would remove and haul to builder ourselves.

I realize these questions are very subjective; so, I certainly would also appreciate PMs and I would call back to discuss.

Thanks for any help.
Jack

I'm sure you know of him, but Joe in Greeley is great - Aircraft Cylinders and Engines (ACE). He did work on my 470 in 2017 and is still who I call when I have an engine question, and is always easy to talk to. If I were still based in that area, he would be my engine guy.

Western Skyways is in Montrose, still an easy haul for you and a reputable big shop that can do exchanges and such.

I think you'll be offered the most performance enhancing mods without a fuss through Lycon in CA, though.

The easy and most reliable HP gain is a tuned exhaust.

I believe power flow makes one for the Husky.

Some guys report that a tuned exhaust 180 hp 0 360 engine compares well to the the later 200 hp engine .

That is also the biggest and easy gain on our Super cubs. My stock 160 hp 0-320 cub with a leading edge tuned exhaust compares very well

to a couple all out Lycon build 0-320's that were dyno tested to over 180 California HP

Port and Polish works....how much gain?? Who knows?
Oversize pistons/big bore is likely a no go on certified.
A REALLY good balance on the rotating assembly may or may not make power, but you'll notice it for sure.

I'd secon Lycon as an outfit that specializes in making legal hp. Good guys, and they deliver.

If you haven't already, get a composite prop.

And, BTW, I wouldn't want a Husky with the 200. They are heavy!!! Smooth as glass, but heavy. They do perform, but so does a good, fairly light 180 in a Husky

Asa; Engin Joe built our C85 stroker in our Champ in 2018; partner had a few issues....... Joe was easy to talk to.

Bush; yes they do make one for Husky- went to a TX Husky fly in that they did a seminar. I'll due more research.

MTV; we do have MT prop (love it) and bore is out. Looks like I'll also be talking to Lycon,

Thanks all for great info. Gives me more things to consider and research.

In the meantime; we're staying with friends at S PHX airpark until end of Feb; love flying in 70 degree WX in the winter. Also, love being retired. Now my e-mtn biking is a little different story; three trips out and I'm leaving entirely too much blood in AZ,

Maybe Im in the minority, but I had my maule cylinders flow matched at lycon at rebuild. I really wish I would have put the money toward avgas. I didnt notice any difference.

Dunno if it's an option for a certificated Husky, but there are 375 & 390 Lyc's available nowadays.
"There's no replacement for displacement".

I have a Maule with an O-360 on the nose and although it was still running at 2400 hours, the reduced compression was noticeable and it was just a matter of time. I ordered a rebuilt O-360 from LyCon and kept flying with the old mill while waiting for the new one to be ready. LyCon promised completion in 6 - 8 months. They finished working on the engine at just under 6 months, but another couple of weeks were required to complete the dyno runs. I had them CNC the ports and flow balance the cylinders to smooth airflow. I was going to have roller tappets installed since my second cam was making metal, but LyCon convinced me their DLC (diamond like coating) treatment of the tappets was just as good and that was included in the base price. I went along with their advice. The engine produced 203 Hp on the dyno and the difference was readily noticeable when I flew the plane with the new engine. I'd heartily recommend LyCon based on my experience. One more bit of info - I emailed LyCon with questions several times and got calls back from what I assumed was someone in the shop. When I was talking to my point of contact on the phone, I mentioned getting called by XXX in the shop and my contact told me that wasn't a mechanic that called me, it was the president of the company. That kind of customer service and management engagement is hard to find. I am a happy customer!

No mod will make proper power unless you have a exhaust that allows it to develop the HP.

My point is a stock engine with a tuned exhaust makes more HP than a mod engine with a stock exhaust.

If the exhaust does not allow your engine to breathe all the flow porting in the world will not help it make power.

It can only make as much Power as the flow of air and fuel through the engine allows.

It does not matter where the restriction is intake exhaust or cylinder head , it all has to work together.

A good tuned exhaust is the first must to make power once you have that done go ahead and spend how ever much you want to get more.

If you do not get the base line — intake and exhaust covered — spending money on engine work is money wasted.

One our 0-320s and 0-360s the tuned or open exhausts ( Hot Rod exhaust) make as much as 100 rpm difference in static run up.

Have a good look at the dyno sheets from Lycon , they use open headers and run at over 2800 rpm to get this HP

(Redline from Lycoming not the AC flight manual) so unless you run at that RPM you will never see that power.

Hence I joke and cal it California HP — I do use LYCON ported cylinders for any of my Continentals where I feel I get my moneys worth.

And it only works if you use them in conjunction with a good tuned exhaust.

Flyhound wrote:I have a Maule with an O-360 on the nose and although it was still running at 2400 hours, the reduced compression was noticeable and it was just a matter of time. I ordered a rebuilt O-350 from LyCon and kept flying with the old mill while waiting for the new one to be ready. LyCon promised completion in 6 - 8 months. They finished working on the engine at just under 6 months, but another couple of weeks were required to complete the dyno runs. I had them CNC the ports and flow balance the cylinders to smooth airflow. I was going to have roller tappets installed since my second cam was making metal, but LyCon convinced me their DLC (diamond like coating) treatment of the tappets was just as good and that was included in the base price. I went along with their advice. The engine produced 203 Hp on the dyno and the difference was readily noticeable when I flew the plane with the new engine. I'd heartily recommend LyCon based on my experience. One more bit of info - I emailed LyCon with questions several times and got calls back from what I assumed was someone in the shop. When I was talking to my point of contact on the phone, I mentioned getting called by XXX in the shop and my contact told me that wasn't a mechanic that called me, it was the president of the company. That kind of customer service and management engagement is hard to find. I am a happy customer!

And, THAT is a VERY good report, folks!

Sent email asking about price, what mods and availability on the 6th- nothing yet.
[email protected]

Suggest calling and ask for Ken, if you are told he is on the phone or busy, leave your # he will call you back. He is the owner and very busy and hands on.

flyhound & limerick: called Lycon and they're sending quote with info.
Thanks for #s.

I have heard about long LyCon wait times in recent years but in 2017 I sent them 6 brand new cylinders to do their magic on and they were pretty easy to work with, down to the color of the coatings I wanted on the cylinder (my case paint clashed horribly with the Lycoming grey cylinders.)

Had a couple lycomings with lycon port and polish and high compression 10:1 pistons. They made it about 300 hrs before wiping the valves and guides out. Had another shop do them and he was not impressed with the valve job lycon did on the factory cylinders. Went back to 8.5:1 pistons on the 320. With the 10:1 it was almost 2gph more fuel flow in cruise, had a hard time keeping it cool, and ended up retarding the timing, so how much of that power was given up. It seems like these engines don't like to be hot rodded. The other shop used to build the engines for red bull's airplanes. When i asked him how lycon gets so much power out of them on the dyno he showed me how you can fudge it. He said he has tried everything, and there is no massive gains radially available. Last 320 I built i had the crank and rods balanced, it sure is a smooth engine

320 and 360 Lyc engines are 70 year old tractor technology and will go 3 or 4000 hours without touching anything. Much like a 350 chevy of that vintage there is lots more hp available. You don't go the Lycon route to increase the TBO and save fuel. There is no magic, to get an additional 20 hp on takeoff it takes more fuel. The Lycomings are a prime candidate for increasing performance and still reach TBO but everything has to be matched. You can just install 10 to 1 pistons and maybe get a little more but your going to be limited by many other factors like intake and exhuast flows, heat, fuel flow, balancing, prop etc. If you can get 500hp out of a 350 chevy you can certainly get more than180hp out of a 360 Lyc. The key is finding someone with the expertise to extract the desired amount of power and balance that with acceptable life expectancy.
Lycon has been helping us in that regard for many many years on both Lycoming's and Continentals and a few weeks ago they just finished a Cont IO550 N for a 206 for us. Depends what you want or need but we only run on floats and the sooner your off the water the easier it is on the engine.

peterdillon wrote:320 and 360 Lyc engines are 70 year old tractor technology and will go 3 or 4000 hours without touching anything. Much like a 350 chevy of that vintage there is lots more hp available. You don't go the Lycon route to increase the TBO and save fuel. There is no magic, to get an additional 20 hp on takeoff it takes more fuel. The Lycomings are a prime candidate for increasing performance and still reach TBO but everything has to be matched. You can just install 10 to 1 pistons and maybe get a little more but your going to be limited by many other factors like intake and exhuast flows, heat, fuel flow, balancing, prop etc. If you can get 500hp out of a 350 chevy you can certainly get more than180hp out of a 360 Lyc. The key is finding someone with the expertise to extract the desired amount of power and balance that with acceptable life expectancy.
Lycon has been helping us in that regard for many many years on both Lycoming's and Continentals and a few weeks ago they just finished a Cont IO550 N for a 206 for us. Depends what you want or need but we only run on floats and the sooner your off the water the easier it is on the engine.

Even SBC's need a lot of mods to get 500HP. I get that out of my 350 but it take a shot of Nitrous to do it.

I agree on all other points. Exhaust is a big one. Most people don't realize that these old flat engines were rated at the factory with OPEN exhaust. Just straight pipes. You put a crappy exhaust system on and it robs a lot. I have seen 75-150 RPM gains by just changing to a better exhaust system, and that means gaining back the HP lost.

--Brian