Possibly looking at upgrading to a 550... but first i got to see what the IO520D is worth? Anyone got a formula on figuring out what it's worth on the used market?

650 Since rebuild .. 150 since new cylinders (Because of AD) + Gami's

Any ideas? Just wondering if there was a mathematical formula for such evaluation?

THANKS

Also very interested in a pricing formula. I know of one 520 for sale that is out of time up in Canada http://www.barnstormers.com/classified_1178062_Continental+IO-520-D.html Since your 520 has a good amount of time before TBO with new cylinders and the Gamis you should be able to get more than what this guy is selling for.

Best of luck with the 550 upgrade!

Interested in 520D pm me, thanks

Continental publishes their core values. Core value + (exchange price/TBO x time remaining) is a place from where you can start negotiations.

I bought a used IO-550 and had it repaired. I still have the IO-520 core.

If you send your IO-520D to CMI and ask for an IO-550 in return, there's a $3500 penalty.

You might want to look into putting the tuned induction on your IO-520 too.

Tim

Tim, I've never heard of that. More info?

Vitatoe aviation does it for 206/207/210. I'm sure the 185 is a prime candidate:

http://www.vitatoeaviation.com/

Oh, you mean install an IO-550 F. No STC for the 185 yet. 40K USD for a TAT conversion. If someone came up with a TSIO-550F STC, that would be attractive.

Pinecone wrote:Continental publishes their core values. Core value + (exchange price/TBO x time remaining) is a place from where you can start negotiations.

Hey Pinecone! Thanks for the input...I was told that same evaluation formula, but wasn't sure if that was correct...but that's kinda what I'm gathering from my research. A very reputable shop (arguably one of the top engine shops) says cores range from 13,000-16,500 (time-out) ... plus time remaining.

13,500 + (31,100/1700x1050) = $32,708 ... That seems a bit steep... That sounds totally off base?
^------------ ^ ------^---------^
(Core) (Exchange / TBO x Time Remaining = Worth more than I thought

behindpropellers wrote:Vitatoe aviation does it for 206/207/210. I'm sure the 185 is a prime candidate:

http://www.vitatoeaviation.com/

Hey Behindpropellers! Thanks for the link, seems interesting. I looked into a manual waste gate turbo system for the IO520 but was turned off of the idea when they couldn't give me any details on the operation.

You will be lucky to get 15k out of the used engine. (I searched from dec 2015 till july 2016 )
i found complete yellow tagged engines un assembled for 15-17k, and most mid time engines were 8-12k
Start searching barnstormers and other places, you see 520's at 600-1000 hrs starting at 8k and going up to 15ish

Your calculation is correct. You'd have to discount that a lot to sell it, and so you'd be giving away too much.

I have to ask, why not run out the 1000 hours and change it then? I switched to an IO-550 because my engine was so old by the calendar, was close to TBO, and slobbering oil. The repair, nearly a zero time overhaul, on the IO-550 I had came in at $36,000 CAD, $27,000 USD, so it made good sense.

You're not going to get an appreciable performance gain with the IO-550. It'll rev lower, be quieter, and have a slight horsepower edge, but barely perceptible. It makes sense at overhaul time because of the longer TBO and increased aircraft value, but you're not at overhaul time yet.

What propeller are you using?

Pinecone,

I think I'm misunderstanding your numbers.

A while back I spoke to Jim at Seaplanes West about an IO550 upgrade. Granted, he was talking about a new engine, but I seem to recall US$80k, plus another $15k for porting and polishing to bump it up to 330hp.

My plane is underpowered for amphibs with a stock O470R. My choices for HP upgrade seem to be PPonk (280hp) for US$40,000 or, by Jim's calculator, US$80,000 for a new IO550 300hp.

Is buying a used 550 and having it rebuilt comparable in cost to the PPonk, or am I missing something?

Pinecone wrote: What propeller are you using?

Black Mac 86" Three Blade

That prop should really howl! I've never liked making a spectacle. No exhaust modifications on my vehicles, no motorcycles, etc. I actually like stealth mode. The 185 changed that. I cringed a little, but still enjoyed making a big racket with the IO-520 cranking an 86" around at 2850 RPM.

If you just can't wait for the 550, then I could relate to that, but I wouldn't make a claim that I'll outperform a 520. It's a change, but not necessarily a performance improvement.

Allbravo. I bought the Seaplanes West factory demonstrator C-GSWI after it was wrecked last year. I bought it for the floats, but the engine turned out to be a good deal. It had about 800 hours on it. It needed a prop strike inspection, and significant water damage was found. Even so, the repair bill was a better deal than a factory reman. I can't really guess what the engine cost me, it was part of the deal. Let's just say that what I paid for the salvage was a fair deal for the floats and everything else was bonus!

The conversion of your carbureted 182 to an IO-550 is an extensive mod. The fuel stystem has to be changed, return lines, electric fuel pump, engine controls change, baffling change, etc. You'll need a new engine mount and propeller, so yes, 80K plus. The 185 conversion is nearly a straight bolt in.