C172 0-540 Conversion

[Jim Lynch]

Looking for information on Cessna 172 0-540 STC conversion. Has anyone ever seen one?

 

[Vector4fun]

I think there's 3 different O-360 conversions, and a diesel, but I've never heard of a -540 conversion. You'd be out of fuel in about two and a half hours with standard tanks.

There was also a Franklin conversion, but last I heard, they were out of business.


Edit to add;

There's at least two different companies doing O-520/550 STC's for the C-182

 

[mnixon]

at 50 gallons an hour, you'll be out of gas well before that.

 

[VNugget]

I'd double check that figure.

 

[A Squared]

at 50 gallons an hour, you'll be out of gas well before that.

Yes, you would be, fortunately the O-540 only burns a small fraction of that

 

[Comin-In-Hot]

Could a 172 handle the torque of a 540? Probably rip itself right off the firewall!

If it could work, it would climb like a homesick angel though. Love to see it

 

[sleddriver71]

In the chieftains I used to fly we had turbocharged 540's with 350 HP and they would burn around 18 gallons/hour(each) at 65% power and 50 degrees rich of peak, not that you really wanted to know that.

 

[FN FAL]

In the chieftains I used to fly we had turbocharged 540's with 350 HP and they would burn around 18 gallons/hour(each) at 65% power and 50 degrees rich of peak, not that you really wanted to know that.

Yea, but they don't burn that on departure before you lean for climb...$$$$

 

[SIG600]

I'm kinda curious why you would do this. Climb performance would be craptacular... but you still gotta observe V speeds. I'm all about bolting big engines to small vehicles but this just seems like a waste. I did train in a c-152 about 12 years ago initially getting my PPL that had a 160hp 172 engine in it. That thing was fun....

 

[Regul8r]

A 152 with an O-360??? That sounds like alot of fun. Just curious, what's the most "Over-Engined" POS anyone has ever flown in here? And another question, anyone know if it was the Lockheed LodeStar that had the 2800's on it?

 

[FlyingFisherman]

C-150 with a 180hp O-360. Banner tow A/C, VGs and droop tips. Used something on the order of 18" of runway with a 15kt tailwind

I'd like to stick a 540 into an S1S or S1T Pitts and see what that's all about. On that note...the 720 would be even better! Maybe someday this whole aviation thing will start to pay me the big bucks just like the brochure said at the FBO.

 

[NoPax]

An IO-540 will burn around 24 GPH on climb at sea level, 20 per hour in climb above 3000', and 15 per hour or less cruise.

It will also produce 290 HP at sea level with a constant speed prop running at 2575 RPM

A bit too much for a 172...I'd also imagine the additional weight of the prop & engine might cause an issue with a forward CG. The 540 will cost about 40000 new/reman, and the 720 (!) will be about 55000...good luck with that.

Be careful of the bearings in the 540s and 720s...we had problems with the 540s in 04 in the 500s, and a string of problems with the 720s on the bigger fuselage Aero Commanders 680s.

 

[FreightPup]

I used to tow gliders with a 172 that had a 210 Franklin and a constant speed prop. SRB's were quite fun!!

 

[A Squared]

A 152 with an O-360??? That sounds like alot of fun. Just curious, what's the most "Over-Engined" POS anyone has ever flown in here? And another question, anyone know if it was the Lockheed LodeStar that had the 2800's on it?

I read a magazine article a few years back about a banner tow company that put a 540 on a cub. I think that might be a candidate.

Also the Turbo Raven some airshow performer had. PT-6 (I think) on a little bitty experimental plane. Thrust to weight ratio greater than one. Part of his routine was doing vertical climbs.

 

[ultrarunner]

Looking for information on Cessna 172 0-540 STC conversion. Has anyone ever seen one?

Sure have, it's called a C-182. Lot's of 'em for sale.

If you want more HP in a 172, get a Penn Yan or Avcon 180 hp conversion.

 

[Vector4fun]

A 152 with an O-360??? That sounds like alot of fun. Just curious, what's the most "Over-Engined" POS anyone has ever flown in here? And another question, anyone know if it was the Lockheed LodeStar that had the 2800's on it?

I believe the Lodestar had Wright 1820s. The Howard 500 conversion of the Super Ventura did have R2800s installed though. 330 kts and 2800 mile range.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/m.zoeller/H500.htm



And iirc the pa-32-300 burned about 20 gph at takeoff, and around 14 gph at cruise.

 

[averyrm]

FlyingFish, was that at Air America? I towed with that one season!

 

[VNugget]

While not as riduculously overengined as the Cub with a 540 (is that really real?) I currently fly a Swick T, which is a clipped wing (among other mods) Taylorcraft BC-12, with a 160 horse AEIO-320... originally A-65. Yeah, it's got some get up and go. I don't even wanna imagine what it would do with a 360, which is possible to stick in there.

How bout this 720 in a Pitts?

P.S. 11:1 compression

 

[crash-proof]

Aerial Sign here in fort lauderdale has (or had) an 0-540 powered cub, I saw the thing taking off here at FXE years ago and the thing even put an Helio Courier to shame, it almost floated off the runway followed by a ridiculous climb. Not sure what happened to it, been years since I last saw it.

I read a while back about a Glasair III kit with a IO-720 , got W/O at the last sun n fun unfortunately.

The Harmon Rocket also falls into the insanely overpowered category.

 

[USMCmech]

I know there are IO-540 conversions for C-182s, but I've never heard about one for a 172. Texas Skyways does one of the conversions out of Boerne (5C1) near San Antonio.

The tow plane for the gliders where I'm learning is a C-152 with an O-360. Aparently the hardest part is the descent with all that extra power is keeping it under the yellow arc.

 

[mnixon]

I'd double check that figure.

That's what happens when you post without thinking. I was thinking two engines. Sorry guys

 

[PapaK]

I had an FO a few years ago who bought a clipped wing Chritiansen Eagle with a 540 on it. He said it would climb vertical until you got bored.

If you're not living onthe edge, you're taking up too much room.

 

[FlyingFisherman]

FlyingFish, was that at Air America? I towed with that one season!

Nope. Mom and pop shop. Fun fun fun airplane.

Just did my type in the Encore...it's a fun airplane too

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Aerial Sign here in fort lauderdale has (or had) an 0-540 powered cub, I saw the thing taking off here at FXE years ago and the thing even put an Helio Courier to shame, it almost floated off the runway followed by a ridiculous climb. Not sure what happened to it, been years since I last saw it.

Last I checked, they still had it. They used it to tow those monster bollboards.

you had to fly from the back seat for weight and balance.

CE