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Engine price increase / storage question

Nashpdman

Active Member
How long can you store a new IO-540, is there recommended shelf life? It'll be two years before I'll need the engine, but with way prices keep rising I'm considering ordering.

If you haven't seen the news, Vans announced today a 10-15% increase from Lycoming starting in March.
 
If you order it now, it will likely be close to a year before you can take delivery, and they come from Lycoming packed for either 90 day or 180 day storage without you doing anything special. That's getting you pretty close to your timeline before you have to worry about dehumidifiers and whatnot
 
From Van's Engine Order page:

"We’ve been made aware that Lycoming will be increasing engine prices effective March 14th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. These increases will be in the 10-15% range across their product line. If you order an engine between now and March 15th you will have to take delivery in 2022, or as soon as Lycoming has your engine built in their queue if they are unable to deliver before the end of 2022. You will not be able to request a delivery date after December 31, 2022 for engines ordered now, prior to the price increase."

From Lycoming Warranty " 2. What is the Warranty Period?
This Limited Warranty shall commence on either the date first placed into service by the original retail
purchaser or twenty-four (24) months after the engine is first shipped from Lycoming, whichever occurs
first, and shall extend for a period of twenty-four (24) months or 2200 hours, whichever occurs first."

In my case, the engine will be setting for an extended amount of time (My guess is 2 or 3 years or more?). (I have not even received my first kit even yet)..... Since most of the warranty would be "used up" by the time I get it into service I am not going to order.
 
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Full disclosure this is ~2008 when I got my engine so packaging may have changed and I'm not an engine expert by any means.

Mine came "prepared for long term storage" from Lycoming vacuum sealed, with several pretty large bags of desiccant as well as desiccant plugs in the spark plug holes. Life got in the way so the project slowed and the engine sat for about a year sealed. the color never changed on the desiccant, once I opened the bag the desiccant changed within a couple weeks. In total I think it was about 20 months from delivery to first start, I did borescope the cylinders and saw zero signs of any rust before first start. (I lived in South Dakota at the time, so not costal but also not desert)

IMO while I'm not sure I'd want it to sit for 2+ years, if you order March 13th you're probably receiving it towards the end of 2022, and who knows with how the supply chain has been it might be even later. If your going to use it in 2023 or even the first quarter or two of 2024 I wouldn't be too worried. I would store it somewhere climate controlled and be super careful the bag's seal doesn't get broken. I would also be checking the desiccant monthly, if the color changes I'd be opening it up and pickling it per Lycoming's service bulletin for long term storage.
 
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I ordered my IO-540 just before the price increase last year. The earliest I will get it is September.

In other words, you have a lot of building time before it shows up - in addition to the two year grace after you get it.

Carl
 
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