It has been a year since I was issued my Airworthiness Certificate and I'm in the process of performing my first Condition Inspection. In checking the compression using a differential tester with an inlet pressure dialed to 80 PSI my cylinders are checking excellent. Three of them are 78 and one is 77.

I'm wondering how this compares to other engines with similar hours? I have 126 hours now. I broke the engine in running Aeroshell straight-weight mineral oil for the first 25 hours. I changed it after about the first ten hours and put in the same oil up to the 25 hour change. I ran it hard these first hours too. Following that I changed oil each 25 hours using Phillips 20-50 XC oil and after 100 hours added a half quart of Camguard with the same Phillips oil.

Just a few little things found during the inspection. I tighened the alternator belt, found that the plastic oil filler neck was loose and kept from rotating by safety wire and a re-solder of two primer fitting to the copper line. I have three injectors for the primer system and prefer to use it rather than use the accelerator pump in the carb to start when cold.

I'm really pleased with the CC O-340 engine.