The engine ran smoothly but was not putting out the power is should have. Many things were tried, new Hanlon and Wilson exhaust, carb rear-down to check for proper jetting and float level, double checked the prop pitch, multiple compression checks, timing checks, replaced intake spider, (a refugee from a 65 with the proper one), cleaned out the breather tube, called in a channeler and held a séance. Nothing worked. Then occasionally on engine start and always at the most inconvenient times, the oil pressure would fail to come up and got tired of doing the stand it on it's nose trick.
Removed the C-85 and shipped it by Subaru Outback to Central Cylinder in Omaha. It got a factory new crankshaft, rods and pistons that were meant for an O-200 through an STC. All factory new nickel cylinders. Re-ground the original cam. New pushrods and lifters. Re-conditioned accessory case with new oil pump gears. Rebuilt engine case. The slick mags were near new already, the exhaust was new and the carb had just been done shortly prior the the overhaul. I stayed with the original data plate. Engine now displaces 199.5 cubic inches and the engine shop says it's a C-200.
Our I.A., Craig Martin and I re-installed in 2 1/2 weekends. The airplane has been flown once to return it home to Ames from the airplane convalescence center at Morningstar Field at Des Moines. Would love to have a glowing pilot report but I've only flown it 15 minutes so far. All I'm sure of is that it is faster than any Champ in existence.
The Central Cylinder folks were most cordial and great to work with. The whole shop came over to listen to the symptom list when I took it in and the whole shop came and, I'm not making this up, patted the engine as we were loading it. They did my overhaul just after a Lenape Papoose and just before a Rolls Royce Merlin.
Travis Gregory
