I tend to be a bit of a loner in the shop, kicking around on projects while mumbling to myself—making it a bit hard for a helper to follow what I’m going to do next. But every once in a while, it’s fun to pull someone else into a process and enjoy some quality time with a friend and a motor!
Such was the case last week when KITPLANES Senior Editor Tom Wilson stopped by for a few days to help change all the soft seals on the IO-540 we are prepping for the F1 Rocket project. This motor has been sitting (well-preserved—it borescopes perfectly) for 25 years, and the rubber was all well past its sell-by date. So we bought a gasket set and pulled out the tools!
Tom is the editor of our annual Engine Buyer’s Guide and is well connected with internal combustion powerplants, having been an automotive journalist and fast-car driver for most of his life. He knows his way around a torque wrench and owns his own fire-breathing Lycon-built 540, which drags his big Starduster around the skies. He was a great asset as we worked our way down to the cylinder-base gaskets and then reassembled our way back to a completed engine.
There is always a trade-off when working with others. When you’re alone, it’s easy to focus on the task and work without interruptions—but it can get a bit lonely after a while. With friends in the shop, there’s lots of banter and repartee going on, which can distract and slow the process down if you aren’t careful. But with experienced help, the talking can go on while you spin on the twelfth identical nut, making the time (and the job) go faster! Having that extra set of experienced eyes and hands can also help with quality control: “Say, before you slide that cylinder back in, you did change the gasket…right?”
Two days of quality time with motors and a good friend—it both gets the job done faster and recharges the soul!
And we didn’t have any parts left over. Amazing!