liquid cooled 414 experience

[cardoghorseguy]

Does anyone have any experience the Centurion conversions on cessna 414's? They are close to having the same conversion on the Cessna 340. I have not been able to find anyone with actual experience or stories to share on the performance. Just asking.

[captbilly]

There is a conversion from RAM that puts 2 TSIOL 540 Continental Voyager liquid cooled engines on the 414A. That airplane seems to have excellent high altitude performance and the longest TBO of any engine you can get on a 414 (2000 hours). The plane will go as fast as a 421 but the liquid cooled eninges burn less fuel and are less expensive to overhaul than the GTSIO 520 Continentals on the 421 (GTSIO is geared, propellor turns slower than the engine). I had heard that the voyager engines would be available on the 340 but that never seemed to have come to pass.

If by the Centurion conversion you mean the Centurion Diesel engine from Thielert, that would seem very unlikely due to the bankruptcy of Theilert. The engines unfortunately seem to have had some serious problems making it to TBO, and due to the warrantee service required on the eninges and the downturn in aircraft sales, Theilert just couldn't stay afloat. I hope they get it sorted out because a diesel engine would be great for reducing fule flow and allow you to use much less dangerous and often less costly Jet A instead of 100ll. The range figures for a Theilert diesel on the 414 and 340 looked great, but since none were ever sold (at least not as far as I have ever heard) you aren't likely to find anyone with actual experience flying either.

[kbhskier]

I had the pleasure of flying a liquid cooled 414 for about 4 years. The aircraft had good performance. Basically as fast as a turbo prop ie. 240 kts. at low twenties. Fun to fly. Now for the other items.
I lost oil pressure twice due to the tight cowls rubbing on the push rod casings causing an oil leak twice. Not fun. I lost a coolant tank plug at altitude, lost all coolant. I tried to baby the engine and temps with cowl flaps, mixture, throttle in order to keep the temp in the green. 3 cylinders later we were back in the air.

As for RAM they were great. However, we spent alot of time in the shop both in Waco and elsewhere.

Good Luck.