It has been a while since I have posted, so here is where I stand now.

Back in October I grounded my 601 because of the engine using oil, low oil pressure and just not running very well for very long. What I found was a partial oil ring on the #3 cylinder as well as a few bearings that were at service limits on the crank shaft and cam shaft. I also found a stud that had pulled loose from the crank case under the rear cam shaft journal, so the case needs to be line bored also. I also cracked a mag flange some time flying around for 15 hours. The crank shaft is at ECI and that will determine what I do for an engine.

With the FAA doing it's thing I have pulled the wings off and left them at the field in the hanger and brought the fuselage home. I have the seats, center spar box out and the spar box is now in several pieces. I received my up grade kit very recently and have started to slowly start working on it.

There are two things I am going to change now. First is the fuel system. I used the rubber lines supplied by Zenith which are now 5 years old, so they are changing to metal from all four tanks to just before the engine. Yes I did say all four tanks. I have the "orginial" extended range tanks and have thought long and hard about dumping two of them to save weight but with an airport 30 miles away selling non ethonal fuel I plan to tank some back as needed and there are a few times it will be nice to have the extra fuel. The other isssue is the brake lines. I used the plastic lines supplied by Zenith and the day I brought the plane home it was bitter cold and one brake line caught on the trailer and snapped. I was planning to replace them anyway, but now the decision is made.

So I am with the rest of every one and following the up grades we are all making and learning that it really is fairly easy to drill the bird apart, just not FUN like building it.

After working with some of the new metal, this will be one strong airplane. My hope is that as a group we all get through this and establish a good flying airplane because mine sure did fly good for the few hours I was flying.