Continental O-300

O-300
Rolls-Royce Continental O-300 on display at the Solent Sky museum, England.
Type	Piston aircraft engine
National origin	USA
Manufacturer	Continental Motors
Developed from	Continental C-125

The Continental O-300 and the C-145 are a family of air-cooled flat-6 aircraft piston engines built by Teledyne Continental Motors.^[1]

First produced in 1947, versions were still in production as of 2004^[update]. It was produced under licence in the United Kingdom by Rolls-Royce in the 1960s.

Development

Continental O-300 engine installation in a Cessna 172

The C-145 was developed from the 125 hp (93 kW) C-125 engine. Both powerplants share the same crankcase, although the C-145 produces an additional 20 hp (15 kW) through a longer piston stroke, higher compression ratio of 7.0:1 and different carburetor jetting.^[1]

The O-300 is a modernized C-145 and retains the same weight, dimensions, bore, stroke, compression ratio, displacement and output power of the earlier engine.^[1]

GO-300

The GO-300 employs a reduction gearbox, so that the engine turns at 3200 rpm to produce a propeller rpm of 2400. The GO-300 produces 175 hp (130 kW) whereas the ungeared O-300 produces 145 hp (108 kW).^[1]

The GO-300 engine has a TBO (Time Between Overhaul) of only 1200 hours, while 1800 hours is the standard for ungeared O-300 engines. The GO-300 engine also suffered reliability problems as a result of pilots mishandling the engine and operating it at too low an engine rpm. This caused the Cessna Skylark to develop a poor reputation for engine reliability. Many Skylarks flying today have been converted to different larger displacement direct drive engines.^[2]

Variants

C-145

Six-cylinder, 145 hp (108 kW), direct-drive engine^[1]

O-300

Modernized C-145, 145 hp (108 kW), direct drive engine^[1]

GO-300

Geared O-300, 175 hp (130 kW) at 3200 crankshaft rpm, 2400 propeller rpm^[1]

Voyager 300

Liquid-cooled, fuel-injected version developing 170 hp (127 kW) at 2,700 rpm.

Applications

Cessna 175 showing the cowling bulge behind the propeller hub created by the GO-300 reduction gearbox

O-300

• Aeronca Sedan
• Baumann Brigadier
• Cessna 160 - intended for production model^[3]
• Cessna 170
• Cessna 172 and T-41 Mescalero
• Maule M-4
• Meyers MAC-145
• Taylorcraft 15
• Temco TE-1A
• Globe Swift

GO-300

• Cessna 175
• Goodyear GZ-19 and GZ-19A

Voyager 300

• Alexeev Strizh

Specifications (O-300)

Reference: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights^[1]

General characteristics

• Type: 6-cylinder air-cooled horizontally opposed aircraft piston engine
• Bore: 4.0625 in (103.2 mm)
• Stroke: 3.875 in (98.4 mm)
• Displacement: 301.4 in³ (4.94 L)
• Length: 39.75 in (101.0 cm)
• Width: 31.5 in (80.0 cm)
• Height: 23.25 in (59.0 cm)
• Dry weight: 268 lbs (121.5 kg) dry, without starter or generator

Components

• Cooling system: Air-cooled

Performance

• Power output: 145 hp (108 kW) at 2,700 rpm
• Specific power: 0.58 hp/in³ (26.5 kW/l)
• Compression ratio: 7.0:1
• Power-to-weight ratio: 0.54 hp/lb (0.89 kW/kg)

See also

Related lists

• List of aircraft engines
  

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 60-63. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0-8306-2347-7
2. ^ Perdue, Scott (undated). "A Lark That Won’t Quit". http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/aircraft/pilot-reports/cessna/a-lark-that-wont-quit.html?start=1. Retrieved 2008-12-19. 
3. ^ Murphy, Daryl (2006). "The Cessnas that got away". http://www.wingsoverkansas.com/features/article.asp?id=461. Retrieved 2008-12-22.