Thanks to all who provided their opinions. I am happy to say that 91X came back home last night, after having the engine case split and replaced.
The mechanic who quoted us 1/2 the price of the "bad" guy seems to have been worth twice as much. He has a good reputation, and boy did he earn it with us! Extra things he did without us asking was to paint the oil cap bright yellow, paint other parts such as the cylinder baffles, and clean the engine up overall. The most important thing is he found a cracked backing spinner plate and two pitted cam followers (for little extra cost) that he repaired. And, to make it all worthwhile, the engine is running smoother than any other 150 I've ever flown! I hope that all of you are right, that we get a chance to meet in Clinton, and the bad times are behind us.
Warm wishes,
Greg Hopp
N4691X
