I just received my PSRU back from Tracy= . If I understand his explanation correctly my prop shaft bearing at = the end near the prop (pusher) bound up somehow. He machined i= t, made other needed adjustments (?) and sent it back to me very promptly..= .bout a week turn around (of course I dropped a bit on overnight shipp= ing to make sure he got it before he was off again <g>).

The problem may have been due to a couple of factors....not really sur= e, but I discovered it after my plane was sitting out of the hangar due to = roof repairs for about 6 or 7 weeks. When I went up to start it to ta= xi back to the hangar, I pulled the prop through a few times by hand and al= l seemed fine. I started it up, started, was tickled, but it it<= A> stalled. Did I mention it was REALLY cold for Houston...= about 27 degrees. I started it again and is sounded "labored" and was= running poorly. It was about 1:00 am (I had just gotten off duty), s= o I figured I call it a night. I got out and turned the prop through = again and could barely turn the prop. Damn. I thought I toasted anoth= er engine. Damn.

A couple of days later a friend and I pushed the plane back to the han= gar and I walked away from the issue for a couple of weeks. Went so far as = to even looking at financing a Lyc <shudder>. = ; I distracted myself by doing some interior work and wiring...actually got= my radios far enough along to listen to ATIS for a few = minutes...on the bench.

Finally, two days after my recent loss, I forced myself to the hangar = and pulled the PSRU . I had already looked inside the ex= haust ports and the chambers looked clean and smooth. I had also drai= ned the oil, with a magnet (I know, some is aluminum) in the drain filter a= nd found it all to be perfectly clean. Well, without the PSRU= the engine turned perfectly making that sweet churning sound th= rough the open spark plug holes.

I turned to the PSRU . I took out each = section slooooowly . No signs of binding, chipping or an= y other damage in each part....until I got to the last section, the sealed = section by the prop. The prop hub would not turn. I could barel= y turn it with the prop on. Without the prop is was a no go. So, I se= nt it to Tracy.

ANYWAY, now that I have it back mounted on the bird I am curious as to= the oil going into the system. Even though I went through this = long explanation, I only have a questions about the oil entering the P= SRU . There is no reason to suspect any oiling issues ca= used the previous problem...I just like to share on occasion. However= , last night when I was hooking up everything I decided to pour= some oil directly into the in oil hole on top of the PSRU . My curiosity is that it just kinda set = there and very slowly seemed to seep into the PSRU . Doe= s oil pressure forced it into the PSRU , thus getting more oil= in. I would think with everything spinning etc under pow= er the oil flow etc would be much more dynamic, thus providing a more signi= ficant lubricating event. I don't really know what I was expecting.&n= bsp; my oil flow seems good. It just got me thinking and wanting to h= ave a better understanding. TIA

All the best,

Chris

Houston, GSOT