Thanks Dan,

As with most things Experimental, no one really told me it was OK and for me to go fly it. This is how it happened; When the first engine guy thought is was Gears, both he a I said that is defiantly Not flyable. Then the second engine guy who did the Borescope and looked at the Gears said he couldn't find any evidence of any kind on the gears he could see. However, he could not see the Cam gear form the top. Then the third TCM guy said it was definitely Lifters. So I asked questions about it's fly ability, Like do you think it will live for a 2 hr flight? Do you think it could cause a Sudden engine stoppage?

Where it was at it would either have to have the engine shipped out, if I could find someone to remove it on that field, or the closest shop was a 20 min. ferry flight. Even that guy said that if it was flyable for 20 min. then I just as well fly the 2 hrs to where the engine would have been shipped to anyway.

My soul searching and engine knowledge told me that with a lifter failure I could see a Loss of Power, in which case I would land at closest airport. Or worse; Loss of Oil pressure, in which case the same applies. But the chances of a Sudden Engine Stoppage was very slim. I chose a test flight above the airport for 20 min. and then go if everything was OK. No one will ever tell you to fly with a known engine problem.

Hell, I had just survived a drive in my Aston Martin DB9 form San Jose, CA. to Las Vegas, to Sedona, AZ. and lived through that, but not without pain. The seat is only a 2 hr. seat and I spent 7.5 and 4 hrs in two days. Could hardly stand up. And the 460 HP didn't even scare me.

Life is risky. Almost all my aircraft failures have been with Certified equipment. The Experimental stuff has been much better.

NOT careless,