X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2012 08:47:06 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from p3plsmtpa06-10.prod.phx3.secureserver.net ([173.201.192.111] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.4.4) with SMTP id 5450157 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:21:00 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=173.201.192.111; envelope-from=jayph@fastairplane.net Received: (qmail 15742 invoked from network); 21 Mar 2012 01:20:22 -0000 Received: from unknown (174.126.242.177) by p3plsmtpa06-10.prod.phx3.secureserver.net (173.201.192.111) with ESMTP; 21 Mar 2012 01:20:22 -0000 Reply-To: From: "Jay Phillips" X-Original-To: "'Lancair Mailing List'" Subject: Another TSIO-550 overhaul story X-Original-Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:20:49 -0700 X-Original-Message-ID: <005201cd0700$da31e5b0$8e95b110$@net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0053_01CD06C6.2DD30DB0" X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook 12.0 Thread-Index: Ac0HANmSIj50B/NGSJqGccVjyTUi2w== Content-Language: en-us This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01CD06C6.2DD30DB0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Jeff Liegner's overhaul story inspired me to write about my own (in-process) overhaul. I bought my IV-P in November 2011. It first flew in 2000 and it had 535 hours (airframe and engine) when I purchased it. During the pre-buy inspection we checked the compressions: all were lower 70's except for one cylinder (and I don't remember which one) was in the upper 60's. The engine ran strong and smooth and no problem were noted during the pre-buy. The seller had purchased the aircraft about a year earlier. Shortly after purchasing the aircraft he lost his medical. So in that year's time he had only put 15 hours on the aircraft - half of that was flying to Redmond and back for an annual inspection. The seller lived near the coast of Florida. The smart and/or experienced reader can probably make some good guesses about now. From November to February I put 65 hours on the aircraft. In February, with 600 hours now on the aircraft, I flew the aircraft to RDD in Redmond for an annual inspection. While starting the engine for the trip to Redmond (and on the two previous times I'd started the engine) it was a little hard to start. Normally I prime, and turn the key and it immediately starts. These times it took two or three primes, and intially (for 1-2 seconds) seemed to be firing only five cylinders. This roughness quickly went away and the engine ran strong and smooth as always. We had an uneventful and pleasant flight to Redmond. The next morning the aircraft was taxied over to RDD's shop and the inspection began. One of the first things they did was check the compressions. We were low 70's in five cylinders and 0/80 in cylinder number 2. No that is not a typo - ZERO compression. A borescope was inserted into the cylinder and we saw signs of heat damage to the exhaust valve. So it appeared I had a burned exhaust valve and the cylinder needed to come off and be rebuilt. After pulling the cylinder we checked the lifters for that cylinder. One of them had spalling on about 1/3 of the surface which rides on the cam. Fortunately the cam looked OK. While we were arranging to get work done on the cylinder, the guys pulled the rest of the lifters to check them. One of the cylinder #5 lifters had no face on it - all spalled away. And to make matters worse, there were visible cracks on the cam lobe. At this point I know I need to do at least one cylinder (and given the hours on the engine and the reputation of these engines it wouldn't surpise me if others are close to the edge), replace all of the lifters, and replace the cam. Which means the engine has to be removed and sent to the engine shop. We send the engine to Barrett. He opens it up and gives us the news: severe corrosion throughout the engine, everything in the starter unit was rusted as were the mag gears. The tappets showed extensive corrosion. And he said I was very close to losing the camshaft. The engine had a TDI performed in 2009 after a prop strike. None of this corrosion was noted. So I believe it all occurred while sitting, relatively unused, in the hot, moist, and salty conditions of the Florida coast. A couple of lessons learned: - Don't let airplanes sit, especially in hostile environments - The engine was talking to me when it went from easy starting to harder starting. Fortunately it decided to stay together until I got it to the shop. Jay Phillips IV-P, Legacy ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01CD06C6.2DD30DB0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Jeff = Liegner’s overhaul story inspired me to write about my own = (in-process) overhaul.

 

I bought my = IV-P in November 2011. It first flew in 2000 and it had 535 hours = (airframe and engine) when I purchased it. During the pre-buy inspection = we checked the compressions: all were lower 70’s except for one = cylinder (and I don’t remember which one) was in the upper = 60’s. The engine ran strong and smooth and no problem were noted = during the pre-buy.

 

The seller = had purchased the aircraft about a year earlier. Shortly after = purchasing the aircraft he lost his medical. So in that year’s = time he had only put 15 hours on the aircraft – half of that was = flying to Redmond and back for an annual inspection. The seller lived = near the coast of Florida. The smart and/or experienced reader can = probably make some good guesses about now.

 

From = November to February I put 65 hours on the aircraft. In February, with = 600 hours now on the aircraft,  I flew the aircraft to RDD in = Redmond for an annual inspection. While starting the engine for the trip = to Redmond (and on the two previous times I’d started the engine) = it was a little hard to start. Normally I prime, and turn the key and it = immediately starts. These times it took two or three primes, and = intially (for 1-2 seconds) seemed to be firing only five cylinders. This = roughness quickly went away and the engine ran strong and smooth as = always.

 

We had an uneventful and pleasant flight to Redmond. = The next morning the aircraft was taxied over to RDD’s shop and = the inspection began. One of the first things they did was check the = compressions. We were low 70’s in five cylinders and 0/80 in = cylinder number 2. No that is not a typo – ZERO compression. A = borescope was inserted into the cylinder and we saw signs of heat damage = to the exhaust valve. So it appeared I had a burned exhaust valve and = the cylinder needed to come off and be rebuilt.

 

After = pulling the cylinder we checked the lifters for that cylinder. One of = them had spalling on about 1/3 of the surface which rides on the cam. = Fortunately the cam looked OK. While we were arranging to get work done = on the cylinder, the guys pulled the rest of the lifters to check them. = One of the cylinder #5 lifters had no face on it – all spalled = away. And to make matters worse, there were visible cracks on the cam = lobe.

 

At this point I know I need to do at least one = cylinder (and given the hours on the engine and the reputation of these = engines it wouldn’t surpise me if others are close to the edge), = replace all of the lifters, and replace the cam. Which means the engine = has to be removed and sent to the engine shop.

 

We send the = engine to Barrett. He opens it up and gives us the news: severe = corrosion throughout the engine, everything in the starter unit was = rusted as were the mag gears. The tappets showed extensive corrosion. = And he said I was very close to losing the camshaft.

 

The engine = had a TDI performed in 2009 after a prop strike. None of this corrosion = was noted. So I believe it all occurred while sitting, relatively = unused, in the hot, moist, and salty conditions of the Florida = coast.

 

A couple of lessons learned:

-          = Don’t let airplanes sit, especially in = hostile environments

-          = The engine was talking to me when it went from = easy starting to harder starting. Fortunately it decided to stay = together until I got it to the shop.

 

 

Jay = Phillips

IV-P, = Legacy

 

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