Bob

I am sure you can find owner manufactured valve springs that are already available, on the shelf. It would not take long to figure out. But the cost every 500 would be crazy. Also I believe that their is only one A&P in the US that has been trained by the Porsche factory to service these engines. Not sure an A&P that was never trained on the engine could touch it? I bet the gear reduction parts would be the real challenge!

I have a 13 year old & 850 hr TT, McCauley 3 Blade Propeller Model# D3A36C430-B that needed a hub, so I am parting off everything except the hub. Blades are reconditioned, with full spec printout, but no yellow tagged. These are not used, unknown condition, but rather known condition! Please see spec sheet. I also have the polished spinner, backing plate and hub internals available. I will sell at fair prices to a happy home, so just PM me if you need anything.

It is my understanding that one mechanic did the whole job from starter adapter to installing cowl. I did not ask for an explanation since It is clear to me that the mechanic just rushed to get the job out the door. I also did not want to hear the answer "I forgot". When you rush, you leave things off, undone and don't spend time to double check your work. In this case, a simple run-up would allow them to catch the mistake. Very hard to comprehend an A&P reinstalling a rebuilt starter adapter & also a factory new starter and assuming that both are good and no need to be tested with at least one start. I am curious if this mechanic, after doing brake work on the family car, gives it to his wife without a test drive? The problem is that the shop does not have a proper system for training their employees. My plane was not the first that they messed up. While doing mild research, during the last 2 years, I see 5 damaged planes from that same business. Three damaged by line crew negligence and another one from negligence of the same mechanic. It is my understanding that the mechanic may have also "forgotten" to reinstall a bolt in the nose gear of a twin engine aircraft that resulted in the nose gear collapsing during it's firs landing after the repairs. My damage is one of the cheapest mistakes. One other mistake was just under 500K I did not clean the engine or firewall. I was also very surprised that the oil did not spray all over. My best guess is that the oil departing the turbo is about 1 QT per minute and is pushed thru a pretty good size line. It wont spray out of the line, but rather bubble out and fall to the ground. Yes, I feel that the alert benefit of the analyzer is a major benefit. I think when on the ground, most of us go thru a procedure and then when airborne transition into a scan. Some may only check oil pressure a couple times while on the ground. I had my JPI installed with a "dummy" light to flash me in the face if anything is out of proper parameters. Rather than waiting for the next time to look at the oil pressure gauge, the alert grabs your immediate attention. In my case the alert is set for anything below 50PSI, but unfortunately that did not happen until the pump started sucking air, with only 1/2 qt left in the engine. So it went from full pressure with proper oiling, then a second later, to almost no pressure and no oil. Thanks for your thoughts for a trouble free future. I think I am going on almost 5 months downtime now, but want to check and figure it out.

Prop was disassembled, decontaminated and balanced since it had only 12 hrs since new and had no wear. For a while I thought about if I would have left the ground, but then I talked to a few very experienced A&P's. I had several say that it would have destroyed itself before I lifted off. Will never know fore sure, but I closed the chapter , in my mind, with it self destructing before liftoff.

I requested that they cover the part and I the labor and it was denied. Unfortunately they are too arrogant to accept any responsibility. When I suggested timing being the cause, I was told "We have been timing engines for over 20 years and could not have set it wrong." The wrong timing was found by a reputable Mooney Service Center.

Sorry, I never was concerned with TAS, so I don't know. I keep it simple like DonM. I flight plan at 170 and with climb and descend I always come in a little early. I adjust the engine to 70-75% and keep cylinder temps at or below 380. If I have to crack cowl flaps to keep temps low, I do. My simple thinking says that I only have one plane, it should not be run over 75% in cruise and I have a limit on cylinder temps. What fuel is needed I can not change and I love hearing the phrase "density altitude" on the Atis since for a K it is almost no concern. Jclemens, Thanks for sharing a very nice understanding of what is going on! Until I read your above post, I always thought of it as extra HP being produced but thrown away while under 14, I did not really think about it beyond that, to see the turbo overworking and the temps related to it at lower altitudes. Your choice of the word compromise sums it up! Compromise at any altitude except 14.

My 1980 K has a LB with fixed waste gate and no intercooler. I climb to 17 or 18 most of the time. With the install of the new engine I am adding the Merlyn waste gate. The reason for adding the Merlyn is it feels like I am throwing away HP at the upper teens. I went up to 23 last year and felt like what I gained from winds I lost in fuel burn since I had to go ROP. I try to fly at 70-75%, LOP, at about 10-10.5 GPH.

I installed a JPI 830 four years ago and feel it is "required" equipment. Sorry Don, I was not very clear. For the last month and a half or two, I have been saying a week more, weekly. Now in my post above I am thinking a couple more days so I think it is now down to a true 7 day week?? So to answer your question, it should be a couple more aviation days.

Here is my 4 month update: After negotiating with the insurance company, waiting for them to pay, waiting on the engine overhaul and waiting on the mechanics to get all the details together, it looks like I am about one week away from getting Papa Zulu in the air again. It's been a long and interesting road!

I feel that I should now post an update since enough time has passed and any error has been eliminated from my findings. After my starter adapter broke, due to kickback, the timing was checked and both mags were found to be advanced beyond acceptable limits. In addition one magneto was timed at 4 degrees more advanced than the other. This is unfortunate since I had a annual and top overhaul at Poplar Grove Airmotive just 12 hrs before I had the kickback issue. The more advanced mag was on the right side and was also the one that was removed and reinstalled for repairs while in for service at Poplar Grove. Proper timing is very critical to avoid kickback! For those that did not tie my two threads together, here is the other.

No the Bose QC15 is not designed for general aviation. But I have found that they work much better than a full size aviation Bose, when it keeps falling off the child's head. I set my daughter up with the QC15 and the Uflymike three years ago and it has worked very well. Very light and noise canceling is excellent. If I was to compare it to the full size Bose or Zulu 2, I would say it performs at 95%. Only negative thing to keep in mind is if the battery dies, headset become inoperative. Keep a spare battery handy and it is a non issue. Hope this helps!

I don't know of anyone real close to you. You may want to call Illinois Aviation at KDPA, just west of Chicago. Ask for Brad They just helped a new K owner on the field and it worked well.

Sounds like their may be no code violation with the plane, but they may be harassing him because of it. Looks like they may be searching for excuses for citations.

May want to consider a copilot or safety pilot?

In our modern world, everyone takes pictures of everything. Ask the owner for pics of corrosion, prop damage and pre paint condition. The first thing he did after "damaging only the prop" was take a picture of the prop with the rest of the plane in the background. He may or may not be honest, but the truth will be shown. Continental no longer overhauls a GB motor. They sell you a rebuilt LB. Most K owners know this and I find it unusual that a owner with a prop strike, at 100 past TBO, would rebuild the GB. Did it get painted due to damage? Who knows. But he also did the interior, so maybe he decided to "freshen up" the plane when the engine was out?? EZ to do when insurance may be paying for a portion of your budgeted engine, that makes some money available for other stuff. Requesting specific pics will answer a lot!

For Arl Hgts, I would do 06C if VFR and PWK as an alternate if IFR. Arl Hgts is a pretty cool town!

K06C or KDPA. 06C has no approaches. DPA has many and also many runway options. Where is reunion?

Live ATC has audio listed under "interesting recordings". Both the pilot and controller worked very hard to avoid the outcome. Very sad result!

Yes, Emergency Landing is nice to see! Notice they also covered the tail number for the picture?

http://wxerfm.com/news/articles/2015/jun/22/emergency-landing-in-sheboygan-county/

Would love to hear what happened from the pilot. He did well! Curious how long an engine without oil lasts before it loses power. Yes I know that the IAS can not be found with the track log alone, but doubt he had a 70kt tailwind.

Looking at the flight track log. He lost a lot of valuable altitude fast, while turning around, then kept his speed high, well above best glide speed. Not sure what was happening in the cockpit, but stresses sure were high! Nothing like loosing the engine over the lake! He had a closer airport to the West, but it would have been close. Not sure of winds, but if he failed, he would be in the populated area. Glad he headed back. Glad he lost the plane but saved himself!

2 week update: Looks like the independent adjuster has presented a package of information to the underwriters for the claim. Includes my needs, suggestions for repairs and statements from everyone involved. Now in a holding pattern for a unknown time frame. How much fuel do I have in the tanks?

Yes, the prop is coming off as well, being decontaminated, inspected and revealed to verify it is clean and at factory new specs still since it was a 12hr since new prop. Dark cloud, bad luck, etc? You only know about the aircraft related bad luck, I have a personal life as well and yep this has been my most intense bad luck run for sure! Why did I get a new prop? During annual I sent my McCauley 3 blade with 850 TT in for overhaul and found corrosion on the hub. For a week now, no bad luck issues, I think not departing without oil flipped it to a good luck streak!

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and concerns! 601RX, I had 73psi at start up and several minutes after, then it dropped very, very fast when the pump started sucking air. I was surprised also. Clarence, I have viewed the oil flow diagram for my engine, yes the oil line runs from the turbo to the starter adapter. It is the exit line for the turbo.