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IO-360 Dual Mag


chuck459

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I have a 500 hour IO-360 with a dual mag in my M20J.  I asked my shop today to send the mag out for the recommended 500 hour inspection.  I was told that this mag is no longer supported and that there is no guarantee that parts would be available should repairs be required.  This really startled me.  This is a low time engine which I expected to last for many years.  What am I faced with and are there any reasonable options? 

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Chuck,

You might want to update the title of your thread when you get a chance...

the IO360 got spelled IO470?

Only you can update your thread title...

The advice by everybody so far...  points towards your mechanic.  The dual mag is not everyone's favorite, but they do soldier on...

Best regards,

-a-

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Chuck,

I had my dual-head mag overhauled in early 2016 without a problem. I will check the paperwork when I get home and update you, but carusoam is correct - as much as we J pilots do not like them, they keep working with the recommended maintenance. At least that has been my experience.

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We just had our D3000 mag 500 hour inspection done and it is supposed to arrive at my house today.  We had it done at Quality Aircraft Accessories.  They have a shop in Tulsa and one in Ft Lauderdale.  If they don't find anything wrong it is $995 plus shipping.  They usually turn it around in 5 work days, but if you ask, they say they can do it the same day they get it if you'll let them know.

Overhauls are $1450 and overhaul exchange is $1750.

Quality Aircraft Accessories

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  • chuck459 changed the title to IO-360 Dual Mag

Thanks everyone for the info.  I have flown a lot of hours behind this mag and have never had any problems.  When I overhauled this engine I never considered converting it to single mags.  That is why I was surprised to hear that it might no longer be supported.  I will definitely have another talk with my mechanic.

Thanks CARUSOAM for catching the title error.  A Freudian slip I suppose.  I had a Debonaire for twenty years before I saw the light and switched to a Mooney.

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This is tangential to your question, but in case anyone wondered about converting their engine:  It is definitely something worth considering if you ever have to overhaul or pull the engine for anything down the road:  I read about this mag not being supported any more, and felt that having two independent mags was better than the single drive, when we bought our J, the engine was pulled for an IRAN.  While it was apart we bit the bullet and had the engine converted by Columbia Aircraft Services to have two independent mags.  It required engine change from the A3B6D to A3B6 specification, crankshaft rework, rear case work, governor shaft, adapter, and oil pump body.  Just under $7k. Yea it's a lot, but something to consider if it's apart...

Edited by Rmag
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Bendix was bought out by TCM, which is Lycoming's biggest competitor.  So yes, TCM has discontinued support of the dual mag.  I remember Mike Busch mentioning some other company working on a PMA to make a replacement dual mag, but until that happens, there are no new parts for the D3000 magneto.

That doesn't mean you can't get the D3000 overhauled or repaired, since neither generally requires new parts--it does mean if a part does need replacing, the shop may need to cannibalize a part from another mag.

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22 hours ago, Mooney_Mike said:

Kelly Aerospace is now the FAA/PMA for parts for the dual mags.

 

 

This should be good for the already poor reputation of these magnetos.

Clarence

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I was told a year ago that all parts for the 3000 are available. Sure maybe the design could be better because we got 1.5 mags worth of redundancy however I can't recall a single instance, but there may be one but rare where the dual mag, when torqued properly has caused a engine out. Most of the issue I've read about come from not torquing, and not checking for tightness at cowl off (ex. Oil change).,.. it looks like in a year or 2 we will most likely have a available and affordable electronic, dual redundant electronic ignition and may be able to replace mags all together with relaxed regulation.
I hope anyway.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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15 hours ago, M20Doc said:

This should be good for the already poor reputation of these magnetos.

Clarence

I've not been impressed with Kelly products.  The design is fine but they assemble them shoddily with poor quality Chinese components. 

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2 hours ago, jetdriven said:

I've not been impressed with Kelly products.  The design is fine but they assemble them shoddily with poor quality Chinese components. 

My post was purely "tongue in cheek"  I agree that there is nothing inherently wrong with the design, it is poor maintenance practices and poor parts quality in most cases.

Clarence

 

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On March 17, 2017 at 5:53 PM, Ben E. said:

I'm curious, why is that?

The A3B6 is a few thousand $ cheaper (~ $3000) than the A3B6D as an overhaul exchange or reman from Lycoming . Lycoming accepts the A3B6D as a core to the A3B6. 

Of course, there are a few brackets and hoses that need to be changed when going from the D to the non D ( there is a very good thread on all the details and small things that need to be done on MS) 

So the overall cost is a wash or come up slightly cheaper ( as long as you go with a factory) 

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Not to mention you'd have to source your own accessory case, gears, mags, and other miscellaneous parts to convert one yourself. Far easier just to give the entire kit to Lycoming and get the other model back while only having to write a big check.

 

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

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