Lycoming's 7/17/2017 SB632 guidance "MODELS AFFECTED: All Lycoming Engines"...

[tigers2007]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

If I'm not on this list am I cool or do I have to have an A&P and/or IA sign-off in the logs that I'm good?

 

SB632_Connecting_Rod_Identification_and_Removal_0.pdf

[tigers2007]

Upon further inspection, this only applies to:

 

 

[kortopates]

This is HUGE!! Its going to affect a LOT of people. Its not just Lyc reman/overhauled engines listed in table, but it has the potential to affect any overhaul done since Nov 2015 if any of the lycoming parts listed in table 2 where used, with the chief concern being if the engines connecting rods were re-bushed with the Lyc bushings. But if the Superior bushing was used instead, then that engine dodges the bullet. This could affect 1300 engines and is likely to be an AD. Here is the complete MSB:   SB632_Connecting_Rod_Identification_and_Removal_0 (003).pdf

Edited July 18, 2017 by kortopates

[peevee]

Not continental for once. Whew.

[ragedracer1977]

Well, there's only ONE O-360 A1D on the list, so fingers crossed....

Edited July 18, 2017 by ragedracer1977

[ragedracer1977]

It's not my serial number!  YAY!

[kortopates]

Just now, ragedracer1977 said:

It's not my serial number!  YAY!

Good for you, but most affected people will not be by serial number but by a engine overhaul done by someone other than Lycoming that happened to use the affected lycoming part no's; especially the Lycoming rod bushings since these are replaced at overhaul. People with overhauls done during the affected time period will have to look for the affected part no's in their engine build parts list or contact their engine builder.

[ragedracer1977]

I *should* be in the clear.  My engine was last rebuilt prior to the time frame and I did have 4 new cylinders installed in November, 2015 - but they were physically installed on the 10th, 8 days before the first bad part shipped.

[tony]

this is not an AD right?  just a service bulletin.

[kortopates]

31 minutes ago, tony said:

this is not an AD right?  just a service bulletin.

Correct. But all indications are this will be followed by the FAA issuing an AD on this SB, and if adopted with 10 hr compliance time stated in the SB now its going to be hugely painful.

[Tommy]

Wow. This is indeed massive! ALL lycoming engines including recently overhauled! 20+ hours of work plus parts replacement. Wonder if you have to break in the engine afterwards? 

[Tommy]

Just had a conversation with my engine shop and it looks like it's most definitely going to be an AD. Good news is that it seems like Lycoming only had rolled out these dodgy bushes March last year so an.engine done between Nov 2015 to Feb 2016 may be spared.

[Bravoman]

Would this affect a Lycoming factory reman shipped in May of last year?

[1964-M20E]

Did LYC say what problems manifested themselves to warrant the SB on these bushings?

[N6758N]

Really happy I finished my overhaul in September of 2015!

[kortopates]

12 minutes ago, Bravoman said:

Would this affect a Lycoming factory reman shipped in May of last year?

You're in the window of the time period but easy to check out. As a factory reman you need to check by your engine serial # in the SB. And if you are affected you'll get Lyc warranty to pay for it.

[kortopates]

3 hours ago, Tommy said:

Just had a conversation with my engine shop and it looks like it's most definitely going to be an AD. Good news is that it seems like Lycoming only had rolled out these dodgy bushes March last year so an.engine done between Nov 2015 to Feb 2016 may be spared.

At least per the Lyc SB, you're quoting the dates of one of 3 part no's for the connecting rod assembly,  (perhaps the one used in your engine) but the SB indicates all bushings shipped after Nov 18'  2015 have to be replaced! Generally connecting rods are re-bushed at overhaul and only entirely replaced if out of limits. 

Edited July 19, 2017 by kortopates

[Tommy]

7 hours ago, kortopates said:

At least per the Lyc SB, you're quoting the dates of one of 3 part no's for the connecting rod assembly,  (perhaps the one used in your engine) but the SB indicates all bushings shipped after Nov 18'  2015 have to be replaced! Generally connecting rods are re-bushed at overhaul and only entirely replaced if out of limits. 

Maybe he is referring to that part. Mine was overhauled in October '15 so just narrowly missed it but the shop was very proactive, when they discovered the changes Lycoming made to its connecting rods bushings and they don't seem to fit well, they changed to Superior instead and notified Lycoming, FAA, and CASA here in Australia. Given the short time frame and the 10 hour requirement, no doubt it's potentially a serious problem and will be made into an AD in no time... 

Wonder what sort of class action can the owners / shops take to Lycoming?  

[Guest]

8 hours ago, kortopates said:

You're in the window of the time period but easy to check out. As a factory reman you need to check by your engine serial # in the SB. And if you are affected you'll get Lyc warranty to pay for it.

Well, they will pay for some of it, leaving the maintenance shop and the owner to argue about the portion not covered.

Clarence

[Ned Gravel]

NOT ME!!!!!!!

When I saw this on AVWeb today, I called Clarence.  He pulled the logs and I am not on the list.

YAY!!!

[Tommy]

 

17 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

Well, they will pay for some of it, leaving the maintenance shop and the owner to argue about the portion not covered.

Clarence

This raises the question: when failures often come years down the track, exempting the manufacturer of warranty duties, what rights do the owners / shops have when the fault lies with the manufacturer? 

Probably doesn't apply in this case as Lycoming puts out this SB fairly quickly - shows the gravity of the situation - and my understanding is that the shop normally gives 2-year warranty? But the shop can always divert this back to the manufacturer - so it should - but the warranty may be only 12-month? 

No wonder my engine shop manager sounded pissed on the phone...

[Bravoman]

1 hour ago, Tommy said:

 

This raises the question: when failures often come years down the track, exempting the manufacturer of warranty duties, what rights do the owners / shops have when the fault lies with the manufacturer? 

Probably doesn't apply in this case as Lycoming puts out this SB fairly quickly - shows the gravity of the situation - and my understanding is that the shop normally gives 2-year warranty? But the shop can always divert this back to the manufacturer - so it should - but the warranty may be only 12-month? 

No wonder my engine shop manager sounded pissed on the phone...

Lycoming has a 2 year warranty on their factory remans. Not looking like mine is affected but if it was I wouldn't accept anything but full payment by lycoming and wouldn't take no for an answer. 

[jetdriven]

Factory overhaul is only one year warranty.  It's the same engine it's just 3k less expensive and has a shorter warranty 

[201er]

27 minutes ago, jetdriven said:

Factory overhaul is only one year warranty.  It's the same engine it's just 3k less expensive and has a shorter warranty 

And a plethora of other problems 

[AndyFromCB]

I love their rosy estimates: 20 hours. Does that include R&R, because there is no way in hell you're doing a piston R&R in 20 hours. Fixed bids for a turbo 6 cylinder are usually around 40 hours.