OSH '04 -- Best ever?

On Sat, 07 Aug 2004 09:08:28 -0700, Jim Weir wrote:

31 July 2004 (Saturday) at approximately 1400MDT the engine said, "I don't like
you any more." Landed at Hanna Unintentional Drag Strip. Sheriff motored me
into Rawlins where I bummed a phillips screwdriver and crescent wrench from Bill
The Mechanic (hell of a nice guy). Took the beater diesel airport truck back
out to the airplane to prowl around and see what I could find. It got dark
before I got too far.

Sunday put Gail on the bus at 11 and then motored out to the airplane. Tore off
the cowling to find out what was wrong. Found a crack in the #3 jug immediately
(oil all over the place). Tore off all the peripherals (baffling, straps, etc.)
that you could get with a screwdriver and crescent wrench -literally-. Quit
during the 1800MDT thunderstorm and went back to the motel.

Monday went out bright and early with cylinder base wrenches and other "real"
tools and tore off the jug. Brought it back to Rawlins where we measured the
defect and got on the horn to Firewall Forward in Colorado. They had a used
serviceable jug and piston/rings that they put on UPS-Next Day. I took a gallon
of solvent and went back to the field to clean up the oily and greasy small
parts mess.

Somewhat late Tuesday morning the jug got to Rawlins on the lawnmower.
David-Mechanic-In-Training and I got to the airplane by 1 and by 5 I departed
Hanna and had the airplane back in Rawlins for another post-operation
inspection.

Wednesday morning launched Rawlins, stopped in Elko for fuel, and to Grass
Valley by mid-afternoon.

Good thing you had an A&P with you. :-)

Welcome back.

- J.O.-