Just venting about my V35's annual/engine replacement

If there were ever a day where I was feeling low about aircraft
ownership, today would certainly be a candidate.

My V35 is in the beginning stages of an engine replacement and annual.
The rebuilt engine has yet to arrive (probably another two weeks out)
but the mechanics were able to start the annual and preparation for the
new engine. One of the first tasks was to pull the two-bladed prop and
ship it off to a prop company for evaluation.

When the mechanics pulled the prop, they discovered a 3-inch crack in
the spinner and two incorrectly-sized bolts used to bolt the prop to the
hub by some unscrupulous mechanic during the last prop overhaul, which
resulted in elongation of the bolt holes in the prop hub. Most likely
the prop hub is beyond tolerances and will need to be replaced. The
spinner will certainly need to be replaced given the size of the crack.

I am very thankful that this damage was discovered on the ground rather
than in the air in the form of some type of failure of the prop hub,
bolts, or spinner. But, this is appears to be a multi-thousand US
dollar surprise and the bulk of the work hasn't even started yet.

Just venting...

--
Peter

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 14:17:09 -0500, Peter R.
wrote:

If there were ever a day where I was feeling low about aircraft
ownership, today would certainly be a candidate.

My V35 is in the beginning stages of an engine replacement and annual.
The rebuilt engine has yet to arrive (probably another two weeks out)
but the mechanics were able to start the annual and preparation for the
new engine. One of the first tasks was to pull the two-bladed prop and
ship it off to a prop company for evaluation.

When the mechanics pulled the prop, they discovered a 3-inch crack in
the spinner and two incorrectly-sized bolts used to bolt the prop to the
hub by some unscrupulous mechanic during the last prop overhaul, which
resulted in elongation of the bolt holes in the prop hub. Most likely
the prop hub is beyond tolerances and will need to be replaced. The
spinner will certainly need to be replaced given the size of the crack.

I am very thankful that this damage was discovered on the ground rather
than in the air in the form of some type of failure of the prop hub,
bolts, or spinner. But, this is appears to be a multi-thousand US
dollar surprise and the bulk of the work hasn't even started yet.

Just venting...


Wow, I'm sorry. Hopefully not beyond your monetary means to take care
of, and that's all they find.

Good luck.
z

"Peter R." wrote:

When the mechanics pulled the prop, they discovered a 3-inch crack in
the spinner and two incorrectly-sized bolts used to bolt the prop to the
hub by some unscrupulous mechanic during the last prop overhaul, which
resulted in elongation of the bolt holes in the prop hub. Most likely
the prop hub is beyond tolerances and will need to be replaced. The
spinner will certainly need to be replaced given the size of the crack.

Ouch! My condolences. I guess I shouldn't whine so much about what a
battery just cost me.

What kind of engine replacement are you doing? Factory o'haul or...?
--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

Is the crack on the inside of the spinner?
I am courious as to how it was not visible during preflight.
Is it a chromed spinner? (Do they come any other way on a Bonanza? :-)

Peter R. wrote:
If there were ever a day where I was feeling low about aircraft
ownership, today would certainly be a candidate.

My V35 is in the beginning stages of an engine replacement and annual.
The rebuilt engine has yet to arrive (probably another two weeks out)
but the mechanics were able to start the annual and preparation for the
new engine. One of the first tasks was to pull the two-bladed prop and
ship it off to a prop company for evaluation.

When the mechanics pulled the prop, they discovered a 3-inch crack in
the spinner and two incorrectly-sized bolts used to bolt the prop to the
hub by some unscrupulous mechanic during the last prop overhaul, which
resulted in elongation of the bolt holes in the prop hub. Most likely
the prop hub is beyond tolerances and will need to be replaced. The
spinner will certainly need to be replaced given the size of the crack.

I am very thankful that this damage was discovered on the ground rather
than in the air in the form of some type of failure of the prop hub,
bolts, or spinner. But, this is appears to be a multi-thousand US
dollar surprise and the bulk of the work hasn't even started yet.

Just venting...

Peter R. wrote:

Just venting...


Tell me about it. I fly my plane back when I purchased it. Local mechanic
says "I think there's something odd about the prop." Fly it up to prop shop.
Young guy comes out and says "Gee..hold on." Goes back inside and gets a
guy about 90 years old and he comes out and says "yep, this isn't installed
right." Fortunately, no damange was done. Just a bit of labor to take the
thing off and put it right.

Sorry to hear about this, but if you're putting in a rebuilt engine, this
will seem fade to become background noise level by the time you are done.
Good luck,

- Mark

Ron Natalie ) wrote:

Goes back inside and gets a
guy about 90 years old and he comes out and says "yep, this isn't installed
right." Fortunately, no damange was done. Just a bit of labor to take the
thing off and put it right.

Wow. As if we don't have enough to worry about without adding an
unscrupulous and/or incompetent mechanic into the mix.

--
Peter

Dan Luke ) wrote:

What kind of engine replacement are you doing? Factory o'haul or...?

Factory overhaul. The engine should be arriving sometime over the next
two weeks.

Someone else just told me a story where their engine core that they
exchanged was rejected by the engine overhaul company, for an unexpected
additional cost of around US $6,000. I never thought that a core would
be rejected. Sheesh.

--
Peter

Someone else just told me a story where their engine core that they
exchanged was rejected by the engine overhaul company, for an unexpected
additional cost of around US $6,000. I never thought that a core would
be rejected. Sheesh.


How about two engine cases rejected? Lycoming has apparently adopted a policy
that if an engine case has been reworked by anyone other than an a Lycoming
approved facility they will reject the case as unairworthy. Funny thing is
they never told the distributor or the customer until after the fact. The
cases were reworked at a previous overhaul by an FAA approved shop and process.

I have a customer who has this problem and of course my employer is left
holding the bag. Talking to an overhaul shop they say they are hearing about
this more and more and equate it to Lycoming's recent production problems. It
is believed they are trying to improve cash flow by forcing people to pay for
new Lycoming parts at every turn. Might work in the short term but in the long
term no one with any sense is going to go for factory new or overhaul if they
risk losing the value of the core.

As of now they are not even sure they still have the old cases to return to the
owner.

John Dupre'

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 22:06:13 -0500, Peter R.
wrote:

Dan Luke ) wrote:

What kind of engine replacement are you doing? Factory o'haul or...?

Factory overhaul. The engine should be arriving sometime over the next
two weeks.

Someone else just told me a story where their engine core that they
exchanged was rejected by the engine overhaul company, for an unexpected
additional cost of around US $6,000. I never thought that a core would
be rejected. Sheesh.

I've always wondered if there isn't a scam lurking with core
exchange... If a company is having hard financial times, I can't
think of an easier way to generate short term revenue.