248 – Mark’s Cessna T210 Exhaust Valve Story
Oct 15, 2024
Last Monday, I lapped the #5 exhaust valve on a Continental engine.
But more importantly, I met the owner / pilot of a Turbo Centurion, and now I’m happy to call him a good friend!
Thanks for flying all the way up here Mark!
Here’s the story:
Mark had been a little concerned about the #5 exhaust valve, not because he was having any particular trouble with it, but because the borescope photo showed a slightly irregular appearance.
And being proactive, Mark decided to do some research.
That’s when he found me, and some of the information I’ve published to help airplane owners understand borescoping, exhaust valve lapping, and other useful pieces of information you often won’t find in the “maintenance manual.”
Mark’s local shop had indicated it would be a good idea to keep an eye on the #5 exhaust valve, and if it continued to be a problem, the cylinder may need to be removed for a repair or replacement.
Some years ago, I would have had similar thoughts.
But not today.
In the past 5 years, I’ve rescued many cylinders from premature removal, especially on large bore Continentals… and I was hopeful we could remedy Mark’s situation as well.
Instead of removing cylinders in situations where the exhaust valve is showing beginning signs of burning, or the compression is dropping into the 50’s and 40’s and below, I now consider the first option of LAPPING THE EXHAUST VALVE WITHOUT REMOVING THE CYLINDER, AND INSTALLING A NEW ROTOCOIL.
Mark was interested to learn about this process, so we agreed on a plan for him to fly his airplane from North Carolina to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia for some not-so-invasive surgery on his airplane engine.
Soon after Mark landed, we rolled his Cessna T210 in the shop and got to work.
I won’t bore you in this post with all the details, but we lapped the exhaust valve and were both pleased with the progress along the way and with the end result.
Take a look at some photos showing the lapping compound at work, and the nice, shiny sealing band that’s developing on the edge of the valve.
An excellent sealing surface, along with a new rotocoil on the valve, will help to ensure it rotates properly during operation, thus minimizing the chances for a burning exhaust valve which will shorten it’s lifespan if not remedied.
When the process was completed, we flushed the lapping compound out the bottom spark plug hole and sprayed some LPS-2 in the top spark plug hole and dispersed it with compressed air in an attempt to keep the cylinder wall lubricated during startup, after which the engine lubrication system would take over and do its job.
During reassembly, we installed a new rotocoil P/N 629117-1 on the exhaust valve and reassembled all the parts that had been removed.
You may ask, “Why do we need to install a new rotocoil?”
Great question.
And to answer the question, some photos will help.
When you cut a rotocoil apart, here’s what you’ll find: two halves, a special washer, and a long spring laying on its side.
Every time the valve stem is pressed down by the rocker arm, the rotocoil makes the valve rotate just a little. This action helps prevent hot spots on the edge of the valve, and keeps the sealing surface in tact between the valve and the valve seat.
Over time, the spring gets a flat spot on it which decreases its ability to make the valve rotate.
Here’s a close-up photo of the flat spot on the spring:
Eventually, the spring can break into many pieces if the coils get too thin at the flat spot.
For this reason, and because rotocoils are very reasonably priced, I always install a new rotocoil when I lap a Continental exhaust valve.
We completed the project, Mark ran the engine, and we re-checked the compression. It was excellent at 75/80, a stellar number!
I’ve had very dramatic improvements in compression numbers after lapping valves (like from the 30’s or 40’s to the 60’s and 70’s.) This time was not as dramatic as Mark’s #5 compression was 71/80 before lapping. But it was still very worthwhile doing in order to prevent any further irregularity in the sealing capability and appearance of the valve.
Mark was being very proactive and planning ahead, and I applaud that!
Sometimes people let these valves go too far, and then there’s no choice but to remove the cylinder.
But if caught early, most exhaust valves can be saved from further burning.
Mark, it was great to work with you, and although I don’t wish for you to have any airplane troubles, I do hope we can work together on your airplane again sometime soon!
What we can’t see from this angle is the fact that the brake disc has broken in two pieces!
Check it out:
Here’s the story:
The pilot landed the Piper Cherokee, and after a successful landing, something gave way on the left brake, and it became ineffective. Now we know why.
It’s definitely time for new brake discs, and this airplane will soon get new APS164-02000 Blacksteel brake discs that are corrosion resistant.
It will also be a good time to replace the worn tire on this wheel.
After some research, I discovered a retread Goodyear Flight Special II (like the airplane currently has on it,) is about half the price of a new one, and can be purchased directly from Wilkerson Tire Company here in Virginia!
And when I called them, a real live knowledgable and helpful person answered the phone… it was truly a great customer service experience (it was Mckaellen Wilkerson, a fourth generation member of the team there.)
I love supporting quality family businesses whenever possible, and Wilkerson appears to be one such business.
Here’s a link for their website if you want to check it out:
In this podcast episode, I also shared two emails I received recently.
One was from Troy, who had some very helpful and interesting things to say about the last episode about single engine RG Cessna airplanes. Thanks Troy, for the reminder that if one of these airplanes is not high enough and the gear is retracted, it can actually lift the airplane right off the jacks… yikes!
Be sure to listen to the audio to hear the rest of his email.
The second email I mentioned was from Fabien.
He and his family moved to the US awhile back and they fly a nice V35B Bonanza. He had a question about where to get his ruddervators stripped and repainted due to some corrosion that has been developing.
If you have any excellent recommendations for V-Tail Bonanza ruddervator paint work, you can contact Fabien directly at the following email:
fabien.turpaud{at}icloud{dot}com
Along with his paint question, he also shared some really great photos and gave permission to include them here:
The filiform corrosion on the ruddervators is not critical yet, but Fabien is being proactive about making a plan to remedy the issue as soon as reasonable.
Hopefully we can find a good solution for Fabien to get his ruddervators repainted with minimal down time so he can continue the adventures with his family!
246 – Parts Changer or Real Mechanic? Cessna-210 Landing Gear Motor Story
Sep 14, 2024
This story begins with a squawk from the owner. It went something like this:
“When I fly my airplane, on the first landing gear retraction, the gear begins to move and then the “gear pump” circuit breaker pops. After I reset the circuit breaker, the gear retracts and extends normally with no further problems the rest of the trip.”
Weird…
What could be wrong?
It was my job to figure out what was going on.
I put the airplane on jacks and selected “gear up.”
Sure enough, the gear began to move and after a short time, it stopped mid-travel and the “gear pump” circuit breaker popped.
For once, the problem happened just like the airplane owner had reported.
I checked each gear leg for any binding, and everything appeared nice and free to move.
After evaluating and thinking through the situation, I decided it was a reasonable possibility there was an internal problem in the electric motor on the landing gear power pack.
I removed the motor and quickly discovered it was full of debris. Take a look at the brush housing:
Amazingly, a can of contact cleaner and some compressed air produced a quick transformation… and the brushes actually had lots of good material remaining:
The commutator segments were in similar rough shape when I first disassembled the motor:
But some Scotch-Brite, contact cleaner, and compressed air freshened up this area as well:
The armature housing also had a large amount of debris to be removed:
I didn’t think to take a photo after cleaning, but it turned out very nice as well.
Before disassembling the motor, I thought we might end up replacing it with an overhauled one.
But after seeing how well the motor was made, how simple it was, what good condition the brushes and other parts were in, and how easily it cleaned up, I realized it would likely be good to go for a long time, and I decided to reinstall it.
And here’s the motor after reassembly, along with one of my grubby hands
Here’s the landing gear power pack area that’s accessible near the copilot’s feet after removing the little plastic cover on the side of the console: (these photos are before I reinstalled the motor.)
Before reinstalling the motor, I put some black electrical tape around the end seams to keep the housing from coming apart (there are 2 long 1/4 inch bolts that go through the length of the motor and attach it into the drive area on the power pack.)
After everything was back together, I ran the landing gear, and it performed flawlessly!
Now, the real test will be to see what happens the next time the owner flies his airplane. Until then, I’m hopeful for a good report.
Sometimes, we do need to just replace parts on airplanes… but sometimes, we can be a real mechanic, and dig in and repair an existing component!
In this case, I’m figuring I saved this owner a chunk of change on this repair.
One final item: when the airplane was in the shop, it became really obvious the right brake caliper was leaking… check it out:
A couple new o-rings and some brake linings took care of this squawk as well.
Now it’s time to go fly!
The post, “246 – Parts Changer or Real Mechanic? Cessna-210 Landing Gear Motor Story” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
245 – A Crazy and Amazing Week!
Aug 30, 2024
The week I’m talking about here was almost too full!
But I wouldn’t change a thing.
A real highlight was taking my Pennsylvania cousin for a short flight in a Piper Cherokee:
From Sunday to Friday, I had the following opportunities:
Flew every day except Tuesday… this was unusual!
Did an owner-assisted annual inspection on a Bonanza.
Spent an afternoon with my grandson… I love him so much!
My cousin Dan stayed overnight with us and I took him flying… Maria made us a tasty supper, and we enjoyed some great conversation with Dan. A fun side note – Dan and I were born about a week apart years ago!
… and probably more that I can’t remember right now
Also, during the Bonanza inspection with my friend Mike, we adjusted the fuel quantity circuit board adjustments a bit to make them indicate accurately when the tanks are full… the maintenance manual had excellent instructions which also agreed with the very clear information on the circuit boards themselves located just under the top center part of the instrument panel glare shield… here’s a photo:
It was an awesome week, and I recorded some thoughts about it for at least a couple reasons:
One, I hope you might find some inspiration and encouragement in it.
And two, I wanted to document the week a bit to help me remember it in the future.
So… if you’d like to hear more about the adventures of this particular week, listen to the audio for this week’s podcast.
During a recent prebuy evaluation on this nice Beech A36 Bonanza, the question came up, “Does the old analog CHT gauge need to work in order for the airplane to be considered airworthy?”
(In this case, the analog CHT gauge had an INOP placard on it.)
Check it out:
The airplane has a JPI engine monitor installed (bottom right in the previous photo,) but it is not considered “primary” for CHT. And since CHT is required in the limitations section of the POH/AFM, the original analog CHT gauge must be operative.
Listen to the audio for this episode to hear the full story, including a discussion in the tech forum on the American Bonanza Society website (here’s a link to that ABS forum conversation if you’d like to read it):
Here’s the short story of how we resolved the issue on this airplane:
Removed the bayonet CHT probe for the JPI engine monitor, from cylinder #3.
Installed in its place a bayonet CHT thermistor probe in cylinder #3 and attached it to the existing wiring that was tied up on the right side of the engine.
Installed a spark plug type CHT probe for the JPI #3 CHT.
Now, everything should work, and the airplane will be officially airworthy.
If you have any thoughts you’d like to add to this topic, I’d love to hear them! Just click that tab over to the right and leave me a voice message.
This airplane appeared on the ramp not long ago at the Shenandoah Valley Airport in Virginia.
I discovered it had taken off, and then very quickly made a 180 and returned for landing due to engine trouble.
The pilot thought he may have lost a cylinder.
His mechanic stopped by to check it out, and there was nothing blaringly wrong with the cylinder or the engine.
Finally, after meticulously checking the engine and doing a runup, he found the fuel injector for the problem cylinder was clogged (or at least partially clogged.)
We put it in the ultrasonic cleaner for just 5 minutes, blew it out, and it was perfect.
He put it back together and all was well… they flew it out of there not long after that.
This particular A&P/IA’s name is Dusty Foster, and he seemed very knowledgeable and exceptionally competent. He runs a GA maintenance shop at New River Valley Airport (KPSK) in Southwest Virginia, Foster Avaition & Mobile Maintenance.
And he also travels quite a bit for prebuy evaluations and other maintenance. Here’s his website if you’d like to check it out… he seems like an all-around great guy, family man, excellent communicator, and pilot-mechanic.
242 – Your Airplane’s Alternator: Neglected or Well-Cared-For?
Jun 20, 2024
In this podcast episode, we’re talking about alternator maintenance!
Here’s the alternator I removed from a Beechcraft Bonanza to inspect the drive coupling and the brushes… note the brush assembly in the lower right side of the photo:
The brushes had plenty of length left, but they needed a good cleaning due to carbon dust that had collected from normal brush wear. Check it out:
After a good cleaning, the brushes looked great and were ready to reinstall.
Another thing (and perhaps more important) I wanted to check on this alternator is the elastomer drive coupling:
There have been numerous cases where these drive couplings have come apart and caused serious engine damage and / or failure.
Since it had been nearly 500 hours since this alternator was removed and inspected, I wanted to verify the drive coupling’s condition.
I performed the following: (Reference Continental M-0 manual.)
Verified no slippage at 140 inch pounds.
Verified proper coupling attach nut torque.
Installed new cotter pin.
Cleaned off old gasket and installed alternator with new gasket.
If you have a belt driven alternator, it’s important to keep the belt tensioned properly and in good condition.
How about you?
Do you have a plan for proactive preventive maintenance on your airplane’s alternator?
If not, you may be interested in listening to the audio for this episode, and then make a plan that best fits your situation.
It’s certainly a good idea to check alternator brushes each 500 hours.
And for gear driven alternators, it’s probably wise to check the drive coupling at a shorter interval than that. There have been too many stories of these couplings coming loose and / or coming apart, and if we can prevent that, it’s always a good thing!
For some additional discussion on this topic, here’s some interesting info I found on the Pilots of America site:
The post “242 – Your Airplane’s Alternator: Neglected or Well-Cared-For?” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
241 – Best Airplane Engine Overhaul Shops
Jun 12, 2024
When it’s time to overhaul your engine, who do you call? Where do you go?
Listen to this episode to hear ideas from other airplane owners who have had good experiences with various engine overhaul shops around the country.
I always love meeting podcast listeners, and I was surprised when I met Ken Blow recently at the King Air Gathering in West Virginia… a bunch of us were at the Lewisburg airport one afternoon looking at all the King Airs, and Ken mentioned he listens to the Airplane Owner Maintenance podcast. Great to meet you Ken! (Ken is the Executive Vice President of Kadex Aero Supply in Ontario, Canada.)
239 – When Your “Perfect” Airplane Gets a Prebuy
Apr 13, 2024
Note: Scroll down to see who I unexpectedly met in Florida this past week!
Now for the Prebuy… it was some months ago, and I did a prebuy inspection on a nice airplane on behalf of the buyer.
I also became good friends with the owner / seller, for which I was grateful, because sometimes these can end up being sticky situations.
The owner / seller (who is a really great gentleman) seemed to think his airplane was nearly perfect, and there should be very little wrong with it.
And by all means, it was a very nice airplane indeed. So much so, that if I was buying it, I’d be thrilled!
Nevertheless, I found some things that needed attention.
Listen to the episode to hear about the things I noted, which I categorized into three parts:
Significant Items
Miscellaneous Observations
Items to consider during next annual inspection
I’m not going to list them all here, but I talked about them in the audio for this episode.
Here’s a photo of one item I found… the right flap forward rib had a large crack in the leading edge – a very common problem on Bonanzas. (The flap was sent out for repair, and reinstalled, as part of the selling process.)
This crack can be seen by looking outboard and forward inside the open inspection hole in the flap in the following photo:
The following photo shows the forward nose gear rod end that was replaced, along with the nose gear down spring and some other hardware (note the small grease zerk in the side of the rod end… rod ends that are drilled for a grease zerk have been known to fail, and it’s wise to replace them with the solid type.)
Note: American Bonanza Society (ABS) recommends replacing all three rod ends for the Bonanza nose gear system every 2000 hours.
For me, the prebuy was a great experience, and I’m hopeful both the seller and the buyer feel the same way.
In my estimation, we took a really nice airplane, and made if even better… and that makes me happy!
How about you? Is your airplane perfect?
One way to see how perfect it is would be to get some other eyes on it from time to time… take it somewhere different every few years for the annual inspection.
Then, when it comes time to sell it, perhaps it will be just a little closer to perfect!
Now for my huge surprise in Florida this past week… I met a very fine gentleman at the Orlando Executive Airport, and even got a photo with him:
This is Mr. Bob Showalter, of the Showalter Flying Service in Orlando, which the family sold back in 2015.
I was grateful to meet such a fine gentleman that day, and to learn more about him and his family, and how they have contributed in such a huge and impacting way to the world of aviation.
So many people have asked me over the years if I was related to the Showalters who have the FBO in Orlando, and my answer will now be, “Not that I’m aware of, but if I was related to them, I’d be proud!”
If you’re interested in some fascinating history of Bob’s family and Showalter Flying Service, here’s a link with all kinds of interesting information, as well as a large assortment of really fun photos from years ago.
A description of several maintenance items on a Piper Cherokee
Some emails I received from podcast listeners, some encouraging me about my check ride, and some sharing inspiring stories of what they are doing in their aviation journeys… I love hearing about what you guys are doing!
Two resources I recommend for people who are about to take a check ride:
The second one is something our friend Leslie Caubble is doing through her new website, UltimateAviationAcademy.com (She’s providing mock oral check rides to prepare pilots for the oral portion of the check ride.)
Here’s a photo of the Piper Cherokee door stop I repaired by installing a new spring, P/N 65730-00. Now the door stop snaps nicely into the open detent, instead of closing on you while you’re getting in or out of the airplane.
I’m excited, and I have a few butterflies as well… I just hope they are friendly butterflies
Today’s podcast episode is about checkrides, and some encouragement for all of us to move forward with whatever that next step is… whether it’s a private pilot certificate, an instrument rating, or something else.
If you’re thinking about getting a new pilot certificate or rating, I encourage you to go for it!
Let me know how things are going… I always love to hear from you guys!
236 – Spare Parts and Tools to Carry in Your Airplane
Feb 02, 2024
Check out this spare parts case my friend Bill created!
Although you might not want to carry that much extra stuff in YOUR airplane, it still might be worth thinking about some items to have in case of emergencies.
This podcast episode will include the following:
Some feedback from others about spare parts.
A story about a communication blunder I made a while back.
Update on getting my CFII.
And… some fun laughs and goodbye’s from my little grandson!
Enjoy the show, and leave me a message if you like!
It was important to NOT get paint on anything other than the prop blades…
Finally, after finishing the black and gray paint, it was time to paint the white stripes (my favorite part and the part that makes the whole blade pop!)
I was very happy with the end result:
Always consult your maintenance manual before painting prop blades. It’s also a good idea to check in with your favorite prop shop for tips and advice as well.
Other items discussed in this podcast episode:
The bad audio in episode 234 and how it’s been fixed.
Finishing the Aerostar annual and the two surprises at the end.
King Air fuel quantity issue, and replacing a fuel probe.
King Air battery capacity test and reconditioning charge.
234 – Why the Airplane’s Heater Didn’t Light Last Winter
Sep 23, 2023
I’ll get right to it… I think it was because one of the brushes in the heater combustion fan motor was severely worn, and when the motor / combustion fan did not run, the heater did not light.
Here’s a comparison of the old brushes and the new brushes I just installed:
(The 2 old brushes are on the left.)
This episode also includes the nose gear support structure rivets that needed to be replaced:
Now you might be wondering, “What kind of airplane is this?!”
It’s an Aerostar… a great airplane, but like all airplanes, it does take some maintenance.
And one area that needs to be inspected closely is the nose gear support structure. (The rivets in the above photo are in a bracket that supports the nose gear door rod shaft. The bolt below the center red arrow holds the left side of the shaft in place in the nose gear well.)
Listen to the audio to hear the complete list of squawks being addressed in this year’s annual inspection.
Have a great week!
The post “234 – Why the Airplane’s Heater Didn’t Light Last Winter” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
233 – Mike’s Owner Assisted Annual on His F33A Bonanza
Sep 08, 2023
Mike Garcia has become a good friend over the past year or so.
Recently we completed his annual inspection together, and he really enjoyed working on his airplane while learning more about what’s under the surface!
Mike was my guest on the podcast this week, so be sure to listen to the audio for that conversation.
Mike’s wife is also learning to fly, and one of their favorite ways to use the airplane is flying from Virginia to New Mexico to see family!
And of course they take their favorite companion, Rama along on these trips as well!
Now for all you maintenance geeks out there, you might like a couple photos I took from the old parts we removed from Mike’s Bonanza.
First, the crankshaft seal that came out in pieces, along with the lock nuts we replaced when we reinstalled the prop:
And here’s the pile of rusty hardware we replaced when we installed the new tail pipes:
(I sometimes hang on to old airplane parts and pieces, to the point of driving my wife crazy… but if I can do something useful with them like including photos for a podcast episode, I feel better about throwing them in the trash!
Links mentioned in this episode:
Flight-Insight.com (This is the resource Mike Garcia mentioned that he found helpful.)
MauiPineappleStore.com (You can help these people recuperate from the terrible fire that destroyed their store in Lahaina, by buying pineapples… I ordered a case of them, and they are the best tasting pineapples ever!) My grandson helped me open the box when they arrived!
Have a great weekend!
The post “233 – Mike’s Owner Assisted Annual on His F33A Bonanza” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
232 – A Piper, A Pineapple, and a Motorcycle
Aug 30, 2023
Be sure to scroll down to see how my Maui Gold Pineapple plant turned out! (It’s been growing in a pot here at our house for a very long time
Now for this week’s podcast:
I had the opportunity to do an annual inspection on Ben’s Piper Comanche, and he sent me this photo after he flew home when the work was completed… thanks Ben!
Ben and his wife, along with their A&P, had recently put a ton of work into the engine change. Just looking at the engine, you can see the great attention to details that makes it look amazing:
In this episode, I talked about some highlights from the inspection, and also included a voice message from another listener who also has a Piper Comanche. Be sure to listen to the audio for the details.
One issue Ben had was that a couple times, his starter would not turn at all… like there was an issue with the electrical system.
I found 2 things:
One, the battery ground cable connection to the airframe was suspect, so I installed a bigger ring terminal on the ground cable and moved it to a better airframe ground location.
Secondly, the battery positive cable connection to the battery contactor was not tight enough, and I could wiggle the cable back and forth… I noticed this because the split lock washer was not pressed flat and it was obvious it was not tight enough. Check it out:
Ben’s airplane was already very nice, and after we fixed a few more things during the annual inspection, I’m confident it’s even nicer!
Next up is my Maui Gold Pineapple…
Note: Thank you John and Leslie Caubble, for making this whole story possible!
Listen to the audio for the full story, but here’s a little about it:
I’ve been growing this little pineapple for a long time here at our house, and it finally grew a pineapple.
This little plant survived a few winter seasons here, being moved in and out of the house… it was a great day when it began to bloom, and that’s a whole story in itself:
Over time, the little pineapple grew.
… and grew.
Then one day, a thunderstorm hit our area and broke the stalk:
Thankfully, it was nearly ripe and I put it on the kitchen counter among other things Maria had there:
When the day came to cut open the pineapple, I was very pleasantly surprised… it was the sweetest and best tasting pineapple we’d ever eaten!
Now here’s an opportunity:
You can taste the awesomeness of Maui Gold Pineapples, and help the people of Maui at the same time:
This pineapple plantation lost a store front in the terrible fire, and one way to help during this very difficult time is to order pineapples… I ordered a case of them yesterday, and I’m inviting you to join me. Here’s the link:
And lastly for today… the motorcycle… listen to the audio to find out what happened to my truck, and why I quickly got my motorcycle re-registered so I could ride it while my truck is being repaired. (I’ve been trying to sell the motorcycle, and now I’m glad I still have it for now!)
231 – Piper Comanche Weird Electrical Problem and Seeping Oil Drain Valve
Jul 31, 2023
In this week’s podcast episode, you’ll hear about:
King Air flying.
Listener feedback from the last episode on “Phantom Cylinder Cracks.”
The latest annual inspection I’m involved in.
… and a few other things!
I’m in the midst of an annual inspection on a Piper Comanche. I might talk more about this one in a future episode, but for now, I mentioned two strange things about this airplane in this week’s podcast:
The first strange thing was the oil quick drain kept seeping after I drained the oil and closed the drain valve.
I was perplexed when oil was collecting on the bottom cowling and seeping down over the nose tire.
Finally, I had to cut the safety wire and remove the Saf-Air P5000 drain valve to take a look.
Here’s what I found:
I removed the drain valve and put a temporary plug in the oil sump to prevent any further seepage. If you look closely, you can see a portion of the black o-ring holding the valve slightly open.
Here’s a closer view:
After opening the valve, I noticed the top o-ring had been pushed up off the valve, and it was the second o-ring that was holding the valve open. (Don’t worry, the other o-ring fell out of the hole when I removed the valve, so it’s not stuck somewhere in the oil sump.)
We will install new O-rings on the valve before reinstalling it in the oil sump. It actually has 3 total o-rings… the top 2 keep the oil from draining out of the sump, and the lower o-ring (that you can’t see in the photo) is slightly larger and it keeps oil from seeping out around the drain nipple during the oil draining process. McFarlane sells a kit that includes the three new o-rings and a new snap ring.
You can listen to the audio to hear more about this story.
… and hopefully, in a future episode, I’ll be able to update you on the weird electrical problem on this same airplane.
The post “231 – Piper Comanche Weird Electrical Problem and Seeping Oil Drain Valve” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
230 “Phantom Cracks” in Airplane Engine Cylinders
Jul 17, 2023
Do you think these really are cracks between the spark plug bosses and the fuel injector bosses? (Cirrus SR22 Continental engine.)
The owner of a Cirrus SR22 was told by a service center he had 4 cracked cylinders on his engine.
However, after taking a closer look and bringing their most experienced technicians together to thoroughly clean and examine the cylinders, it was discovered they were not cracked after all.
The service center was very professional with their communications and the process they used to evaluate the cylinders.
This whole scenario was such a great example of healthy collaboration between an aircraft maintenance service center and an airplane owner.
Listen to the audio of this week’s podcast to hear the full story, and some email communications I had with the airplane owner.
After thinking about the situation, here are some thoughts:
If an airplane engine cylinder is truly cracked, it needs immediate attention.
Sometimes, what appears to be a crack, is not a crack after all.
Thorough cleaning and precise evaluation are required.
Sometimes a second and third expert opinion are helpful.
Excellent communication between airplane owners and service centers is key.
229 – Cessna 206 Alternator Not Working
Jul 08, 2023
The charging system was not working, but why?
There was normal voltage at the alternator field terminal.
The field circuit resistance seemed normal as well.
But the alternator was not producing the normal 28 volts during operation.
Occasionally, it would produce a small amount of output voltage, like 25 or 26 volts, and then drop back down to battery voltage.
Clearly there was a problem.
After troubleshooting and seeking advice from a Cessna service center, we replaced the battery contactor and the alternator contactor in the MCU (master control unit) on the firewall. (The MCU is the electrical control box for the airplane. It’s located on the forward left side of the firewall.)
Replacing the contactors did not fix the problem.
After more troubleshooting and some calls to Hartzell Engine Technologies to speak with two different people, and after talking things over with the owner, we decided to order an overhauled alternator and a new ACU (alternator control unit.)
They arrived the next day, I installed them, and the system worked perfectly.
The alternator was back to producing its normal 28 volts. (I just wish I had taken the old alternator apart to see if I could determine the problem… I’m guessing one or both of the brushes were severely worn.)
The following photo shows what’s inside the MCU. The alternator contactor is the one in the top of the photo, slightly left of center. And the alternator control unit the the device to the left of the contactor that says “Lamar” on the side.
When replacing anything in this box, it’s very helpful to take photos first in order to put everything back in its place during reassembly!
Listen to the audio podcast for this episode to get the full story.
This episode also includes some of the email responses I received after asking if listeners wanted to continue receiving stories about exhaust valves.
Thank you to all who responded!
In a nutshell, everyone wanted to continue hearing about exhaust valves and the stories about lapping them and saving them, especially the stories that are instructive and educational.
228 – Saving a Cylinder on Dan & Jeanne’s Bonanza
Jul 01, 2023
Dan and Jeanne are some of the nicest people you will ever meet, so it’s always a privilege to work on their airplane.
It was annual inspection time, and the compression test on cylinder #1 was 25/80. The borescope showed a corresponding reason for the low compression… the exhaust valve had an uneven appearance, indicating it was not sealing well against the valve seat, and there was air leakage around the edge, causing that edge to get extra hot and burn… this is the reason for the uneven color pattern at 10 to 11 o’clock in the photo:
I discussed the situation with Dan, and we decided it was worth a try to lap the valve in place without removing the cylinder, in hopes we could save the cylinder from premature removal.
I lapped the valve and installed a new rotocoil to help ensure the valve was rotating properly during operation.
After reassembling everything and running the engine, we got a fantastic result… the compression was now 75/80!
When the annual inspection was completed, I sent the airplane out the door with great confidence the engine would perform well… and it did.
Not long after that, Dan and Jeanne flew the Bonanza to Montana to visit family and then later made the journey back home.
At the time of the annul inspection, Dan had agreed it would be a good idea to inspect the #1 exhaust valve at the next oil change to make sure all was well.
After having flown about 37 hours since the annual and since lapping the #1 exhaust valve, Dan returned to have things checked out.
The oil and filter change were completely normal; the compression in cylinder #1 was 77/80; and the borescope revealed the #1 exhaust valve had returned to normal!
Check it out: the circular patterns on the valve are now nice and concentric.
I’m hopeful Dan will get many more hours of reliable service out of this cylinder since we stopped the harmful trajectory of a burning exhaust valve.
On another note, I discussed a couple things in this episode that I noticed this past week while flying.
One was related to NOTAMs and the importance of being aware of them (along with something I discovered about NOTAMS, approach plates, and ForeFlight.)
The other one was a tip about starting PT-6 engines when they are still hot after a quick stop to drop off passengers and refuel.
In my research, I discovered an online course about NOTAMs, and I wanted to pass this link along for anyone who might be interested:
This is a course by Sarah Fritts. I do not know Sarah, and I do not receive any compensation from this course, but it seems like a good training resource, and I like to help promote those when I see them.
You can also learn more about Sarah over at her website:
227 – Electrical Chaos When the Landing Light was Turned On
Jun 25, 2023
This Bonanza had a problem in the landing light wiring circuit. All kinds of weird things were happening when the light was turned on in flight. You can listen to the podcast audio for more details on this squawk.
I removed the induction filter cover and the landing light assembly and inspected the wiring.
It turned out the landing light power and ground wires were chafing against each other… probably over a very long period of time. Take a look at the area of concern in the red circle on the following photo:
At first glance, it wasn’t visually obvious there was a problem.
But after separating the power and ground wires, it became very clear what was happening. As the internal strands of the power and ground wires began to just barely make contact with each other, the short-to-ground situation started wreaking havoc in the electrical system. The following photo shows the areas where the insulation was worn all the way through to the internal wire:
Sometimes there was static over the comm radio, sometimes the TCAS and intercom would cycle power off and back on, and sometimes the landing light circuit breaker switch would flip off.
I repaired the wiring and secured it really well with ty-wraps and silicone to prevent further chafing. Now Brad will be able to use his landing light any time he wants and be confident it will perform normally.
Vibration from piston engines can create some bad situations! It’s always a good idea to take an extra minute or two to look around the engine compartment whenever you’re in there, like at the oil change, or some other maintenance event, like cleaning spark plugs.
Another interesting squawk on this same Bonanza was a burning exhaust valve and corresponding low compression. The borescope revealed the classic appearance when the valve is not sealing well against the valve seat. Take a look:
I had lapped this valve at the last annual inspection and installed a new rotocoil to help ensure it would rotate properly, so when it still showed an appearance of a burning valve a year later, I figured we would likely need to remove the cylinder and send it for repair.
However, the Bonanza owner uses Savvy Aviation to manage his maintenance on the airplane, and the borescoping experts at Savvy thought it would be worth lapping the valve again to see if it could be saved.
I was happy to give it a second try. I lapped the valve heavily this time and finally, I was satisfied. I installed a new rotocoil again, and after running the engine, I rechecked the compression, and was super happy to see that it was 74/80!
I feel 90% confident that when the next annual inspection rolls around, this valve will have returned to a normal appearance. I’ll be curious to see how it turns out.
All in all, it was a good annual inspection, and Brad should be good to go for another year of flying!
The post “227 – Electrical Chaos When the Landing Light was Turned On” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
226 – Piper Lance Lands at SHD After In-Flight Electrical Failure
Jun 17, 2023
It was a beautiful Tuesday morning at KSHD, and we had the maintenance hangar door open with a good view of the runway. A nice, red and white Piper Lance made a perfect landing on runway 5. As the airplane taxied up to the ramp, I thought, “It would be nice to meet that guy, whoever he is.”
Momentarily, he was standing in our shop, asking if we could help with an electrical issue. It turned out Merle was a super nice gentleman, and he had flown in with his brother, Dave, and their colleague Ron. They were on their way to Pennsylvania that morning, but made a precautionary landing at Shenandoah Valley because of the electrical failure.
I was eager to help. I grabbed my multimeter and hopped in the airplane. When I tried to start the engine, all I got was a small and very feeble attempt to turn the engine and prop. The battery was too weak to run the engine.
I remove the cowling and got access to the alternator. After removing the field wire from the field terminal on the alternator, I turned the master and alternator switches on and verified there was battery voltage at the field wire. I was then satisfied the voltage regulator was working fine, and the problem was likely in the alternator or the wiring circuit.
I then measured the resistance between the alternator field terminal and ground, and at first I got a resistance reading, but when I moved the prop a bit, I had no continuity. There should be a resistance reading, maybe around 6 ohms, give or take a little, for a 12 volt alternator. At this point, I was 90% sure the alternator was bad.
We started searching, and found a local parts supplier had an overhauled alternator, and also one that was “as removed.” Merle opted for the overhauled one, and one of our guys made the short drive to pick it up.
Unfortunately, that alternator had a crack in the bolt hole for attaching the alternator belt tension arm.
We ended up overnighting another overhauled alternator in, and got them going the next day.
It was great meeting these guys! Merle, Ron, and Dave… if you’re ever passing through again, stop in and say hi, and maybe we can go grab a burger at the Old School Burger bus down at the Valley Pike Farm Market.
On a totally different subject, I also talked in this podcast episode about an Aerostar trip we made to Wisconsin this week… not much of an FBO at this little airport near Lake Geneva, WI.
Be sure to listen to the episode to find out about an interesting phenomenon I learned about on the return trip… a momentary harmonic vibration in the clouds.
That’s all for this episode!
The post “226 – Piper Lance Lands at SHD After In-Flight Electrical Failure” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
Recently, in podcast episode #223, I asked for help in identifying an ATC intersection we flew over on our way into Dulles Airport, (KIAD) awhile back.
I remembered it sounded something like “you-dee-ah” or something similar. Maybe something like “UDIYA” except that’s not it.
Well, Ben emailed me after listening to episode 223, and he correctly identified the intersection as “UDIYU” and told me it’s on the DOCCS THREE arrival and also on the GIBBZ FOUR arrival.
Thank you Ben! You’re the first one to respond after listening to episode 223.
Then, I sent an email out yesterday morning and received a good handful more responses about the intersection, UDIYU.
A big thank you to all of you who responded to this email!
You can listen to the audio podcast for this episode to hear about all those responses.
I also received a couple photos from my good friend Clark, showing the position of the UDIYU intersection… here’s one of those:
Thanks Clark, for the photos!
And here are a couple of my screen shots to get more context for the arrivals with the UDIYU intersection:
And thank you to ALL OF YOU GUYS who responded to my question… it’s really fun to learn about these obscure situations with you.
Now… I’m off to the shop to work on a Bonanza… and be sure to tune in again in a future episode to hear what I found in this Bonanza’s landing light wiring circuit that was causing all kinds of strange and weird effects in other systems as well.
Have a fantastic weekend!
The post “225 – Obscure ATC Intersection Mystery Solved (It’s UDIYU!)” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
224 – Jim’s Exhaust Valve Rescue on his Cessna 182 Engine
Jun 02, 2023
Recently, I received an email from Jim Janaitus, owner of a Cessna 182. He told me the story of lapping an exhaust valve on his engine because the valve showed signs of burning even though the compression was still in the high 60’s. Take a look at the appearance of the valve before lapping:
The area from about 12:00 to about 3:00 is the bad area, indicating the valve is not seating well in that area.
Jim lapped the valve and installed a new rotator. I was super happy when he said, “It went better than I imagined.”
Here’s a follow up photo of the same valve about 12 flight hours later:
Isn’t the improvement remarkable?!
It’s not perfect, but it’s MUCH BETTER than before, and Jim has an excellent plan to monitor the condition of this valve every 20 hours or so.
Well done Jim!
Be sure to listen to the audio for this week’s podcast to hear this story, along with some other weird electrical issues I’ve been sorting out on a Bonanza and on a Cessna 210.
Have a great week!
The post “224 – Jim’s Exhaust Valve Rescue on his Cessna 182 Engine” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
223 – Piper Cherokee Annual and Other Maintenance Adventures
May 26, 2023
In the beginning of this week’s podcast episode, I want to give a big congratulations to my friend, Chris Wieczorek, who recently got his A&P certificate!
Listen to the audio to find out how Chris pursued getting his A&P in the midst of being a full time attorney and engineer with a wife and 4 kids!
Chris, you are an inspiration! Well done!
This week I also had the opportunity to take care of a couple issues on my friend, Dave Ovad’s Bonanza… you can hear more about these items as well in the podcast:
We turned up his full power fuel flow a bit to bring the CHT’s down.
We installed a couple very specific washers in his nose gear retraction linkage at the idler arm connection. The washer part number is 100951CR016YF.
It’s always good to see Dave!
Now for the Piper Cherokee… this is the one I’m completing an annual inspection on, along with some squawk repairs.
Here’s a list of some items on the Cherokee we discuss in this podcast episode:
Resealing and lubing the fuel selector valve.
Installing a new flash tube in the tail strobe light.
Replacing the old style throttle and mixture control rod ends with the new rod end bearing style rod ends.
Replacing one cowling pin bushing (part number 69790-000.)
Installing a new 28L battery in the ELT remote switch in the instrument panel.
The final two items we talk about in this episode are two different electrical issues on two different airplanes.
The first one is an A36 Bonanza, and the new alternator has been dropping off line. (The alternator was replaced again and then the voltage regulator, at another airport, and that did not fix the problem.)
Through Beechtalk, we discovered a fix for this issue has been developed, where you install a special part number capacitor between the F1 and F2 terminals on the alternator, thus dampening out the voltage spikes that sometimes happen during the break-in phase of a new alternator.
Hopefully this will solve the problem!
The second electrical problem is on a Cessna 210, and it’s one of those weird and frustrating situations that’s hard to figure out. It does fine on the ground, and then in the air, the alternator output circuit breaker is popping intermittently. (Although I need to verify this directly with the owner.)
Hopefully we can solve this one soon as well.
The final phase of this podcast episode is about a couple recent flights in a King Air 200. One of these was to Dulles (KIAD) and how we were routed onto the approach. We usually fly KSHD direct to CSN (Cassanova VOR) and then direct to IAD.
This time, we would be landing on 19C, and we were cleared “After CSN, turn left direct to” (and here’s where I can’t remember the name of the intersection, and it’s driving me crazy!) It was something that sounded like “you-dee-ah” or something like that. Maybe something like “UDIYA” except that’s not it.
If you know what this fix or intersection is called, please let me know… thanks!
Thanks for listening to the podcast, and have a great week!
The post “223 – Piper Cherokee Annual and Other Maintenance Adventures” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
222 – How an Engine Cylinder Went From 25/80 to 75/80!
May 13, 2023
I inspected another A36 Bonanza recently, and one of the cylinder compressions was too low… lower than the minimum prescribed by Continental using the master orifice tool.
I had two options:
Option One: Remove the cylinder for repair or replacement.
Option Two: Make the exhaust valve seal better and improve the compression result in hopes of saving the cylinder from premature amputation.
I chose Option Two.
It was at least worth a try…
… and the result was stunning!
After lapping the valve in place and installing a new rotocoil, I ran the engine again and rechecked the compression.
It was 75/80!
The lowest cylinder on the engine was now the highest cylinder.
I also lapped the exhaust valve in cylinder #2, and that one improved from 49/80 to 63/80.
Another surprise during the inspection was a cracked / leaking exhaust riser.
Here’s a close-up view of the bad area:
Also in this episode, I talked about some other squawks that were repaired during the inspection. Be sure to listen to the audio for all the details.
In Part Two of this episode, I talked about our most recent trip in the King Air. It was quite an adventure navigating some weather situations!
The post “222 – How an Engine Cylinder Went From 25/80 to 75/80!” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
221 – Maui Adventures in the Air and on the Ground!
Apr 21, 2023
Maui is simply amazing!
Maria and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip, and here are some highlights. (And for the aviation maintenance portion of the trip, see the last episode, 220.)
So many indescribably beautiful beaches to see:
Maria and her new friend, Firmiana, at the Upcountry Farmers Market… the most amazing farmer’s market I’ve ever seen!
Maria was right at home with all the fresh fruits and vegetables.
A ridiculously delicious dessert at Kimo’s in Lahaina… Hula Pie. Chocolate cookie thin crust, Macadamia nut ice cream, hot fudge, mac nut pieces, and whipped cream!
Gus’ Shave Ice! It’s the best shave ice on Maui… made with frozen fruit.
Our new friends, Melissa and JT, who we met in line at “The Cinnamon Roll Place” in Kihei.
A super amazing air tour with Leslie and Erica.
A favorite stop on The Road to Hana, Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread.
Waianapanapa State Park, home of the famous “Black Sand Beach.”
Crazy-good pizza and salad at Hana Farms.
Haleakala, the famous 10,000 foot volcano and crater.
Driving back down the mountain… watching for cows along the road and continuous switch-back turns.
After a most amazing two weeks, it was time to leave our little ohana, our home-away-from-home.
…and after all the wonderful-ness, it was time to say goodbye to John and Leslie and return to the mainland.
Thank you John and Leslie for such a super-awesome time on Maui!
If you ever make a trip to Maui, be sure to check out John and Leslie’s websites… the information they provide is a game-changer for planning a Maui adventure:
The Aloha 360 Podcast with John and Leslie Caubble. These episodes have tons of must-have information for a trip to Maui.
The Road to Hana Audio Guide. Learn about the best stops along the Road to Hana, some of which you would drive right past without a guide like this. (Be sure NOT to miss “Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread” on the Keanae peninsula!)
The Fly Maui Flight School at Kahalui Airport (OGG.) A scenic tour from the air is an absolutely incredible perspective!
The Ultimate Air Maui indoor trampoline park. This is a local favorite for kids’ birthday parties.
220 – An Epic Working Vacation to Maui!
Apr 16, 2023
We arrived on Maui the evening of March 27 and were greeted by our friends, John and Leslie Caubble, with a “lei greeting” which is a warm welcome with a beautiful ring of fresh flowers around your neck.
We were there to do several things:
Connect with our friends, the Caubbles.
Work on the flight school airplanes.
Enjoy a wonderful vacation.
See amazing sights and taste amazing food!
The trip was truly epic.
In this episode, I focused mainly on the airplane side of things.
In the next episode, I’ll talk about the incredible airplane ride Leslie took us on, and also some of the other adventures we enjoyed.
So here we go… the morning after we arrived, Leslie gave me a tour of the airport and turned me loose to begin a 100 hour inspection on one of the flight school Cessna 172’s.
I unpacked my tools and supplies and “set up shop” in the T-hangar.
The first few days, I was overwhelmed and I was having a blast, all at the same time!
Getting used to a new situation, inspecting the airplane, and fixing the things that needed fixing were all worthwhile challenges, and I’m super thankful for the opportunity.
And, it turned out that all three of the school’s airplanes came due for 100 hour inspection within about the same week. I did one of the inspections, and helped with the other two.
What an adventure!
Occasionally, I’d take some time to go enjoy a local beach with my wife Maria before going to the airport… there are so many great beaches to choose from!
We packed so much into our short 2 weeks on Maui, and I’ll share some of those adventures in the next episode.
The day before we left was Easter Sunday, and we were so blessed by the 7 am service with John and Leslie at Hope Chapel in Kihei.
Mahalo Nui Loa (thank you very much) to John and Leslie for an absolutely amazing time on Maui!
… and more to come in the next episode!
P.S. If you ever get the opportunity to visit Maui, it’s totally worth it! I highly recommend the following resources that will make your trip so much better:
The Aloha 360 Podcast with John and Leslie Caubble. These episodes have tons of must-have information for a trip to Maui.
The Road to Hana Audio Guide. Learn about the best stops along the Road to Hana, some of which you would drive right past without a guide like this. (Be sure NOT to miss “Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread” on the Keanae peninsula!)
The Fly Maui Flight School at Kahalui Airport (OGG.) A scenic tour from the air is an absolutely incredible perspective!
219 – I Installed New Brake Linings and the Wheel Would Not Turn!
Mar 24, 2023
It took some significant detective work and deciphering to solve this mystery.
The brake caliper at the top of the photo was the wrong part number for the A36 Bonanza I was working on.
The one at the bottom of the photo is a serviceable one we found on eBay. It was the correct one, and the 1/8 inch extra depth at the edges of the caliper made all the difference.
This problem apparently went unnoticed for an undetermined amount of time.
The only reason I discovered the problem was because I installed new brake linings and after reassembling the brake caliper, the wheel would not turn at all. Everything seemed to be working fine with the worn linings.
But new linings made it too tight for the wheel to turn.
After installing the correct brake caliper, everything was back to normal.
What an ordeal! I’m glad it’s fixed.
In this week’s podcast episode, I talked about the brake situation above, and about some flying from this week.
Here’s a sampling of the places I had the opportunity to fly to this past week:
Near Myrtle Beach SC.
Pennsylvania
New York
Montpelier VT
Chattanooga TN
Dalton GA
And just for fun, here’s a photo of the King Air on the ramp in Vermont… we put the engine and pitot covers on for the night while we were there.
Thanks for checking out the podcast! The next episode might just come from Maui! We’ll see.
The post “219 – I Installed New Brake Lingings and the Wheel Would Not Turn!” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.
218 – Engine Oil was Seeping Out of the Top Cowling
Mar 17, 2023
Not long ago, there was an oil leak on the right engine of a Cessna 414. The leak was significant enough to come out the louvers on the top cowling in flight. There was oil all over the rear inboard area of the engine, so the big question was, “Where is the oil leak coming from,” or “Where is the source?”
With so many possibilities, it was difficult to find the leak.
After multiple cleanings and ground runs, it was becoming more clear.
It was still however, hard to be certain. It seemed to be coming from the inboard forward base of the oil cooler. A flashlight and small mirror were somewhat helpful to see the area:
The borescope was also helpful to take a closer look:
Finally, after making the best evaluation I could without disassembling anything, I told the owner I was fairly certain the oil cooler was leaking… it seemed there might be a small crack in the oil cooler.
The annual inspection was already scheduled for this airplane, so it made a good time to verify the oil leak. The owner is an A&P, and he removed the oil cooler himself. I was hoping I had not steered him down the wrong path on this one!
He discovered it’s not an easy task to remove the oil cooler from his engine, but he persisted and got it done.
He sent me a text message and told me he had removed the oil cooler and when they first looked at it, he was not sure it was cracked. But after pressurizing it with 5 pounds of air pressure, the leak was obvious.
About the oil cooler, he told me “I tell you it was a job getting that off.”
The black circled area is where the crack was:
And here’s the really fun part… watch this video to see the bubbles confirming the source of the oil leak:
Here’s the engine after the oil cooler was removed… definitely “major surgery!”
This was the main maintenance topic in this week’s podcast, and we also talked about these items as well:
Aerostar voltage regulator adjustment.
Alternator charging system troubleshooting.
Our upcoming trip to Maui!
Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you in the next episode!
217 – Does Your Magneto Have Any Broken Teeth?
Mar 10, 2023
I recently removed a magneto from a Piper Cherokee, and my curiosity about why the magneto had failed got the best of me.
I took the mag home, sat down at the kitchen table, put my grandson Spencer on my lap, and took the magneto apart! It was great fun having him help me
Before long, we had the case apart, and it quickly became obvious why the magneto wasn’t working… there were 6 broken teeth on the distributor gear! And 3 of the broken teeth were together in a row, making it impossible for the distributor gear to mesh with the drive gear… this mag was completely dead.
It had been more than 600 hours since the last 500 hour magneto inspection.
I wonder how long it had been since the first tooth broke… we’ll never know.
But it does remind me of the importance of doing 500 hour magneto inspections. For Part 91 airplanes, it’s a recommendation and not a requirement, but in this case, I think the recommendation is a really good one.
You can listen to the podcast episode for more details about the troubleshooting process on the magneto, and here are some other items also included in this episode:
Some King Air flying this week (I never get tired of the “view from the office!”)
Our complex ATC clearances we received on the way to the Boston area.
The annual inspection I’m currently doing on an A36 Bonanza… here’s the overhauled alternator drive coupling I installed because the old one failed the slippage torqe test:
Our IA renewal seminar at Blue Ridge Community College… it’s always a good time to see friends, learn some things, and satisfy the FAA requirements to keep my IA certificate current.
And finally, Maria and I are getting very excited about our trip to Hawaii! We’re going to visit John and Leslie Caubble on Maui, and I’ll be working with them on the flight school airplanes at FlyMauiHI.com It’s going to be a grand adventure!
216 – WHY is the alternator not working?!
Mar 03, 2023
Here’s the short answer: Worn and contaminated brushes inside the alternator. Check it out:
My theory is that the excessive amount of carbon dust from brush wear was causing a short circuit situation between the brushes, and not allowing the field circuit in the alternator rotor to be properly energized for normal operation.
Here’s a comparison of the old and new brushes:
This story comes from a recent situation on the right engine of this Aerostar aircraft:
Since the alternator has externally removable brushes, it turned out to be a minimally invasive surgery to fix the problem. I cleaned the brush holder and also the slip rings inside the alternator, and after installing new brushes and reassembling everything, the alternator performed flawlessly.
Listen to the audio to hear the full story.
This episode also covers some of the email responses I received last week from some listeners, and here’s one of the highlights:
Glen sent me a photo of he and his dad in front of his Piper Cherokee… I love to see different generations enjoying aviation adventures together!
One more fun fact: Glen’s mom took her private pilot check ride years ago with Glen in the back seat of their Cessna 175 when he was 3 weeks old! What a great story!
Thanks Glen, for sharing some of your story with us!
This episode also covers a recent trip to Charlotte in another Aerostar, and the interesting routing we got from ATC on the way there… definitely some great IFR and ATC lessons to observe and learn from this one!
The Charlotte trip also sparked some conversation about twin engine charging systems, and paralleling issues that can happen… this situation is still in process, and I’ll try to give an update sometime in the future.
Finally, I had the privilege of joining Carl Valeri, Tom Frick, and Bill English on episode 301 “What is Your Most Challenging Approach” of the Stuck Mic AvCast. It was great fun talking about challenging approaches, both instrument and visual approaches.
215 – Vacuum Pump Adventure with Clark, my Airline Captain Friend
Feb 24, 2023
Clark and his family came to Virginia to visit his mom recently, and on the way up from Florida, the right vacuum pump quit working… as often happens when a vacuum pump quits, the drive shaft had sheared off, saving the engine from catastrophic damage.
In times like these, a good question to ask is, “What does this make possible?”
In this case, it made it possible to tackle a maintenance project with a good friend!
You can listen to the audio in this week’s podcast to hear about how I got to know Clark, and how he became the kind of friend I would want to go the extra mile for, whenever I can.
We changed the broken vacuum pump, installed new filters, and got him all set for the trip back home. (Ask him if he got to fly much on the trip… the answer would be no, because his wife is learning to fly and she took over the controls for most of the trip
It’s always fun when you can get an airline captain turning wrenches! Clark is very mechanically inclined, and I think the whole experience put a big smile on his face.
Another highlight recently on a Saturday morning was when I took my mom for an airplane ride… she’s 86 years old and still very happy to get in a little airplane and go flying! We had a great time flying around the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. You’ll hear about this story in this episode as well.
And finally, my wife Maria and I have an exciting trip planned in just over a month from now… we’re going to Hawaii for the first time! Our friends, John and Leslie Caubble, operate a flight school on Maui, so we’re going to visit them and I get to help work on the flight school airplanes… we’re super excited about this adventure!
You can learn A LOT more about John and Leslie through their two podcasts, The Aloha 360, and Fly Maui. They are simply GREAT people!
The post, “215 – Vacuum Pump Adventure with Clark, my Airline Captain Friend” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
214 – An Unacceptably Low Cylinder Compression
Feb 17, 2023
This is a good looking exhaust valve with a nice concentric appearance. However, the compression was very low at 8/80.
I lapped the valve, hoping it would improve the compression test result… it only came up to 10/80, and that was after running the engine again and getting it nice and hot.
Although the valve face showed a healthy appearance, the seating area was telling a different story. Check out the following borescope photo of the seating area showing a possible leaking area:
It appeared there was abnormal wear on the valve seat, and the valve was not able to seal well, causing an unacceptably low compression result.
Listen to the audio for more details on this one.
I asked the question, “Borescope or compression tester… which one is better?”
Let me know what you think after listening. I’m curious to hear your thoughts.
Just click the button over to the right and record a brief audio message for me.
Thanks!
We ended up sending cylinder #5 out for repair, and then reinstalling it.
We did a test flight today, and everything went very well… ready to go for another year!
Here are some links to information on cylinder / engine break-in procedures:
213 – Stellar Advice for YOUR Aviation Career
Feb 10, 2023
Where are you RIGHT NOW in your aviation journey?
Have you started flight training, but stalled out along the way?
Did you finish that instrument rating?
How about the commercial certificate, or CFI, or even CFII?
Ever dream about getting your A&P?
Have you wanted to be an airline pilot for years and years?
Did you give up along the way when you ran out of money?
Maybe you want to be a fighter pilot.
Maybe you want to ferry airplanes around the world.
Or some other crazy, wonderful dream!
If you resonate with any of the above, you just might be an excellent candidate for aviation career coaching with Carl Valeri.
Last year in 2022, when I was feeling grumpy and restless in my full time A&P/IA job (and longing to fly more,) I signed up for a career coaching session with Carl Valeri.
It was one of the best decisions I made in that time of transition.
Now, I have a pilot position flying for a local company in their King Air 350, and I work part time in my previous A&P job, and I’m loving it so much more!
As I’ve shared about my work transition, I’ve heard from a fair number of people who have also thought about pursuing a flying job, or getting their A&P, etc.
My encouragement it this: If it’s in your heart to do it, and you can’t stop thinking about it, then go for it!
I know there are all kinds of obstacles to get past like fear, doubt, money, nay-sayers, etc.
But you don’t want to look back years from now and regret not going for it and at least trying to reach your dream.
Carl is uniquely suited to give wise counsel to people pursuing an aviation career.
He’s an airline captain and airline training instructor, aviation podcaster, and aviation career coach, with such a wide variety of experience in aviation. He certainly has his finger on the pulse of aviation at this current time.
Carl helped me sort through my ideas, put me in touch with some key people for me to talk with, and gave excellent recommendations for how I could move forward.
I’m super grateful for his wise counsel.
How about you?
Could you benefit from talking with Carl about your aviation dreams?
If yes, then sign up here: (Be aware, you may need to sign up weeks in advance since Carl’s schedule fills up quickly.)
In my opinion, Carl Valeri is one of the best aviation career coaches in the world… he really helped me last year when I paid for an hour of his coaching. It’s a super valuable resource, and I highly recommend him… it is money very well spent if you are trying to decide the best way to reach your aviation career goals.
If you want to get to know Carl before you sign up for coaching, the best way to do that is by listening to both of his podcasts:
212 – Is Your Airplane’s Battery Too Old?
Feb 03, 2023
How long should the battery last in a small, piston-powered airplane?
That’s a great question, and we are talking about it in this week’s podcast episode.
Tune in to hear the story behind this 24 volt battery in the photo, as well as the story of another battery, a 12 volt one in a Citabria owned by our good friends, Leon and Wynne Johenning. (Find out what prompted him to replace the battery.)
I had an opportunity to fly in an Aerostar the other day… it was going to be a fairly long trip to the destination, with one fuel stop along the way.
As we climbed out of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia toward the mountains to the West, we discovered the combustion heater for keeping the cabin warm was not working. After a brief conversation about what to do, we decided to keep going. Our two passengers seemed willing to tolerate the cold if they could still get to their destination. Thankfully, it was not as cold as it could have been for a January day.
We arrived at the destination on schedule and although we were at a small town airport, there was a small general aviation maintenance shop there, and one of the guys agreed to take a look at our heater.
As he removed the spark plug from the heater, the ignition lead came apart and a piece of it stayed down in the spark plug. Amazingly, he had the necessary part to fix the ignition lead, and the heater lit right up, no problem.
The trip home was wonderfully smooth and uneventful… and the heater worked!
Although we don’t hope to repeat that experience any time soon, we certainly made a memory that day.
I wish I had the freedom to tell you about the town we were at… it’s a cool name, and the AvGas price was great ($5.00 per gallon!)
Also in this episode, I talked about our recent trip to Greensboro NC for a service center update to our avionics system. Since the weather cleared up quicker than I expected, I managed to snag a few photos of the King Air the morning we dropped it off.
210 – Cessna 172 Engine Install / Good ATC Talk
Jan 20, 2023
Here are the highlights you’ll find in this podcast episode:
My latest assignment at Classic Aviation – Installing the freshly overhauled engine in a Cessna 172 that is almost complete after an extensive rebuild process.
Some emails I’ve received from listeners with fun feedback of multiple types.
Some listener thoughts about home simulator systems.
Some resources I’ve found helpful in sharpening up ATC communication skills.
Here are some of those fantastic resources:
Live ATC: Choose an ATC facility somewhere in the country, and listen in! LiveATC.net
Opposing Bases Podcast – 2 guys who are both air traffic controllers AND pilots, and they laugh a lot! This is a great resource to hear about real world situations between ATC and pilots, and how to deal with weird or out of the ordinary situations. OpposingBases.com
A big thank you to all the listeners who have sent information and thoughts about home simulators! This is a great way to practice instrument approaches without burning any gas
209 – Responses from Airline Pilots, and Finishing a Bonanza Annual
Jan 13, 2023
But first… My friend and podcast listener, Chris Wieczorek, flew into SHD recently and we ate burgers for lunch. It was a win-win. I provided the ground transportation, and he bought lunch!
The conversation was very inspiring to me, and Chris was kind enough to send more feedback later in an email, with some thoughts about the future of this podcast among other things.
Go ahead and listen to the audio for more of Chris’ thoughts.
Thank you Chris!
Oh, and he decided to go with the burger that is my wife’s favorite… the “Bacon ‘N Blue.” I stuck with my ‘ol favorite, the “Philly Cheeseburger.”
This episode also includes some concluding thoughts about this Bonanza:
Since I’m still working part time at Classic Aviation LLC, I’m able to continue with some selected maintenance like the annual inspection on this Bonanza.
I rolled it out of the shop the other day and did the post-annual engine runup. Here are some specific things I needed to check and why:
Check propeller for proper operation and no leaks (it was overhauled.)
Check prop heat for proper operation (new deice brushes and new heating elements on prop blades.)
Check alternator for proper operation (new alternator and drive coupling.)
Check analog RPM gauge (repaired broken ground wire connection.)
Check for no leaks at crankshaft seal (new seal was installed.)
Check the #2 EGT (a new probe was installed.)
Everything worked well, and the airplane is finished including the paperwork. Listen to the audio for more details.
In the second part of this episode, I shared the responses I received after sending out an email about the approach we flew into JFK recently. There were some really fun ones in there, including some airline pilots who have flown that very approach, the RNAV Z 13L approach into JFK. Thanks to everyone who sent feedback on that one!
Among the responses, Troy sent me a link for a great video to see what the “lead-in lights look like at night for that approach. Check it out:
The post “209 – Responses from Airline Pilots, and Finishing a Bonanza Annual” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
208 – Back in the Maintenance Shop and Off to JFK!
Jan 05, 2023
Happy new year friends!
In today’s podcast episode, you’ll hear about the following:
The airplane I’m currently working on.
My recent King Air trip to JFK, and the interesting approach we got that day.
A couple listener emails.
Thanks for listening… see you in the next episode!
207 – A Fantastic Conversation With My Son Seth!
Dec 17, 2022
Recently, Seth and I spent part of a weekend at a remote mountain cabin location, and we decided it would be a great time to record a conversation about the career changes both of us have made.
I love this conversation, and I hope you enjoy it as well.
I’m so proud of my son and the things he’s doing at 23 years old.
How about you?
Is it time for a change in your career or in your life?
Many of us eventually arrive at a place in life where we are longing for something different, especially in our careers.
If you’re feeling burned out, grumpy, and restless, perhaps it’s time for a career change… I encourage you to go for it, and see what new thing might be out there for you!
206 – Thanksgiving, Deer Hunting, and Discount Codes
Nov 24, 2022
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I’ve been deer hunting with my daughter McKenzie this week, and so far, she got a button buck, and I got a doe… she’s trying to get a good supply of venison in her freezer for the winter.
Last evening was one of the rare times we didn’t see any deer, but the sunset view sure was beautiful… check it out:
I’ve been thinking about how deer hunting is similar to small airplane maintenance… it takes practice, persistence, and patience to get really good at it.
Before McKenzie became interested in deer hunting, I had done very little of it. Her interest has pushed me to learn much more about the whole process, and now, I’m really enjoying the whole thing with her… this year has been really fun!
When it comes to working on your own airplane, like deer hunting, it’s a learning process. Good training and lots of practice are essential.
A few years ago, McKenzie had her grandpa (Pappaw) giving her instructions through FaceTime on how to field dress her deer… it was fantastic. Even though he wasn’t there physically, he could still help her with the process because of the wonder of technology.
I don’t know nearly as much as my father-in-law did about field dressing a deer, but I CAN help with showing you how to perform excellent safety wiring on your airplane, and I can also help with showing you how to service a landing gear shock strut with hydraulic fluid and nitrogen.
And that’s where my two video training courses come in… even though I can’t be there with you beside your airplane in person, I can be there with you in the step-by-step videos, where you can pause it any time you need to as you work through the process.
So, if you change the oil on your airplane, or you change a tire and need to re-safety wire the brake caliper, or anything else that requires safety wiring, I’d encourage you to check out my video training course, “Safety Wire Like A Pro!”
Also, if you have a landing gear strut that needs to be serviced with fluid or nitrogen or both, I have a training course for that as well… it’s called “Landing Gear Shock Strut Servicing.”
This course walks you through the process of safely servicing a shock strut. And even if you choose not to do the work yourself, but have your A&P do the work, it will help you understand the process and equip you to troubleshoot problems before you send your airplane to the shop.
205 – My First Landing at Hannah Field in a Cessna 150
Nov 02, 2022
A week and a half ago, I flew a Cessna 150 from KSHD to Hannah Field near Monterey, Virginia in Highland County. It was a Saturday morning coffee-and-donuts fly-in hosted by the owners of the private airstrip, along with our local EAA group. The Shenandoah Valley is full of all kinds of aviation enthusiasts! Thanks to Oren Heatwole and all the great people from our local EAA group, for such a great event! (The Cessna 150 is over to the side, out of view… by the time I left, there was quite a line-up of airplanes there.)
Other items in this podcast episode:
The deice valve I changed on an aerostar.
Capacity test on the King Air 350 main battery.
Lapping 2 exhaust valves on a Lancair engine.
Josiah’s Piper Arrow from Arizona! (He’s on an inspiring aviation journey, and is currently almost finished with training to become a flight attendant, with future plans to become an airline pilot as soon as possible after that.)
The post, “205 – My First Landing at Hannah Field in a Cessna 150” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
204 – FlyRight King Air 350 Simulator Training was Awesome!
Oct 15, 2022
In this podcast episode, I’m sharing my experience of going through the training course for a Type Rating in the King Air 350. FlyRight in Concord, North Carolina was definitely the best choice for this training!
FlyRight is a very professional training center with a family-type feel about it. They specialize in King Air, Caravan, and Dash 8 training. I was so impressed with the whole program, and especially the people. They are friendly, they have extensive experience, and they are absolutely committed to your success.
I’m now working for a local company, and Tuesday was my first trip with them in the King Air. I really love this airplane!
I’m returning to Classic Aviation on Monday for 2 maintenance projects as a part-timer there:
The first one is a capacity test on our King Air 350 battery… it’s time to verify it’s still in good reliable condition, as we certainly don’t want to get stuck far away from home with a weak battery.
The second one is changing the surface deice valve on an Aerostar. The valve has been intermittently not pulling the wing boots down flush after inflation. It’ll be a good time to get that taken care of as we are getting into the Winter flying season.
See you in the next episode!
The post “204 – FlyRight King Air 350 Simulator Training was Awesome!” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
Listen to the audio for this episode to hear what Dean’s been up to recently, and why there have not been many podcast episodes in recent weeks.
I’m transitioning out of the maintenance shop and into a flying job, and I’m very excited about the new season in front of me.
Feel free to leave me a voice message by clicking the tab at the right side of the page, or you can email me: dean{at}airplaneownermaintenance{dot}com
I want to say a huge “thank you” to everyone who has helped me in this journey… it’s a long list, and I’m super grateful for every one of you!
202 – Pax River Navy Test Pilot: Trace Bowen
Jun 15, 2022
Recently, I had the amazing opportunity to visit NAS Pax River, a United States naval air station located in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay.
My friend, Trace Bowen, picked me up in his Cessna 310, flew me to St. Marys Airport, and drove me over to the base for a tour.
Up until that day, I knew very little about Pax River, so it was interesting to learn about the operations there.
The Pax River ITF mission is to effectively plan, coordinate, and conduct safe, secure, and efficient flight test to provide necessary and timely data to support program verification/certification and fleet operational requirements.
Trace is an F-35 Navy test pilot. There are three different variants of the F-35 Lightning, and they fly the B and C variants at Pax River.
It takes some very special gear to fly an F-35, and we learned about that during my visit as well.
CF-2 Flight 456. RTB to and over Wallops Flight Facility. Lieutenant William Bowen was the pilot on 18 June 2016.
What an opportunity it was to visit Pax River! Thank you Trace, for an inspiring and educational day. I really appreciate it!
Have you ever seen one of these? It’s a SureFly Ignition Module, or “SIM” for short:
I recently had an opportunity to install one on an E33A Bonanza, so I thought I’d do a podcast episode about it. Hopefully you’ll find this information helpful if you’re considering a SureFly, and for me, I find it helpful to document the process.
For this installation, a “Tach 2” device was also required, to convert the rotation of the SureFly to a signal that’s usable with the previously installed Horizon Instruments P-1000 tach in the airplane. Here’s what the Tach 2 looks like:
The SureFly is powered through a fuse right off the hot side of the battery contactor:
I had to gain access to the back of the ignition switch for some of the required wiring… I removed the existing P-1000 digital tach wire from the “L” terminal of the ignition switch, and attached it to the “Tach 2” unit for the SureFly. I also attached the necessary wire between the “L” terminal of the ignition switch and the “L P-lead” terminal of the Tach2 unit.
This E33A Bonanza now has a SureFly in the left mag position!
200 – My Recent Flight Review and Other Adventures
Apr 09, 2022
You guys know I love out-of-the-ordinary things, and my recent flight review definitely qualifies as one of those!
First, my good friend and excellent flight instructor worked me over in the ground portion of the flight review. Here are some things we covered:
VFR sectional chart information and interpretation.
Briefing an IFR approach plate.
Working a weight and balance for a Bonanza.
Other useful information.
Then, we flew that amazing tail dragger above… we did steep turns, stalls, slips, landed on 2 grass runways, and returned back to KSHD.
It was such a great flight review and opportunity for continued learning.
Flight reviews are NOT a nuisance… they are a good opportunity to become an even safer and more proficient pilot. So, if YOUR flight review has become just a check mark in the requirement box, maybe it’s time to shake things up a bit for your next one, and find a new flight instructor or do something a little different. I think you’ll be glad you did!
Another recent highlight was an email I received from Craig, a podcast listener… I read his email in this episode, so be sure to listen to the audio. I’m calling Craig and his wife the “Airplane owners of the week!” Here they are:
These two have a really inspiring aviation story… listen to the audio to hear a portion of it. Craig likes to say his wife is the “Chief Pilot” and he’s the “Copilot and Director of Maintenance!”
Another surprise adventure was an opportunity to fly in my friend Bob’s B55 Baron last Saturday… totally unexpected, but it made my day! Thanks Bob!
And back in the shop on a different airplane, I recently cleaned a fuel strainer that looked like this inside:
It made me wonder when this one was last cleaned!
I also got to help the owner of a Zenith 750 who was stranded at our airport the other day with a bad oil leak… check it out:
I helped him install some serviceable oil cooler hoses and he was able to get home to Pennsylvania before the weather hit!
And here’s a puzzler to finish this episode:
I saw this device on an A-35 Bonanza out on the ramp, and I was trying to figure out what it is… if you know, please leave me a voice message over there on the side of the page, or send me and email to dean{at}airplaneownermaintenance{dot}com and let me know what it is. I have a guess, but I’m not totally sure.
199 – A Bulging Exhaust – Change it, or not?
Mar 12, 2022
I recently inspected a Piper Saratoga, and I found the following condition on the right exhaust collector:
Earlier this week, I sent this photo to my email subscribers and asked if they would change this piece of exhaust if it was on their airplane. I received a huge response about this, with a large range of thoughts and opinions. Thanks to everyone who responded, as it really helped me think through the issue in a much more comprehensive way and I think you’ll find it helpful as well.
I read all the email responses in this episode of the podcast, and listed some lessons for us to learn from this exhaust story.
Today, I removed that exhaust collector and all three of the risers. When I looked on the inside, it became clear to me why it was bulged and deformed. The inside was eroded and thin in the area of the bulging, and I was glad we decided to change it.
I was reminded that when a piece of exhaust shows something like this on the outside, there is likely something happening on the inside as well. Here’s a close-up of the inside:
That’s evidence of many hours of exhaust gases rushing down on this area and going out the muffler.
It was definitely time to change this one. After reading all the responses and thinking about this all week, I’m convinced it’s much better to err on the safe side with exhaust systems.
Dave Ovad provided a link to an accident report where a Beech Debonair crashed because of a muffler failure and subsequent engine fire caused by the exhaust gases. It’s a startling reminder of how important it is to give special attention to exhaust systems. Here’s the link:
Dave, along with at least one or two others, also pointed out that it’s very important to fly with a good quality CO detector, to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Thanks so much to all of you who contributed to this episode by sharing your thoughts with me!
For more information about exhaust systems and carbon monoxide dangers, check out episode 035:
198 – Be Careful About In-flight Troubleshooting!
Feb 25, 2022
Chris Saindon, a podcast listener and owner of a Cessna 172G, contacted me with a different, and important perspective that I had completely overlooked.
I recently told of a landing gear light in a Piper Seminole, and how the pilots had done some in-flight troubleshooting when the right gear down light did not illuminate. I’ve often thought in-flight troubleshooting was a great thing, but Chris reminded me that I need to also communicate the danger of in-flight troubleshooting and the potential for pilots to be distracted from flying the airplane. Before we get into the story Chris shared with me in a voice message, I wanted to share a photo of his Cessna 172G:
Nice airplane, Chris!
Now back to the dangers of in-flight troubleshooting…
Years ago, a large passenger jet descended ever-so-slowly and gradually on a dark, moonless night, down to a crash landing in the Everglades where 101 of the 176 passengers and crew were killed.
The cause? A burned out bulb in the nose gear down light, which caused the 3 active crew members to get distracted.
This accident was a huge catalyst for the beginning of CRM (crew resource management) training in the airlines and beyond. If an accident like this could happen to a 29,000 hour captain, it could happen to anyone.
The following video is startling, but totally worth watching… and all of us can learn some valuable lessons from it.
Chris Saindon is uniquely qualified to remind us of the importance of using great caution and wisdom whenever in-flight troubleshooting is required. His experience includes the following:
Retired US Navy Captain
Navy P-3 pilot
Director of aviation safety programs for Navy and Marine aviation
Airline pilot and airline instructor pilot
Owner and pilot of a 1966 Cessna 172G
…AND, Chris is logging time toward getting his A&P!
I’d say Chris qualifies as the “Airplane owner of the week!” Congratulations Chris!
Chris, thank you for making us aware that in-flight troubleshooting is something we should approach with careful consideration to make sure we avoid the dangerous distractions that can happen.
197 – When He Put the Gear Up the Right Alternator Quit
Feb 19, 2022
This was what happened recently in a Piper Seneca… and in this episode, we discuss why the alternator quit… it was something I totally was not expecting.
After verifying the field connections (power and ground) were good, and the brushes were nearly perfect, I removed the alternator.
And here is what I found… watch this video:
It was two things, really. First, the nut holding the drive coupling onto the alternator shaft was loose. And second, the drive gear was turning independently of the alternator shaft… not good! The drive coupling is like a clutch that is designed to slip at a preset high torque value in case the alternator seizes.
I had to look closely to really see what had happened… and I discovered the woodruff key that holds the drive coupling securely to the alternator shaft, had completely sheared off, and the remaining portion of the woodruff key was barely visible in the alternator shaft after I removed the drive coupling… check it out:
And, after the woodruff key sheared off, the drive coupling and gear kept turning while the alternator was not turning, and it wore the alternator shaft right down to the shiny surface you see here.
In case you’re not familiar with a woodruff key, here’s what they look like new, and you can buy them at Aircraft Spruce and other places:
The rounded part goes down into a slot in the alternator drive shaft, and the straight part sticks out of the shaft and engages with the drive coupling as you slide the drive coupling down onto the alternator shaft.
Continental has very specific instructions for installing the drive coupling onto the alternator, along with a specific torque value, and very specific instructions for installing the cotter pin.
In this case, we ordered an overhauled alternator (because the shaft was worn and the remaining woodruff key was stuck in the worn shaft,) an overhauled drive coupling (because the slot for the woodruff key was worn,) and a new special nut for the drive coupling (because the old one was worn due to spinning against the gear/drive coupling.)
So, why did this happen? I’m not sure, but I’m guessing the nut was not torqued properly way back when it was installed at engine overhaul about 400 hours ago.
And my next question is, “What about the left engine alternator?” And did the same person install that one? Perhaps we should remove and inspect that one as well.
Here’s another question I’ve been pondering that relates to the title of this episode: “Why did the alternator fail when he put the gear up?”
And here’s my guess: The drive coupling and woodruff key had been wearing over a long period of time, and was barely hanging on, and finally when it was very weak, at the moment the landing gear pump was activated, it caused a momentary surge of amperage draw, just enough to put an increased load on the alternator, and the small bit of remaining woodruff key sheared off completely and the drive gear was free-wheeling at that point, with the alternator shaft remaining still, making it impossible to produce any more electrical power output.
That’s my theory.
And you may wonder, how did the whole thing turn out?
While I would have liked to finish the repair, I was not able to be in the shop the next day, so another A&P installed everything, and the owner took off for a big trip to the South the next day.
If the alternator had to fail, it happened at the perfect time. It was just after a good long 1 hour plus flight to break in a freshly installed repaired cylinder on the left engine, but before the owner blasted off for a long trip in the airplane… amazing.
And that’s another story we covered in this episode… the left engine #3 cylinder had to be changed due to a burning exhaust valve. Check it out:
The compression in this cylinder was 11/80, and then we found the burning exhaust valve with the borescope. This photo was taken after removing the cylinder.
If this valve had been found earlier, perhaps it could have been saved by lapping and installing a new rotocoil, but since it was too far gone with a green edge due to severe burning and wear on the seating area, it had to be removed.
One more interesting thing about this whole scenario is the owner has had some concerning oil analysis reports from both engines recently, and he’s been trying to get to the bottom of it. Hopefully, after repairing the left engine cylinder #3, including a new exhaust valve and valve guide, and no longer having a woodruff key coming apart in the right engine, the oil analysis reports will be much better moving forward… we’ll see.
Here are a few other items we talked about in this episode:
The turbo Cessna 182 RG that’s ready to fly again after a big annual inspection and cam / lifter change in the engine.
A prebuy on a really nice Mooney M20C.
My good friend Dave Ovad and some fuel system work and landing gear work we did on his nice A36 Bonanza. And just to document this, here’s the P/N for the little thin special washers that go on either side of the middle rod end for the nose gear system, at the idler arm connection at the aft end of the nose gear well: 100951CR016YF If you have a Bonanza and you’re going to replace the 3 nose gear rod ends, go ahead and order a couple of these inexpensive washers, because sometimes, they are missing!
Another turbo-normalized Bonanza I’m currently doing an annual inspection on.
Well that’s all for this time… thanks for joining me!
The post “197 – When He Put the Gear Up the Right Alternator Quit” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
196 – Joe’s #5 Cylinder Mystery
Jan 23, 2022
This fuel injector line must have only been attached finger tight when the fuel injectors were reinstalled after cleaning. The engine ran fine at first, but all of a sudden during one engine run, the #5 EGT took a nose dive, and the #5 CHT immediately started dropping off as well.
The above photo was taken AFTER we discovered what the problem was. I’m guessing the nut was not tight, and it worked itself loose, causing the cylinder to immediately cease firing, since the fuel was no longer being sprayed into the injector nozzle.
Joe hired me to help troubleshoot the situation. We got on a Face Time call, and I asked him to show me the #5 induction pipe and coupling area, and all of a sudden, he noticed the #5 fuel injector line was not attached…
I was sure this was the culprit, and we were both thrilled to have solved the mystery. In our minds, it would be a simple fix, and Joe would be back in the air again.
Not so fast… since the cowling was off, Joe decided to inspect all the cylinders with his borescope. And that’s when he noticed a bigger problem. Joe noticed the exhaust valve in cylinder #2 did not look good, and he sent me some photos.
That is a really bad looking exhaust valve, with three green edges… one at 1 o’clock, one at 4 o’clock and one at 9 o’clock. The edge at 1 o’clock even looks like it has a scalloped edge, a sure sign it is severely worn.
This valve is too far gone, and is not a candidate for lapping in place. The cylinder needs to come off.
Wow, maybe the issue Joe had with the #5 cylinder was a blessing in disguise, since it prompted him to borescope all his cylinders, and that’s when he found the burning exhaust valve in cylinder #2.
Well done Joe! I’m glad you found these issues before they became an inflight emergency.
A borescope is a necessary tool in maintaining piston engine cylinders, and they are surprisingly affordable these days. I recommend the Vividia VA-400 from Oasis Scientific. It’s the one I use. If you’re considering a borescope you may be asking, “Which borescope should I buy?” This is a great question, and I did a podcast episode about it a good while back. It’s episode 115, and you can find it here: “115 – Which Borescope Should I Buy?”
If you decide to buy a Vividia VA-400 (or another model by Oasis Scientific,) you can check it out here:
And remember to use the code “Dean” for a 10 % discount. (This code only works when purchasing from Oasis Scientific, and I appreciate you doing this, because it helps me out as well.)
Ways you can work with me:
Hire me to review your borescope photos.
Hire me to do maintenance records research.
Hire me for one-on-one consulting.
The details and pricing for these services are on the store page of my website:
195 – Is it Time to Tear That Engine Apart?
Dec 31, 2021
When an airplane engine is making a small amount of ferrous metal, but the evidence is not totally conclusive, the decision to tear it apart, or not, can be gut-wrenching.
Such was the case for the O-540 engine in a turbo Cessna 182RG I’ve been working on at Classic Aviation LLC.
But after the owners decided to have it torn apart, and I got to see the evidence, I’m convinced they made the right decision.
Take a look at the two worst lifters:
And the corresponding cam lobe for those two lifters:
Here’s a side view of the worn cam lobe:
Now compare to one of the other cam lobes that was NOT worn down:
After seeing the condition of the camshaft and the lifters, I was very pleased with the decision of the airplane’s owners to have the engine torn down and repaired.
This engine was mid-time, and all the cylinders were running fine with good compressions, so it made sense to do this repair as opposed to a full overhaul.
In this episode, we also discussed some squawks from a Cirrus SR22T. I’ve got some photos and even a video for some of these.
Alternator #1 needed to be removed due to brush wear, and the oil seal was leaking… check out the brushes that came out in pieces:
We also had to send the engine driven fuel pump for overhaul… watch a startling video of a BAD fuel leak:
We sent the fuel pump to Mike’s Aircraft Fuel Metering in Tulsa, Oklahoma for overhaul… they do excellent work on fuel system components.
Happy New Year everyone! May God bless you in 2022!
194 – All About Airplane Prebuys with Adam Sipe
Dec 10, 2021
This episode is a good one!
If you’re thinking about buying an airplane, stop right now and listen to this episode, because Adam Sipe can absolutely save you lots of time, money and needless frustration in the process of buying an airplane.
He shared so much valuable wisdom in this episode, and I can’t wait to listen to the whole thing again myself.
… and don’t be fooled by the fact that Adam is only 33 years old… if you listen to the whole episode, you’ll discover his secret (and it’s a secret that applies to all areas of life,) for how he acquired a lifetime of aviation wisdom in such a short time and at such a young age.
Before we go any further, let me tell you a little bit about Adam.
Adam Sipe is the President of Airplane Intel, Inc., a company that helps people buy, maintain, and manage airplanes. He’s an aircraft mechanic with inspection authorization (A&P-IA), commercial pilot, flight instructor, and Embry Riddle graduate. Adam is also a Marine Corps veteran and host of the Airplane Intel Podcast.
Click the following link to read even more about Adam’s aviation journey:
Here are some examples of the “Prebuy Gold” or “Prebuy Wisdom” Adam shared with us in this podcast episode:
“I call a prebuy more of an investigation than an inspection because you’re trying to uncover things that would be outside the normal thinking of an annual or some other scheduled inspection.”
“Missing records can affect the value of the airplane as much as 30%!”
“Sometimes it’s not what the logbooks say, it’s what they don’t say that’s important.”
“Maintenance affects value.”
“In a prebuy scenario, we don’t need to know all the squawks; we need to know the ones that are most important and the most pressing and the most urgent… and the ones that affect value.”
“You’re not replacing a scheduled inspection with the prebuy, and the prebuy is not going to uncover every defect, because it’s just not possible.”
“This is kind of general to the market… the asking prices are extraordinarily too high… in other words, they’re asking far more for the airplane than what it’s worth, and that’s a huge mistake that people go in and offer full price on these airplanes.”
“There’s two points in a transaction on an airplane where you can negotiate (and I encourage folks to negotiate.) One is when you’re making your initial offer. The second time is after the prebuy.”
“Asking prices are too high, and people are over-paying.”
“If there’s a lien on the airplane, that could stop the transaction from happening, and on that note, I recommend people go through an escrow service… a title company that specializes in aircraft transactions, because the reason why that lien didn’t get caught previously is because they didn’t go through escrow.”
“I’ve seen an airplane that was worth maybe $150,000 have a lien on it for $400,000 because someone used it as collateral for something else.”
“I’ve definitely come across missing AD’s and/or overdue AD’s.”
“I highly recommend taking a test flight in the airplane… now, this is where it’s very critical that you’re clearly not the pilot in command; you’re an observer or passenger in the right seat; you let the owner fly the airplane; or someone that’s on the owner’s insurance.”
“The flight test is in my opinion the most important part of the prebuy because that’s where you’re going to learn the most.”
“Hail damage is repairable, but it’s not worth repairing most of the time because it’s just too expensive.”
Wow! Just this list right here has the potential to save you thousands of dollars in your airplane buying process if you put the principles into action.
I highly recommend hiring Adam and his team at Airplane Intel for your next airplane purchase. I’m confident you’ll be glad you did!
Thanks Adam, for joining us for this episode! And thank you for your service in the United States Marine Corps. We appreciate you!
Adam shown next to his F/A-18C Hornet in Beaufort, SC
To learn more about Adam and Airplane Intel, be sure to check out these links:
If you want to read some fun stuff about Adam personally, he was featured earlier this year in the Ocala Magazine, in the series of articles “40 Under 40.” Well done Adam!
And congratulations to Adam and his wife Sarah with the imminent arrival of their first baby, a daughter! Congratulations Adam and Sarah!
193 – How Did this Starter housing Break?
Dec 04, 2021
That’s a good question, and although I don’t have the full story, we will toss around some possibilities in this episode. Thanks to all of you who responded with some really good guesses about the cause.
I received responses from 33 people after I sent out that email recently! The prevailing guess about the cause had to do with improper magneto timing which then caused the engine to kick back in the reverse direction and break the starter housing. That was my guess as well.
Be sure to listen to the audio to hear about all the responses and ideas.
In a future episode real soon, I’ll be releasing an interview with Adam Sipe from the Airplane Intel Podcast and AirplanePrebuy.com
Adam has a wealth of money-saving, stress-reducing wisdom and knowledge about buying an airplane and conducting prebuy investigations. Be sure to look for this episode real soon.
192 – We Always Knew He Had A Screw Loose!
Nov 20, 2021
My good friend, Clark Trobaugh, flew into KSHD this past week, and while he was visiting with his family, I walked over to his airplane on the ramp and noted a few things that needed attention…
Here’s the one that prompted Clark’s brother Scott to send me a text that said, “Thanks for looking out for him. We always knew he had a screw loose and I’m glad you could fix it.” That made me laugh, for sure! These brothers have a lot of fun together.
It turned out the screw was the wrong one… it was a sheet metal screw and should have been a machine screw. Check it out:
And here’s the result after installing the correct screw:
I also discovered a panel chafing under the left horizontal stabilizer:
I removed the panel, cleaned the area, and reinstalled it:
Another item that needed attention was a shielding ground connection on the left alternator… check out this video:
And one more item I took care of for Clark was the left and right elevator trim tab connections… take a look at this:
Since there is a bushing in this location, the bolt should be tightened onto the bushing and the rotation happens around the bushing. I greased the bushing, reinstalled the bolt and nut, and installed a new cotter pin, for both trim tabs.
Here’s how the pieces look when taken apart:
And here’s the end result after reassembly:
Listen to the audio for this episode for more details on these items, as well as a tribute to Clark and Scott’s dad, Larry Trobaugh, who passed away in May of 2020. Larry was a great man, and I think so highly of him and his family.
In this episode, we are talking about two different exhaust valves, both of which showed signs of burning when we looked at them with the borescope.
One valve was in the beginning stages of burning, and the other was too far gone. Scroll down for more info and some photos.
We also talk a bit in this episode about Arthur St. Clair and his P35 Bonanza. I mentioned him in a previous episode, and recently he came back to Classic Aviation so we could borescope his cylinders and exhaust valves. Thankfully, all his valves were in good shape. Here’s a photo from that day:
Now for the two exhaust valves mentioned in the title for this episode…
Here’s a photo of the one that was too far gone, and the cylinder had to be removed and sent out for repair:
Notice the green edge from 11 o’clock to 2 o’clock on the valve… a badly burning area. The valve guide was also very worn, so we sent the cylinder out for repair.
I also cut the old rotocoil apart for this valve and it had a lot of black carbon bits in it, and the internal spring showed the classic flat spot that is many times seen when an exhaust valve has been burning. Here’s the rotocoil:
The other burning exhaust valve on this same engine was only in the beginning stages, and after lapping the valve and installing a new rotocoil and new valve springs, the compression was 72/80 after runup! What a fantastic result! Here’s what that one looked like:
The small area at 12 O’clock on the valve is starting to burn, but it was salvageable by lapping and installing a new rotocoil to ensure proper valve rotation and better sealing capability.
So the moral of the story is, borescope your exhaust valves at regular intervals, like 50 hours, and hopefully you can catch a burning valve before it’s too far gone and has to be removed.
190 – The Cessna 172 is Flying Again!
Oct 21, 2021
It’s been a long and in-depth annual inspection, along with the extensive list of squawk repairs. But it’s a great airplane, and I’d love to fly it if I had the opportunity!
In today’s podcast, we cover the remaining squawks on this airplane, concluding with scale weighing the aircraft, and sending it back out into the blue skies yesterday!
I’m confident the owner will get many happy and safe hours of flying out of this amazing airplane.
Be sure to check out the store page to learn more about the services I provide. If I can help you in any way, leave me a voice message by clicking the tab over on the right side of the page or send me an email to dean{at}airplaneownermaintenance{dot}com
In episode 188, we covered the first 30 squawks on a Cessna 172 that’s in the shop for an annual inspection and a bunch of repairs.
In this episode, we are tackling another chunk of the squawks and repairs.
Here’s a sampling:
Under the pilot instrument panel, some wiring was tied to one of the fuel primer lines… a bad idea. I secured the wiring away from the primer line.
Here’s another one: the owner did not like the old, large throttle knob, and was ready to change the whole throttle control cable. Instead, I found a new knob that worked very well, and looks much nicer. (The knob in my hand is the old one.)
And another one: the instrument panel shock mounts were sagging, cracked, and broken:
In the next episode, I’m planning to finish the Cessna 172 squawks, and by then, the airplane should be back in the air!
As always, if I can help you with evaluating borescope images, reviewing maintenance records, or one-on-one consulting, you can check out the options on the STORE PAGE here on the website.
Have a great week!
188 – Cessna 172 Squawks and Repairs
Oct 08, 2021
It certainly looked like a crusty old engine when we removed the cowling for the annual inspection.
The exterior is one thing… but perhaps even more importantly, I wondered about the internal condition of the engine.
Surprisingly, the borescope showed the cylinders to be in amazingly good condition on the inside. Perhaps this was partially due to lots of consistent flying in the past couple years.
Since the airplane had been in Florida before it was sold, there were multiple areas of corrosion to clean and repaint. Just the other day, it was “spotty green,” as we had primed the bare spots in preparation for paint.
In this week’s podcast episode, we cover the first 30 squawks… we’ll continue through the list in another episode.
187 – Wonders and Woes of a Cirrus SR22
Sep 18, 2021
In today’s podcast episode, I talked about this specific SR22, and some maintenance I was involved in… scroll down for some related photos.
But first, I just wanted to say the SR22 is a great airplane! Here are some of the “wonders” of an SR22, as I see it:
It’s a beautiful aircraft!
It feels so natural, sitting in the pilot seat.
It has a parachute.
It’s composite-built.
It’s been around long enough to become “time-tested” and to have many of the bugs worked out.
The paint jobs are usually amazing.
It goes fast, but has fixed landing gear.
On the other hand, the SR22 also has some “woes.”
The nose gear and fairing have had issues.
Sometimes the nose gear fairing breaks apart due to shimmy (probably often due to poor maintenance and low swivel friction.)
Differential braking is required for steering, and sometimes the brakes overheat.
When the brakes overheat, you have to replace the o-rings in the brake caliper (and they are special, high-dollar o-rings.)
An airworthiness limitation requires replacing or repacking the parachute every 10 or 11 years, depending on the model, and this is costly.
And then there’s the maintenance… the SR22 definitely takes some maintenance to keep it in good condition.
And now here are some tasks I helped with on the SR22 at the top of this post:
Repositioning a loose induction coupling which caused full power RPM fluctuation (and probably a few other related things):
Magneto timing, and how I almost dropped one of the rubber drive bushings down inside the engine! It was barely hanging on the edge of a gear inside the engine!
Fixing a piece of baffling (fwd of cylinder #6) that came loose when its 2 attaching rivets failed:
Repositioning an ALT 2 wire so it would not chafe on the prop governor:
Resealing the right brake caliper and installing new temp stickers:
Tightening an oil plug and installing safety wire:
It was an adventure, and I look forward to the next time I get to work on an SR22… I really like those airplanes!
As promised, here’s the video that explains the electrical system in an SR22… I found it to be excellent training:
As usual, if I can serve you with any of your “airplane owner needs” I’d be happy to do so… you can check out my services on the “store” page for details about:
186 – Diamond DA40 Squawks & a new Bonanza Friend!
Aug 28, 2021
From left: Arthur, Dave, Mervin, Dean (I got to work with these guys last Monday at Classic Aviation., when Dave had me lap the exhaust valves in cylinders 3 and 5.)
Scroll down for more info about this valve lapping adventure.
Diamond DA40 annual inspection – here are some squawks we discuss in this episode:
Electroair ignition leads.
Nose gear issues, including a missing elastomer element:
This is the elastomer pack for the nose gear. The small elastomer element in the yellow circle is the one that we replaced since the old one had split and fallen out of position. The hydraulic press was very helpful in compressing the stack to get the nut started. The end in the yellow circle goes on the bottom end when installed on the airplane, and the rod end bearing at the bottom of the photo is actually the top of the stack, and attaches to the engine mount at the firewall.
AmSafe seatbelts
RG24-15M aircraft battery
Alternator 500 hour brush inspection
Alternator aux. wire terminal loose
Aft door warning light inop.
Prop governor nuts under-torqued
Bolt dangling from the induction airbox
Oil leak caused by the engine driven fuel pump:
Engine baffling issues
Loose brake caliper bolts
Aluminum dust on prop spinner bulkheads:
Aft avionics fan inlet filter badly deteriorated and filthy:
Rudder cable tension low
Wiring and baffle rod under right side of engine
Now back to the valve lapping project with the Bonanza – here are the exhaust valves from cylinder 3 and cylinder 5… #3 compression improved from 60/80 to 62/80, and #5 compression improved from 55/80 to 69/80. The real test will be when we see the results after another 25, 50, and 100 hours of operation.
The #3 exhaust valve definitely has some irregularities; hopefully it will return to a normal appearance in several hours of operation after lapping and installing a new rotocoil.The #5 exhaust valve looks quite healthy overall, with a very small questionable area at about the 1 o’clock position. We also lapped this one and installed a new rotocoil as a proactive measure.
By the way, these photos were taken with my new Vividia VA-400 borescope… I was very impressed with the photo resolution compared with my older borescope from a couple years ago.
There are various options, and if you want to display the images on your iPhone or iPad, I recommend the VA-400 WiFi Bundle #1: VA-400 and W01 wifi box (Model: VA-400W1)
When you purchase from Oasis Scientific and use the code “Dean” you will receive a 10% discount, and you’ll be supporting the podcast at the same time.
It was a great experience meeting Dave Ovad and working on his F33A Bonanza along with Mervin and Arthur.
It was also a pleasure to see Arthur’s P35 Bonanza that day:
Arthur has a really nice panel in his airplane as well… check it out:
185 – Standby Alternator System and Other Fun Stuff
Aug 20, 2021
I’ve just completed the installation for a B&C Specialties standby alternator system on an E33A Bonanza. It’s a fantastic system, and I talked about it in today’s podcast episode. Be sure to listen for a caution about the right magneto when installing a new oil seal in the drive adapter for the standby alternator.
Here are some other items mentioned in this episode:
Jim Lanning (92 years old!) and David McCain, stopped at KSHD yesterday in a beautiful Great Lakes aircraft. Jim is in the front seat. Check it out:
A weird oil leak on a Diamond DA-40 I’m hoping we can fix and tell the rest of the story in a future episode.
Now back to the Bonanza with the standby alternator system. We also installed new nose gear rod ends and some other parts on the airplane as well. The old rod ends are hollow and have a grease fitting on the side, which has been seen as a factor in these old rod ends breaking and causing prop strikes and other damage. Check out the difference between the old hollow type rod ends and the new solid type:
The standby alternator system turned out very well… I installed the switch and the 2 circuit breakers in the pilot’s instrument panel:
There was an ideal location for the indicator light just to the left of the already existing warning light for the main alternator system:
The final product is going to work very well:
Be sure to check out all the resources on the “Store” page at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
Don’t forget to click the “Store” tab above and check out the resources there. If you have any questions, click the button that says “Send Voicemail” and leave me a message.
That’s all for this post, and I’ll be back here after Oshkosh!
182 – Plane Lands in Farm Field After Engine Failure
Jul 10, 2021
Note: I’m offering a 30% discount on the new shock strut servicing video course from now until Monday night, July 12 at midnight Eastern Daylight time.
Use the code “STRUT” for a 30% discount and pay only $67 instead of the normal price of $97.
It appears they kept flying the airplane with an oil pressure problem, and the engine finally failed catastrophically.
I took a trip with my fellow A&P, Kenneth, and we ended up removing the wings and sending the airplane home to Virginia on a trailer. Check it out:
Before we removed the wings, we drained a little more than 1 quart of oil from the sump (it’s an 8 quart engine,) and we removed the oil suction screen, which had A LOT of metal in it. Kenneth also noted that the #1 piston was not moving in the cylinder when we rotated the prop… oh, and the first time we rotated the prop, we could hear metal pieces falling down through the engine… not a good thing!
There was no obvious external damage visible on the engine… the internal damage was a whole different story! (The only strange thing was the oil dipstick was missing.)
The whole ordeal has been challenging to figure out, but the engine data from the JPI-830 engine monitor has been helpful.
After observing the engine data on a computer screen, it’s obvious there was a big problem with low oil pressure when the aircraft departed on the flight that would end in a farm field.
It’s been a crazy busy week after returning home, and yesterday, I finally had time to remove cylinder #1 from the engine, but it would not come off! How frustrating!
We think the steel cylinder barrel was peened and deformed inside the crankcase, which won’t let it come out.
So this morning, I removed the oil sump, and it was full of all kinds of interesting stuff… the exhaust lifter, which was in amazingly good condition… pieces of the connecting rod that came off the crankshaft journal… and other pieces of debris.
That tube at the end of the lifter is the oil suction tube that goes up to the oil suction screen and from there to the oil filter.
So there’s the story… so far.
Also mentioned in this episode:
Troy Schlote sent me an encouraging email and let me know he’s trying to get the word out about the new location of AeroSport, LLC in Florida.
If any of you need light sport maintenance, Rotax maintenance, or GA maintenance in the Deland, Florida area, be sure to stop in and meet Troy.
Troy Schlote Director of Maintenance A&P / IA AeroSport, LLC www.fly-aerosport.com T: (888) 444-1970 DeLand Municipal Airport (KDED) 921 Biscayne Blvd, Hangar E14 DeLand, FL 32724
Special bonus until Monday, July 5th at 12 midnight Eastern Daylight Time:
If you purchase the “Landing Gear Shock Strut Servicing” video course by that time, you’ll be included in two Q&A calls later in August, where you can ask me anything about shock struts or any related topics. I’d love to see you in those calls!
As promised, here’s a photo of the mix-matched brake parts I discovered this past week on a Piper Saratoga:
The metallic linings on the left are the correct ones; the organic linings on the right are the wrong parts! They were just sort of “riding free” on the pins of the backplate… it’s a good thing they didn’t fall out!
I think all my fellow A&P’s and IA’s out there will get a big kick out of this one… we see some crazy things in airplane maintenance!
One of my favorite memories from the 2019 show was on Saturday evening when Julie Clark gave her final Oshkosh performance in her T34 Mentor, as she was planning to retire.
The performance was absolutely incredible… so peaceful and smooth… the weather was perfect, and I also remember one of the songs that was playing during her performance… “God Bless America.”
In researching for this episode, I found a video of portions of Julie’s performance, as well as a phenomenal recording (not from Oshkosh) of the song, God Bless America. Perhaps you’ll enjoy these… I sure did!
Many of you have registered for the shock strut webinar coming up on Friday, July 2, 2021 at 8pm Eastern time. If not, you can learn more by clicking the button:
So far we have 72 people registered, so there’s space for 28 more.
I’ve got helpful photos and tips to share, but I also want to reserve plenty of time for questions as well.
If you know of someone who might want to learn about landing gear shock struts and keeping them serviced properly, I’d be grateful if you’d share this link with them:
Listen to the podcast episode to hear how Jeff bailed me out on this one! (The gasket between the halves of the turbo broke as I was trying to rotate the halves to reseal an oil fitting.)
We also talked in this episode about two upcoming opportunities:
I’ll be presenting a Zoom webinar on Friday, July 2. The topic is “Best tips for servicing an airplane shock strut.” You can sign up and register here: AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com/shockstruts (There are only 100 spots for this presentation.)
Also on that same day, July 2, we will be launching the Shock Strut Servicing Video Training Course. There will be information during and after the webinar for how to take advantage of the video training.
We’ll talk about these photos in this week’s podcast episode, and how they explain the problem Aram was having with his propeller. (Photos courtesy of Dave Pasquale of Pasquale Aviation LLC.) Dave is removing the prop to be sent out for repair, and will reinstall it when the repair is finished.
But first, I want to introduce a podcast listener in Germany.
Dmitry is the owner of a 1965 Bolkow 208C Junior. He sent me an email last week along with some photos. He’s the kind of airplane owner we love around here at Airplane Owner Maintenance! He’s very involved in the maintenance of his airplane. Thanks Dmitri, for sharing a bit of your story with us!
Now back to Aram’s Beech 278 prop on his P35 Bonanza… here’s the bottom line answer to the mystery:
Due to a leaking o-ring seal around the piston inside the prop hub, oil was pushed into the forward end of the prop hub which caused a hydraulic lock and prevented the prop blades from rotating. This condition would not allow the governing system to function.
Dave Pasquale got a great video of turning the prop blades after removing the snap ring, which pushed the plug forward and let the unwanted oil out of the air cavity in the prop hub.
The bright side of all this is that Aram’s engine does not need to be disassembled, (which would have been the case if there was a problem with the engine transfer collar near the prop governor.)
The propeller will go to H&H Propeller Service in Burlington, North Carolina for an IRAN (Inspect and Repair As Necessary,) and then be reinstalled on the airplane.
Thanks to all of you who contacted me about this issue with email and voice messages. I appreciate all the ideas and feedback!
He departed KSHD yesterday in his super-nice P35 Bonanza, headed for his home airport in Pennsylvania. The ground runup was normal, and things were looking good as he approached his cruising altitude of 7000 feet.
But as he leveled off, Aram discovered he could not control his propeller / engine RPM… it was overspeeding regardless of the position of the prop control. There was only one choice… reduce manifold pressure to a point low enough to keep the prop below red line RPM.
So that’s what he did… the trip home was much slower than normal, but the bright side was that he burned a lot less gas
Since I had just completed Aram’s annual inspection at Classic Aviation LLC, and since Aram is my good friend, I was especially interested in him having a safe flight home, so I was watching his progress on FlightAware. When I noticed he was diverting to Pottstown, PA instead of his home airport, I wondered what was up.
Pottstown is where Dave Pasquale runs an excellent maintenance shop, and Dave is one of Aram’s most trusted A&P/IA’s. I could only assume there must have been some mechanical issue for Aram to divert there, instead of his home airport.
Sure enough, after Aram landed, I received a text… “We have a problem. Prop not governing at cruise.” He had to reduce manifold pressure to 16″ to keep it below red line.
The weird thing was that after landing at Pottstown, Dave got in the airplane and did a ground run with Aram, and everything was normal… but apparently when the airplane is flying, the prop is out of control. We were perplexed.
Bummer! I was so hopeful the new PCU5000 prop governor Aram had us install, was going to solve the developing issue he was having just prior to the annual inspection. The governor manufacturer had even made a special adjustment for the correct pressure necessary for the Beech 278 propeller. Unfortunately, there was something else going on. (By the way, I’m very impressed with the PCU5000 prop governor… scroll to the bottom to see a photo after installation on Aram’s IO-470 engine.)
Now it was time for some research, phone calls, and troubleshooting.
Aram and Dave Pasquale got work on that, and I tried to do my part as well.
There’s a prop shop in California that is known for working on these Beech 278 props, but California is a LONG way from Virginia! Surely it would cost a small fortune to ship a prop across the country and back.
Another option was H&H Propeller Services in Burlington, North Carolina… Yoo Crisp is one of the guys in that shop, and he is also familiar with the Beech 278 props. He was super helpful. I spoke with Yoo, and discovered one option was to perform an IRAN (Inspect and Repair As Necessary) on Aram’s propeller. But before doing that, Yoo suggested I talk with Richard Diamond in the engine shop there at Burlington (Triad Aviation.)
Richard was also super-helpful. He helped me understand a test that can be done to check the transfer collar at the front of the engine. Sometimes, there is oil leakage at the transfer collar which can cause issues with the prop governing system. For all you engine geeks out there, here’s how this test works:
Run the engine and get it hot, as you would for a cylinder compression test.
Remove the prop governor as quickly as possible.
Install a special test pad in that location.
Perform a leak down test on the transfer collar.
If it fails this test, the crankcase must be split open to fix it.
If it passes this test, there is likely something else causing the problem.
A second possibility Richard discussed with me was the plug inside the crankshaft. He knew of another situation where the plug near the forward end of the crankshaft got loose and caused similar problems with prop governing function.
This was also good information.
At that point we had some options to consider, and for Aram’s P35 Bonanza, it seemed that Richard thought the following would be a reasonable order to check things:
Test the engine transfer collar with the special test pad.
If the transfer collar test passes, remove the prop and check to see if the plug inside the crankshaft may be loose.
If the plug is tight, remove the prop and send it for IRAN.
So that’s where we are today in this real life scenario.
If you have any other thoughts that might be helpful, by all means send me an email or leave a voice message here on the website… any helpful advice would be appreciated. Email: dean{at}airplaneownermaintenance{dot}com
I’ll give an update in the podcast after we get this whole thing solved… until then, it’ll have to remain a mystery!
Now, as promised, here’s a photo of that amazing new prop governor:
176 – Lessons From the Best Kind of Airplane Owner
May 21, 2021
A nice airplane deserves a high-quality owner, and that’s exactly what this amazing P35 Bonanza has. Aram takes meticulously good care of it.
In today’s episode, you’ll hear why I think Aram is the best kind of airplane owner, and some lessons you might want to consider for maintaining your airplane as well.
lf you haven’t listened to episode 147, be sure to check that one out to hear an interview with Aram.
Also, the list of “My Aviation Pet Peeves” came from episode 023, in case you’d like to check that one out as well.
Other podcast listeners mentioned in this episode:
Andy Klauser: His voice message is in today’s podcast.
Janette Wohn: She drives farm equipment while dreaming about flying and airplane maintenance. Check out a couple photos from the farm:
Janette has an eagle eye for spotting airplanes as they fly by.
Let’s wish her well as she makes plans to go off to A&P school this fall!
Drew Wright: He flies a Cessna 182 and recently took his family on a big trip across the country. Drew saved a cylinder awhile back by lapping the exhaust valve and installing a new rotator. (The interview with him is in episode 131.) The compression improved dramatically and his engine is running great! Drew also sent me a very interesting article from many years ago about the improvements in the 1957 Cessna 182! Apparently, that’s when they introduced the “rotator” for the exhaust valve. Very interesting indeed!
Spence Watson: He is having great success with the exhaust valve we lapped a few weeks ago… it was the one with the broken spring inside the rotocoil. His story was in episode 174. I was shocked how much the appearance of the exhaust valve improved in just 5 hours of operation since lapping and installing the new rotocoil. Listen to this episode to find out about Spence’s experience at a recent ABS service clinic.
Chris’ intake valve… I’m still waiting for the rest of this story, and hopefully we can share more in a future episode.
Remember, if you need help making sense of the photos you take of your exhaust valves and cylinders, I offer a service to help with that. Here are the rates:
$50 – 4 cylinder engine.
$70 – 6 cylinder engine.
$100 – twin engine.
Just send me an email if you’re interested and we can set it up dean@airplaneownermaintenance.com
And more importantly, could you service the strut safely?
If you’ve ever had a low strut, you know it can be very frustrating.
Sometimes it can be challenging to sort through all the maintenance manual information, your POH information, your local A&P’s instructions, and your fellow aviators’ opinions, about shock struts and how they should be maintained.
What if there was a simple and clear way to learn about shock strut servicing?
Very soon, there will be a way!
The video training course for “Servicing Landing Gear Shock Struts” will be available in the near future.
Be watching for more details.
Also in this episode, we talk about “FEVA” or “Failiing Exhaust Valve Analytics,” a concept being developed by Mike Busch and his team at Savvy Aviation. If you’d like to learn more, here’s a very interesting article.
This discussion was prompted by an email I received that said, “Dean, what do you think of Mike Busch and his Savvy Aviator columns?” I answered that question in today’s podcast episode.
I received an email recently from Spence, the owner of an S35 Bonanza with a Turbo-Normalized IO-520 engine. He included a picture of his #2 cylinder exhaust valve. Here’s what it looked like:
At first glance, my reaction was something like, “Oooh, that’s ugly!”
The most concerning area is the spot at the 10 o’clock position. There’s also a little concerning area at the 2:30 position as well, but not as much as the 10 o’clock position. The normal deposits seen on the top and bottom edges of the valve have been burned away over at the 10 o’clock position. The small red spot is concerning, but not as concerning as if it was green. As it says in the excellent exhaust valve poster “Anatomy of a Valve Failure,” produced by AOPA, “Green means stop!” This is because the color green has been seen on valve edges that are imminently in danger of a piece breaking off.
For sure, Spence’s borescope photo is a classic visual presentation of a burning exhaust valve. Perhaps you’re wondering, “What does “burning” mean?” And that’s a great question. It means there’s an area that is not sealing well between the edge of the valve and the valve seat when the valve is closed. This condition allows very hot exhaust gases to rush through a small gap between the valve and seat at just the wrong time when those gases are the hottest, and over time if left uncorrected, the edge of the valve can suffer extreme heat damage and finally be in danger of a piece of the valve breaking off.
Not something you want to risk while you’re flying along in your Turbo-Normalized Bonanza! (Or any airplane for that matter.) But an airplane with a turbocharger is especially vulnerable because even a small piece of an exhaust valve would be enough to completely trash the turbocharger.
The next question might be, “How would you know if an exhaust valve was burning?” This is also a great question. You might see a drop in compression, but the best way by far to find a burning exhaust valve is with a borescope. With some training in what to look for, a burning exhaust valve is very noticeable, as in the photo above.
Spence did a great thing when he found this burning valve. Finding it was one thing, but deciding what to do about it was the next big question. In his email, Spence asked, “Do you believe this is a candidate for lapping in place and is it something you would be able to do for me?”
Spence was very interested in a less-invasive way to remedy his burning exhaust valve, especially since he has had other cylinders fail this way over the years, and this particular cylinder had only 368 hours on it (he actually paid a reputable engine shop to take the new Superior cylinder, check the exhaust valve tolerances, and perform a 3-angle cut before installing the cylinder.) He was understandably weary of changing cylinders.
I agreed to give the lapping procedure a try, with a couple conditions. One, we would not want the exhaust valve guide to be significantly worn. And two, the edge of the valve and valve seat must be in reasonably good condition.
On the agreed upon morning, Spence showed up at Classic Aviation at KSHD, and we got to work. We got things opened up and before removing the valve springs, we did a cold compression check and could not get more than 30/80 psi, with significant leakage past the exhaust valve. A healthy cylinder should be a lot more than 30/80, even with a cold compression check.
We got some borescope photos of the valve edge and seat, and aside from the normal spotty appearance, things looked quite good.
After removing the valve springs, our second condition was also met, in that the valve guide did not have a substantial amount of wear. I checked this by wiggling the valve stem up and down and side to side, in various positions.
Now it was time to perform the lapping procedure. “Lapping an exhaust valve” involves removing the rocker cover, exhaust rocker arm, and valve springs. This allows you to carefully push the valve into the cylinder far enough to see the edge down through the top spark plug hole. In this position, you can carefully apply valve grinding compound on the seating area of the valve, rotating the valve as needed to lightly coat the full 360 degrees of seating area. At this point, pull the valve back against the seat and rotate it back and forth using whatever method you decide, in order to restore a good smooth seal between the valve and the seat. I use a wood dowel rod chucked in a cordless drill, with a piece of thick vinyl tubing clamped between the dowel rod and the valve stem, which acts as a shock absorber and works very well. It may take several rounds of applying the compound and lapping the valve, and rinsing it off with solvent in between times, letting it run out the bottom spark plug hole onto a shop towel.
It’s important to rinse the valve edge off each time in order to examine the progress. My biggest regret from this particular lapping job, is that I did not take incremental photos along the way. It was by far the best result I’ve ever seen. After the first round of lapping, there was a nice smooth even band most of the way around the valve, with a distinct darker uneven area for about 30 or 40 degrees of rotation… corresponding to the burning side of the valve. After the second round, the bad area was noticeably smaller, and after the third round, even smaller still. We did a fourth round of applying the coarse grit compound for good measure (the bad area was pretty much completely gone at this point,) and finished it off with one round of lapping with fine grit compound.
The result was nothing short of spectacular:
This is about as perfect of an exhaust valve edge as you could hope for! Needless to say we were thrilled.
We washed the cylinder out with some Av Gas in a squeeze bottle, blew it out with compressed air, and repeated that process a second time. Then we sprayed some LPS-2 in the cylinder for some lubrication so the cylinder walls would not be dry for starting.
We put everything back together and installed a new rotocoil assembly P/N SA629117-1 on the exhaust valve, and a new rocker cover gasket.
Spence did a short ground run so we could check for leaks, and then he did a test flight to check engine operation and get it hot so we could do another compression test.
While Spence was out flying, I cut the old rotocoil apart, and was SHOCKED at what I found: (I had heard of this happening, but had never seen it myself.)
The spring inside the rotocoil should be one long continuous spring. This one was in many pieces, clearly making this part non-functional. The rotocoil serves a very important purpose. It causes a small and incremental rotation of the valve every time the rocker arm presses against the valve stem, and helps to maintain a good seal between the valve and valve seat. When an exhaust valve stops rotating, there is a much greater possibility for a hot spot to develop. It’s important to stop a hot spot as soon as possible. If not, cylinder removal may be inevitable.
We are very hopeful this cylinder has been rescued from premature removal. Not only did the lapping process restore an excellent seating area on the valve, but the compression came up dramatically as well… after the test flight, we got an amazing 70/80!
Thank you Spence, for the opportunity to work with you on your cylinder! Of all the valve lapping projects I’ve done, this one is a favorite for sure.
The result was absolutely amazing, and I have a few takeaways as I think about the whole valve lapping process:
Even low-time cylinders can develop exhaust valve problems.
ALWAYS do a borescope inspection along with every compression test (preferably with every oil change.)
Take action immediately when you notice a burning exhaust valve (lapping is often a good solution if caught early.)
ALWAYS install a new rotocoil assembly when lapping a Continental exhaust valve, to help ensure the valve will rotate properly and consistently.
If you do remove a cylinder for repair, be sure a new rotocoil is installed as part of the repair process (sometimes they are reused unless you specify otherwise.)
If you’d like to see or hear more info on this topic, be sure to check out episode 109 of the Airplane Owner Maintenance Podcast. It’s called “Exhaust Valve Problems – Could Lapping Be A Good Option?” Apparently airplane owners want to learn about this topic… episode 109 is the 4th highest downloaded episode of all time, do date.
173 – What’s Happening With Cylinder #1 in my Mooney M20J?
Apr 10, 2021
I got an email from Michael this past week. He owns a Mooney M20J, and something strange happened with cylinder #1’s EGT and CHT recently. Michael agreed to let me share the story, so that’s the main feature in this episode. The picture above is one Michael took with his borescope while looking for any obvious problems with the cylinder.
Before we get to that story, here are a few items I included in this episode:
How I microwaved a fork, and nothing bad happened
How I’ve been fighting the mice at Classic Aviation.
The great people this week who either stopped by the shop to say hi, or who sent me an email or voice message:
Mike, and his Cirrus SR22.
Steve and Janet, and their Twin Comanche.
Rudy and his Mooney M20J.
Michael and his Mooney M20J. (This is the featured story in this episode.)
A little follow up from the Piper Saratoga story I talked about in the last episode
… and here’s the little basil plant that has become more interesting than I ever thought it would:
Here are a couple more samples from the excellent photos Michael took of cylinder #1 with his borescope:
Finally, for those of you who love great books, especially books that use good aviation stories to teach life lessons, I have a good one to recommend.
John Ramstead has a new book coming out real soon called “On Purpose With Purpose.” From his days as an F-14 Tomcat pilot, to a near-fatal horse-riding accident, to his transition to a podcaster, speaker, and coach, John’s book is absolutely inspiring. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy, and I’ve been reading the digital version… it’s excellent!
If you just want to learn more about the book, click here.
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172 – A Perplexing Low Cylinder Compression on a Piper Saratoga
Mar 26, 2021
12/80! That’s a terrible compression test result. And unlike some cylinders, this one did not show any obvious reasons for the low compression… take a look at the valves after the cylinder was removed:
Unless I’m missing something, I don’t see anything that would explain such a low compression number. The cylinder has been shipped to Tim Barnes at Skyline Cylinders for repair, so I’m hoping he will be able to give me more information about it. You can listen to the audio for more thoughts about this whole experience, and maybe I’ll give an update on it in a future episode.
I also mentioned in this episode my latest project in the shop at Classic Aviation – an annual inspection on a nice E33A Bonanza:
It’s a great airplane, with a great owner – now that’s a good combination!
The post “172 – A Perplexing Low Cylinder Compression on a Piper Saratoga” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
171 – Bad Gas in the Cockpit!
Mar 12, 2021
Can you see the problem with this exhaust muffler?
Maybe a closer look will help: (The cracked area was just inside the shroud that collects heat for the cabin.)
Thankfully Matt, the owner of a nice Cessna 170, had a carbon monoxide detector in his airplane that picked up the small amount of “bad gas in the cockpit.” Check out his panel:
I discovered Matt’s CO detector is available at Aircraft Spruce for $99. He’s been happy with this detector, and I would think it’s FAR BETTER than the little “spot detectors” that are often used in airplanes.
Here’s a link for the CO detector in the above photo:
On another note, I mentioned in this episode that I got to meet General Chuck Boyd yesterday as he was getting ready to depart SHD in his beautiful T34 airplane. It was such a pleasure to meet him, and I want to say “Thank you Sir, for your service in the Air Force!”
170 – Eddie’s Jabiru Cylinder Compression: From 0/80 to 70/80!
Mar 06, 2021
I had a surprise call this morning… my friend Eddie called and wondered if he could borrow a borescope. One of the cylinders in his Sonex’s Jabiru engine had zero compression, and he wanted to take a look inside the cylinder, especially at the exhaust valve.
Since I’m always looking for a good story, it didn’t take me long to say, “This sounds interesting… I’ll grab my borescope and drive right over to the airport.”
We got the borescope set up and quickly noticed the exhaust valve appeared to be open a tiny bit when it should have been fully closed. There was just enough leakage past the valve to keep the compression at zero.
We’re still not totally sure about that area at about the 8 o’clock position, but we didn’t see anything alarming when we looked at the valve edge with it open.
Thankfully, Eddie had done some research online and quickly got some feedback about the importance of regularly adjusting the valves in the Jabiru engine.
Sure enough, the exhaust valve had no clearance between the valve stem and the rocker arm (it should be .010)
After adjusting both valves on that cylinder, Eddie did another compression test, and we were pleasantly surprised… 70/80! And it was even a cold compression test!
It’s always great when there’s a simple solution!
Well done Eddie! And thanks for the good story we can all learn from!
In this week’s episode, we also talk about Lycoming SI 1418, a rarely used procedure for cleaning cylinders on the engine using some special equipment and ground up walnut shells.
Listen to this concept and let me know your thoughts… hit that button over to the right and tell me if you think it’s a crazy idea, or a great idea… I’m curious about it.
Reminder: I offer a service to evaluate your borescope photos. If you are not sure what your pictures mean, send them to me and I’ll evaluate them and send you a report within two days.
Then email me your borescope photos, and I’ll send you a report.
dean{at}airplaneownermaintenance{dot}com
Thanks everyone, and have a great week!
The post “170 – Eddie’s Jabiru Cylinder Compression: From 0/80 to 70/80!” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
169 – Transformed Interiors with Autumn Elizabeth Design
Feb 19, 2021
Our guest for today’s episode is Autumn Duntz, an aviation interior designer and refurbishment expert… welcome Autumn!
After observing some poor quality elements in a newly refurbished Beechcraft A36 Bonanza interior, I wondered how this type of thing could be avoided. After a little online research, I found Autumn’s website, AutumnElizabethDesign.com. I quickly realized she would be a great guest for the podcast.
I was curious about what airplane owners can do to avoid typical pitfalls and make the whole interior refurbishment process more fun and less stressful, while also achieving the desired results.
Autumn Duntz stands out in the industry, providing a refreshing and very personalized alternative to the big companies you might typically think of when it comes to airplane interiors.
Here are some samples of Autumn’s design work:
Although Autumn mostly works with larger airplanes and business jets, she has a wealth of wisdom to share with us that also applies to small airplanes.
In this episode, we covered topics from maintenance friendly designs, to regulations, to taking care of leather… and my favorite tip: “Provide maintenance covers for the seats and interior of your airplane when you take it to the shop!” I loved that tip.
If you need some help with designing YOUR airplane’s interior, I highly recommend having a conversation with Autumn to see if you’d like to work with her.
I’m confident if you choose to work with Autumn in designing an interior, or a paint scheme, you’ll experience the following results:
She will be easy to work with and make the process much less stressful.
There will be excellent communication throughout the process.
You’ll love the results, both of the work, and of working with her.
Here’s how you can learn more about Autumn’s services, and get in touch with her:
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168 – Things I Found on an A36 Bonanza
Feb 12, 2021
Does your airplane have emergency exit windows?
If so, would your passengers know how to operate them?
Here’s an emergency exit window where the instructions were hardly readable:
Thankfully, the lettering was etched into the panels, and a fine point Sharpie did the trick:
Imagine trying to remove that window if you were completely unfamiliar… these placards are important!
Find out in today’s episode why the placards were unreadable, and also hear about the other squawks that were discovered on an A36 Bonanza during annual inspection.
If you have a crazy story of something you discovered after a new interior was installed in your airplane, please let me know… I may do an episode in the future about airplane interiors, and things to be aware of.
In a previous episode, I shared the story about how I accidentally left a shop towel in an engine…
I got some great feedback from that episode, including the picture above… a flight student found a shop towel during preflight… in a place you would not expect.
It’s one more reminder to be extra-diligent during maintenance, and to have another person look over your work before installing the cowling.
In this week’s episode, I’m sharing the feedback I got from the story of the shop towel in the engine. (If you missed that story, you can find it in episode 165.)
There are some really good lessons to be learned… I want to say a big “thank you” to everyone who sent me feedback and helpful stories.
I’ve been receiving messages from airplane owners who are performing borescope inspections on their engine cylinders and exhaust valves… I always love to hear those stories, because I’m convinced borescoping can make flying safer by detecting failing exhaust valves before they come apart in flight.
Do you have pictures of your exhaust valves, but you’re not sure what they mean?
I can help with that, for sure.
I offer a service to evaluate borescope pictures for airplane owners.
It’s very easy to work with me, and here’s the process:
Go to this link, and make the appropriate payment:
Send me an email with your borescope pictures (dean{at}airplaneownermaintenance{dot}com)
Within 48 hours, I’ll send you a report with evaluations of your borescope pictures to help you understand what the pictures are saying, and things to be aware of.
166 – A Strong and Humble Blue Angels Pilot: Jim Cox
Jan 29, 2021
Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) James Cox, a member of the Navy’s Blue Angels Team, is our guest today on the podcast! He exceeded my expectations in so many ways in our conversation, and I’m thrilled to share this interview with you. You’ll definitely want to listen to this one!
Although the Blue Angels do a lot of traveling, Jim is also a dedicated family man, and we talked about how he stays connected with his wife and kids while serving with the Blue Angels. Jim said, “Communication is key.” That’s a good word for all of us, in all kinds of life situations!
Throughout our conversation, Jim was quick to say, “This is not about me. This is about the team, and I’m grateful to be a part of it. As a team, we have the great privilege and responsibility to serve and inspire people and communities all over the country with a message of teamwork, professionalism, and excellence, in order to motivate individuals to reach their greatest potential in life.” (My paraphrase.)
Here’s the team:
In our conversation, Jim said so many things worth remembering, and here are a few noteworthy quotes:
“I always had an eye for the sky.”
“I’m proof that hard work alone can get you anywhere.”
“The flying is utterly amazing, but the community outreach portion of what we do is definitely the highlight.”
“I couldn’t be where I am today without my mom and dad.”
“The best thing you can absolutely do as a 16 year old in high school is to be the BEST 16 year old you can possibly be.”
“You start with the end in mind, but the PROCESS is so important!”
“The only way that we can fly the way we do is because of trust.”
“Everything we do is predicated on safety. Safety is absolutely first and foremost number one in everything.”
You can learn more about the Blue Angels at the website: BlueAngels.Navy.Mil
Jim, I am absolutely grateful for the opportunity to speak with you. Thank you Sir, and your family, and the whole Blue Angels team, for representing our country so well. We appreciate you!
165 – A Shop Towel in the Engine! Don’t Do What I Did!
Jan 22, 2021
Hi Friends!
I have a story for you today that I wish I didn’t have. But it’s true, so we might as well learn from it. Thankfully, everything turned out well on this one.
At Moody Aviation where I went to school years ago, we had a concept called “SYE.” It stood for “Share Your Experience.”
It was a concept to encourage us to take our mistakes and make a learning opportunity from them.
Listen to today’s podcast for the story of how I accidentally left a red shop towel inside an airplane engine… I hope I never do that again! Definitely an opportunity to learn “what not to do!”
Ok… it’s time to ‘fess up I know I’m not the only one out here who’s done a dumb thing or two in airplane maintenance… so, if you’re willing to share your story, leave me a message here on the website, or shoot me an email dean{at}airplaneownermaintenance{dot}com
I’ll assume it’s ok to share the stories, without names (unless you ask me to share your name.) Thanks!
Another item we discussed in this episode is a Cessna 172 that would not start. It turned out to be a problem with the left magneto, but in the process of troubleshooting, we discovered the spark plugs had gone far too long without being cleaned.
Take a look:
And here’s the loose distributor electrode inside the magneto:
Other items we discussed in this episode:
An oil leak on a Twin Cessna (you might have seen the email I sent out about this.)
The items we used to fix that oil leak: Aviation Permatex, Continental silk thread P/N 641543 (If you only need a small amount, check with Fresno Airparts… they sell it for 20 cents per foot) and the third item used was Loctite 515. These 3 components, used properly, make an excellent seal for the oil pump cover.
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164 – Airplanes, Motorcycles, and Bob’s Grass Runway
Dec 18, 2020
Bob Shenk (right) is a huge fan of Luscombes… this beautifully restored aircraft was among the airplanes I got to see when I visited Bob’s place a week ago… what a pleasure that visit was!
Donnie Simmons (left) is a good friend of Bob’s, and often spends his Fridays at Bob’s place, both helping with Bob’s projects, as well as some of his own.
In addition to airplanes, Bob also likes motorcycles…
He owned a Honda dealership years ago, and has some pretty cool two-wheeled machines… and can you guess what that airplane in the background is?
That is an Acroduster… one more fascinating airplane!
Another Luscombe, and an Aeronca Champ:
Here’s the runway, as viewed from the approach end:
I’d been wanting to visit Bob’s place for awhile, and one reason was to show Bob my borescope, and how it works.
He liked it, and I think he might buy one.
We didn’t see anything startling in Bob’s engines.
Donnie’s Piper Cub engine, however, was a different story…
The cub was over in another building, so we took the borescope over there to take a look.
Donnie purchased the Piper Cub project after it was in a landing incident more than a year ago:
It startled both of us when we saw the terrible rust on the cylinder walls:
I hated to see what had happened to Donnie’s cylinders, but he took quick action after consulting an engine guy. He removed all four cylinders the next day, hoping they could be salvaged by honing them.
The visit to Bob’s place was fantastic! I came away with some thoughts. Here are two:
If you have a local aviation friend you’ve wanted to go visit, do it! It will probably make your day, and theirs as well!
If you have an inactive engine, find a way to preserve it.
Thanks Bob and Donnie, for showing me around… you are both a real inspiration!
I recently did an annual inspection on a Rockwell Commander, and the gear warning light was not working.
Before we tell that story, I want to thank our sponsor, PilotWorkshops.com
This week’s “Tip of the Week” was about emergency checklist memorization… a very interesting lesson by Sarah Fritts, a West Point graduate and Army combat aviator.
These short, practical, free tips are sent out every Wednesday, and are totally worthwhile. Click here to sign up.
I also discovered Sarah Fritts has a website with fantastic training resources at ThinkAviation.net
She writes on topics that pilots really want to know about… topics you often hear debated among pilots, like which medical certificate you need and how long it’s good for, and many more.
Now back to the gear warning light… after some troubleshooting, I discovered there was proper voltage at the light assembly and the ground connection was good, so it had to be the bulbs.
Sure enough, those little mini bulbs with soldered wire strands were the culprit… there are two of them.
I was super excited to find a batch of 7 or so of these on eBay, only to discover they were not working… how frustrating! Back to the drawing board.
I finally found some appropriate bulbs from another source, soldered them in the light socket, and they worked perfectly!
Another mystery with this Commander 114 landing gear system was solved a couple years ago after the owner had a huge yaw in flight… it turned out the landing gear was extending during flight. Since the gear is hydraulic, the one with least resistance came down first, and created a yaw effect.
It turned out the emergency extension valve was leaking internally past a worn o-ring, and causing the gear to extend.
Here’s the knob near the pilot’s right knee… the knob is connected to a hydraulic valve.
This issue was perhaps more difficult to troubleshoot since the gear warning light was also not working.
Now, both squawks have been fixed, (the valve was replaced a couple years ago, and the light was fixed during the most recent annual inspection.) Now, hopefully the system will operate normally for a long time.
One last item for today… check out an exhaust valve I recently lapped in a TSIO-550 cylinder for an owner… it showed very early signs of burning, but was still in good condition:
We lapped the valve and installed a new rotator, hopefully extending the life of this cylinder.
162 – Giving Thanks for my Good Friend Jonathan Brush
Nov 26, 2020
Without Jonathan Brush, this podcast might not exist! I’m super-thankful for his part in pushing me to launch this whole thing. I think you’ll enjoy the conversation with him today.
At the end of the podcast, I asked Jonathan to talk a little about the organization he leads, called Unbound.
If you’re curious after hearing about it, or if you have high school age or young adult kids, check out BeUnbound.us for more info.
The phone number is on the top left corner of the website, and if you call, you’ll be able to speak with a real person!
In this episode, I also listed all the guests who have been on the podcast up to this point. Here they are in order:
Morgan Showalter (my daughter) episode 002
Maria Showalter (my wife) episode 022
Mike Busch episode 054
Bret Chilcott 055
Paul New 061
Brian Holmes 076
Cindy Ferek 125
Drew Wright 131
Carl Valeri 135
Joe Godfrey 144
Aram Basmadjian 147
Jim Weir 148
John and Leslie Caubble 149, 150
Jessica Spangler 160
Thanks so much to each of you for the great conversations!
Today, I’m offering a Thanksgiving special price on my “Safety Wire Like A Pro” video tutorial course. Today through midnight Eastern Standard Time on December 3rd, you can get the course at a 20% discount.
The normal price is $97, but for the next week, you pay only $77 when you enter the code “thanksgiving2020“
Try it out… it’s risk-free.
If you’re not completely satisfied, there’s a 30 day money back guarantee… no questions, and no problem.
Why safety wire like an amateur, when you can “Safety Wire Like A Pro?!”
The course has 15 videos, covering topics like safety wiring an oil filter, a brake caliper, fixing backwards safety wire, good and bad safety wire, how far you can twist safety wire until it breaks, and much more.
Be sure to sign up for the “Tip of the Week” and you’ll receive a short, but valuable tip to make you a better pilot… it’s a fun way to learn! Click here for details.
PilotWorkshops also has an excellent resource for learning about engines… it’s called “Airplane Engines – A Pilot Friendly Manual.” Click here to check it out.
This week, I have a little request… my daughter just launched a new podcast called “Play Piano by Ear.” Please help me surprise her by subscribing and/or sharing it with anyone who might be interested:
You can also find her on Instagram: search “music minute with morgan.”
In today’s episode, I’m sharing some noteworthy items we discovered on Tobin’s Cherokee Six:
Prop control rod end bolt loose… check out the video:
An oil leak at one of the top crankcase bolts:
Sealing exhaust leaks by cleaning flanges, installing 4 new studs, and installing 4 new gaskets:
Tightening the TruTrak autopilot roll servo cable… the video shows how loose it was:
Fixing stabilator trim issues…
Broken pulley, worn spacer, and worn bolt:
Replacing a frayed trim cable:
This cable often frays in the area that goes around the pulleys on the electric trim servo:
Worn grommets at yoke shaft wiring:
Replacing a vacuum regulator filter that had not been installed properly the last time:
There you go… a sampling of the squawks we fixed for Tobin.
I was totally impressed with the way Tobin takes care of his airplane… and I was just as fascinated with the business he’s in…
Tobin told me, “We are like the wedding planner for office moves.”
Isn’t that great?!
If you need to move an office space, be sure to check out ReloStrategy.com They take care of ALL the details, not only moving and designing the layout, but also tending to details like the wifi connections and the water for the coffee pot!
Note especially the “About” page and read about Tobin and his wife!
One last friendly request: Please help me surprise my daughter by subscribing to Morgan’s new podcast or share it with someone… thank you so much!
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160 – Jessica Spangler Becoming an A&P in Cameroon
Nov 09, 2020
Jessica is our special guest on the podcast today. She and her husband Mark, along with their 5 kids, are serving with a mission organization in Cameroon, Africa. Mark flies helicopters, and Jessica works in the maintenance shop, with plans to get her A&P certificate. I think you’ll enjoy her story!
Instagram: Spanglers_in_Cameroon
Check out the crew Mark and Jessica work with in Cameroon:
Be sure to listen for Jessica’s story in today’s podcast, about the time this wrench accidentally shorted across the battery terminals of a helicopter… in fact, it was this story that prompted the interview with Jessica!
Listen in today’s episode, for another good reason to buy a copy of the new book about airplane engines… there are a couple pages that compare 3 different manufacturers of induction filters and things to be aware of.
One more thing about PilotWorkshops.com: One of their most popular free resources is the “Pilot’s Tip of the Week.”
Another highlight this past week was the day Kurt and Karen visited our airport at KSHD, and Classic Aviation LLC. They both work in aviation, and they wanted to get a sightseeing tour. Cindy, one of the local flight instructors, was happy to provide the flight… The weather was perfect, and the experience was fantastic!
Kurt and Karen topped the day off by taking Maria and me to lunch at our local Valley Pike Farm Market… and it turns out it was their wedding anniversary… congratulations Kurt and Karen, and thank you for lunch!
As we approach Thanksgiving season, here are a couple things you can be looking for on the podcast:
On Thanksgiving Day, I’m planning to release a special episode. A very good friend of mine has agreed to let me interview him, and I’m super-excited to introduce Jonathan Brush to you. Without him, the Airplane Owner Maintenance podcast might not exist. I can’t wait for this episode!
I’m also planning to offer a Thanksgiving discount for the “Safety Wire Like A Pro!” video training course… I’ll provide information for that in the Thanksgiving Day episode.
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159 – In the Approach Path of a Boeing 737!
Oct 31, 2020
I’m so glad I got talked into this one! (Thanks Kenneth!)
It turned out to be a definite highlight of the week… you can hear more about the details in the podcast audio.
The book, “Airplane Engines: A Pilot Friendly Manual” is a resource you’ll love. Click here for more info.
Also, don’t miss the very popular “Tip of the Week” by PilotWorkshops as well. This week’s tip was about flying through rain, and had some really useful tips both for VFR and IFR flying. Sign up for free at PilotWorkshops.com
Other topics in today’s podcast:
Exhaust leaks found by pressure testing and soapy water:
Find out why there was “pink bubble wrap” under the instrument panel! (I’ll be removing that!):
And… here’s the broken trim pulley from a Cherokee Six (this is the view from the front, looking aft through the access at the back of the cabin area)
I found this one by “feeling” it, not by “seeing” it. I reached my arm up inside the panel on the right side of the tail, and as I was verifying I could rotate these two pulleys, I discovered something did not feel right at all… and this is why!
I got some really good feedback from the email yesterday that featured this picture… thanks to all of you who responded! Be sure to listen for the story of one Boeing 747 captain, who shared something that happened years ago.
158 – Starters, Starter Adapters, and Starter Solenoids
Oct 25, 2020
I installed this starter and starter adapter on a Beechcraft Debonair IO-470 engine last week… the starter adapters (or sometimes called a clutch, or starter drive,) sometimes begin to slip, and when that happens, it’s time for overhaul.
It’s also recommended to overhaul the starter at the same time, or install a new one.
There are also different opinions about the newer “lightweight starters” like Sky-Tek and others. Some prefer the older style starters due to some past problems with certain lightweight starters.
Regardless of which starter you choose, take some time to do some careful research.
And if you need some technical help, you can always call Jimmy and Debbie Schreiner at Modified Aircraft Accessories. Together, the husband and wife team run their repair station at Brooks, Kentucky, and they do excellent work.
One of their most popular free resources is the “Pilot’s Tip of the Week.” It always starts with a question, followed by a brief and practical answer, both in print and in audio form.
At the end, you can make your own choice about what you would do in that situation. Check it out… it will make you a better pilot!
Also, as an airplane owner or operator, you will love the engine book that was recently published. It’s called “Airplane Engines – A Pilot-Friendly Manual.”
Now back to the starter on the Beechcraft Debonair… after we reinstalled the starter adapter and installed an overhauled starter, it still seemed a little sluggish for starting.
After some troubleshooting and discovering high resistance in the starter solenoid (contactor) we decided to install a new one. Probably not a bad idea at all, since this one looks like it may have been original. Check out the old one beside the new one:
It was also a good time to replace some other old parts and install a couple new ring terminals and terminal boots:
With the new starter solenoid installed, the whole system worked very well, and the airplane is now back in service.
Other items mentioned in this episode:
A Piper cub being ferried by Marie-Claire Laberge… she stopped at SHD and I learned she works for “FullThrottleAviationLLC.com,” a company that provides world-wide ferry services for all kinds of airplanes.
And finally, a sight I had never seen before rolling into SHD the other day… a turbo-prop Maule!
I researched this airplane and found it on YouTube… it was for sale about a year ago for $399,000
On the scheduled day, I’ll call you and we can discuss and examine your airplane concerns. (Many prefer FaceTime for this.)
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157 – Valve lapping, shock mounts, and vacuum issues
Oct 17, 2020
Valve lapping is sometimes a great option for improving cylinder compression and extending the life of an exhaust valve. We’ll talk about it in today’s episode.
Pilot Workshops.com is our sponsor for this episode, and I wholeheartedly recommend their resources.
Be sure to sign up for the “Tip of the Week,” and receive a short, practical tip every Wednesday morning that will make you a better pilot.
PilotWorkshops.com also has simple and practical book about Airplane Engines. It’s packed full of easy-to-understand information for pilots. As we approach the season of colder temperatures, you might want to check out the section on pre-heating.
When you purchase the book, you’ll get both the digital copy and the print copy.
In today’s episode, we have three issues from Trace’s Cessna 310 this past week:
Lapping an exhaust valve.
Repositioning and correctly installing an engine shock mount.
Evaluating a vacuum system issue, and making a plan.
First, the lapping project. At the recent annual inspection, the compression in the right engine cylinder #4 was in the mid-50’s. After lapping we got a solid 64/80, a significant improvement.
Second, one engine shock mount was out of position:
The 1/4 inch gap got my attention and we had to hoist the engine and loosen the bolt to install the lower shock mount correctly. Here’s the result – notice the 1/4 inch gap has been closed.
The third isssue showed up when we ran the engines. Notice the oil pressure gauges… only the left engine is running. But the vacuum gauge indicates both vacuum pumps are operating.
This usually indicates a problem with the vacuum manifold valve. Most likely, it will need to be replaced.
After we checked and verified there were no oil leaks, Trace took me for a ride in his Cessna 310… a great experience! Thank you Trace!
Trace has been a Navy F-18 test pilot for quite a few years, and it was awesome to fly with him!
And to wrap us this episode, I also met Tobin this past week, owner of a very nice Piper Cherokee Six. He dropped his airplane off at SHD for his annual inspection. Hopefully I can give an update in the future about how his inspection turns out.
Trace, and Tobin, it was a pleasure to meet both of you this past week!
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156 – The Weirdest Vacuum System Problem I’ve Ever Seen
Oct 05, 2020
Although a shop vac might not pull as much vacuum as an engine driven vacuum pump, it can still be useful for some parts of the troubleshooting process. This was just one thing we did on the path to solving a very strange vacuum problem. Listen to the story in today’s podcast episode.
Regardless of where you are in your aviation journey, PilotWorkshops has the perfect resources to help you become a safer and more proficient pilot.
Subscribe to the Tip of the Week, and every Wednesday you’ll receive a fun pilot tip that includes a question, a short 2 minute or less expert answer, and a quiz to ask what you would do in that scenario. Check it out… it’s one of the emails I look forward to!
And finally, be sure to check out the newly released book, “Airplane Engines: A Pilot-Friendly Manual.” It’s packed full of useful information that’s easy to understand. For example, you can learn about doing an in-flight ignition check, or even an in-flight induction leak check, and so much more. Click here for more information.
Now for today’s episode… we’re featuring two squawks on a twin Cessna.
Squawk #1: The left fuel gauge was completely inoperative, both for the main tank and the aux tank.
In this episode, we talk about the troubleshooting process that led to changing the fuel quantity indicator. The gauge from eBay worked great, and the system was back to normal.
Squawk #2: The vacuum system had a weird problem… the vacuum gauge showed that both vacuum pumps were functioning, but the vacuum was very low (approx. 1 inch of Hg instead of 5 inches.) Apparently it doesn’t take much vacuum to pull the inop indicator in (the little red button for the left and right vacuum pumps in the vacuum gauge.) This squawk was challenging! Actually, the solution turned out to be simple, but the discovery process was not so simple.
We checked an extensive list of components, both in the vacuum system and in the surface deice system, since the two are inter-related, and the squawk had two parts: the vacuum indication was very low, and the wing deice boots were not being pulled firmly against the surface of the wing (which requires good vacuum.)
Here’s the deice valve in the right engine compartment, one of the components we tested in this process.
Thankfully, we did not end up ordering any high-priced components in this scenario, because the solution turned out to be very simple… we removed an elbow between two vacuum hoses, and installed plugs in them instead. Listen to the audio for the details.
Reminder: the video training course for “Servicing Landing Gear Shock Struts” will be coming soon… be watching for more details.
The post, “156 – The Weirdest Vacuum System Problem I’ve Ever Seen” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
155 – My Retractable Landing Gear is Not Moving!
Sep 26, 2020
This is what Josh discovered recently in his Beechcraft Debonair while getting some training in his airplane with an instructor as part of the Bonanza Pilot Proficiency Program (BPPP.) The gear motor was the culprit.
Josh’s story is the main feature in today’s episode, but first I want to thank PilotWorkshops for sponsoring the podcast.
The more I learn about PilotWorkshops, the more impressed I am. The team led by Mark Robidoux is producing all kinds of valuable resources to help us as pilots go beyond being legal and certified, to becoming proficient and safe.
And I’ve discovered when we are proficient and safe, it’s a lot more fun to fly!
So I encourage you to do two things:
ONE: Go to PilotWorkshops.com and sign up for the “Tip of the Week.” It’s a short, 2 minute or less, valuable lesson for pilots, both in print and audio form… there’s a question, followed by an expert answer, along with a fun quiz at the end about “what you would do” in that scenario.
I had the privilege of helping to edit the engine book and provide photos, and I can say with confidence it’s a GREAT resource for pilots!
Now back to Josh and his gear motor.
Sometimes the gear would retract and extend, and sometimes not.
Listen to the story in today’s episode to find out how things turned out with Josh’s instructor that day, as well as why they ended up carefully towing the airplane back to the hangar by hand, and how the aircraft finally ended up on jacks in the shop at Classic Aviation LLC at KSHD, where the landing gear motor could be removed for repair.
The gear motor is on its way to Kevin O’Halloran for repair. I was totally impressed with the procedure he uses to repair these 12 volt “Lamb” gear motors. (Those are the only ones he works on.)
We’re also changing all 3 nose gear rod ends, hardware, down spring, and shear pin at this time (as recommended by ABS.)
Here’s the existing nose gear down spring, shear pin, idler arm rod end and hardware…a portion of the parts we’ll be replacing (looks like they’ve been there for a LONG TIME.)
Josh will be good to go for a long time as far as the landing gear goes.
I found a sketchy-looking entry about the gear motor in the airframe log from 1996. The best I can tell, here’s what it says:
“Removed landing gear motor, cut armature, new brushes, new bearings, replaced overhauled motor, retract tested.”
Sorry, but for me, sloppy maintenance entries makes me wonder if the work was also sloppy.
It’s always best to type maintenance record entries.
And one last thing that’s not a big deal, but it indicates the maintenance manual procedure was not quite finished, is the shimmy dampener. The cotter pin should be slightly spread apart to allow inserting a small measuring rod or wire to determine when the fluid is low.
If you’d like me to travel to your airport for some very specific maintenance oriented training with you, then send me an email: dean@airplaneownermaintenance.com
Or, to set up a virtual call:
Schedule a FaceTime call with me in 2 simple steps
Go to my calendar and pick a time spot that’s good for you.
154 – If I Looked at YOUR Airplane, What Would I Discover?
Sep 19, 2020
A good friend from another airport recently bought this Piper Archer, and I’ve had the opportunity to do a little maintenance on it and take a look around.
This is one of three airplanes I’ve had an opportunity to look at recently… all three were in annual inspection, but I noticed a few things that could use some attention. We’ll save the Archer for last.
First, a Cessna 172:
I noticed the fuel strainer (gascolator) was safety wired backwards!
The same Cessna 172 also had a small oil leak… I later discovered the rocker box oil return fitting was loose and needed to be resealed:
The bottom cowling was telling a story about that oil leak… it’s always a good idea to look for oil in the bottom cowling and then try to determine where it’s coming from:
Second, a Beech Bonanza:
No pictures for this one, but here are a few things I found on this one:
No copper safety wire on the emergency exit window pins.
No safety wire on the fillister head screws in one of the ruddervator hinge brackets.
One loose ruddervator hinge bolt.
One worn ruddervator thrust bearing.
Listen to the audio for more details on this one.
And third, a Piper Archer:
One of the brake hoses was leaking – the nut was only finger tight!
The cabin door hinge pins were worn and the door was hitting the frame when closing. New pins and some shim washers fixed the problem.
The carb heat door shaft grommets were worn:
The left cowling pin bushing bracket was loose:
And finally, the fuel primer nozzle was really dry and stiff:
I always love to discover things on airplanes that need attention.
What about you? Could you benefit from having me look at your airplane? Send me an email to explore the options. dean{at}airplaneownermaintenance{dot}com
Or, go ahead and set up a Facetime consulting call and we can look at your airplane together and discuss any issues you might have:
Schedule a FaceTime call with me in 2 simple steps
Go to my calendar and pick a time spot that’s good for you.
On the scheduled day, I’ll call you and we can discuss and examine your airplane concerns. (Many prefer FaceTime for this.)
Other resources mentioned in this episode:
PilotWorkshop.com – This is a great place to help you stay sharp as a pilot… be sure to sign up to receive the “Tip of the week,” a short, 2 minute or less, valuable tip to make you a better pilot… and it’s free!
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153 – A Flying and Maintenance Adventure at Ravenswood WV
Aug 29, 2020
Josh recently purchased his 1963 Beechcraft Debonair and needed some help, so I flew to his airport and spent the good part of a day with him. We replaced a broken exhaust support angle on the right exhaust tailpipe, and then we took a good look around the airplane.
It surprised me when we discovered missing cotter pins in the left and right main landing gear uplock cable clevis bolts.
Toward the end of our time that day, we borescoped the exhaust valves, and they were all in very good condition. Here’s the exhaust valve in cylinder #1:
This is the appearance of a very healthy exhaust valve.
I flew the little Cessna 150 home and got it tied down before dark… what an adventure!
If you’d like to talk about the possibility of having me come to YOUR AIRPORT for some consulting and training on your airplane, send me an email, and we can set up a time to talk. Even if it’s across the country, I can hop on the airlines if necessary. Don’t hesitate to contact me, and we can make a plan.
Contact me at dean{at}airplaneownermaintenance{dot}com.
Final tip for today: Check your ignition switch and make sure you cannot remove the key unless it’s in the “OFF” position… watch for the condition in the following video, which is VERY DANGEROUS if the key is removed with one or both mags on, and the prop is rotated!
The post “153 – A Flying and Maintenance Adventure at Ravenswood WV” appeared first on AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
152 – My Bonanza Door Popped Open, and My Wife Won’t Fly With Me!
Aug 24, 2020
This was Jim’s story when he brought his airplane in for the annual inspection.
Listen to today’s episode to find out what we did with Jim’s door latching system… he did most of the work on that issue, and I think his wife will fly with him now!
Other items of interest in this episode:
Kat’s story about the time her student overprimed the engine and it caught on fire.
Comments and questions from Alan Christy.
Voice message and a question from Dan Douillard.Here’s the Aviation Consumer article about vacuum pumps I referenced in the podcast episode:
On the scheduled day, I’ll call you and we can discuss and examine your airplane concerns. (Many prefer FaceTime for this.)
Now back to Jim’s V-tail Bonanza:
We fixed quite a few squawks on the airplane, and here are a few I mentioned in this episode:
The electric fuel boost pump was leaking at the case drain tube.
The D’Shannon engine baffle scoop for extra cooling on the cooling fins of cylinder #6, was installed upside down, and pointed at the exhaust riser.
The throttle microswitch for the magic hand landing gear safety system, was worn and one terminal was very loose.
The left aileron inboard hinge was improperly installed, with the bottom 2 screws not even in the holes of the hinge!
The main landing gear uplock springs were worn and rusty.
The shimmy dampener needed resealing and servicing.
And of course, as the titleindicates, we fixed Jim’s door latch (Jim did most of the work.)
Here are the corresponding repairs for each of those squawks:
We sent the boost pump to Aeromotors LLC in Browntown, WI for overhaul. Their price was HUNDREDS of dollars cheaper than anywhere else I could find!
We installed the engine baffle air scoop correctly so that it now points at the cylinder fins for proper cooling.
We installed a new microswitch with a new switch actuator, and researched the wiring diagram and attached the switch wires in the correct location. The “magic hand” landing gear safety system checked good, both on the ground and in flight.
We removed the left aileron, replaced some rivets, reinstalled the aileron correctly with new screws, and adjusted the aileron rigging.
We installed a new set of main landing gear uplock springs, P/N 059, from Performance Aero. (It’s always nice to know the uplock won’t punch a hole in the top of the wing due to failure of the uplock spring!)
We completely disassembled, cleaned, resealed, installed a new pin in the center piston, serviced, and reinstalled the shimmy dampener. It should last a long time now!
And Jim’s door… we installed a serviceable latch assy. in the top of the door, adjusted the bottom pin turnbuckle and resafetied, lubed, and checked… it works great now! Jim’s all set to take his wife flying!
So there you go… another annual inspection completed. We took care of many more squawks as well, but those are some of the highlights.
Jim, it was a pleasure working with you sir! I look forward to the next time!
151 – Things I Found On Tom’s Piper Cherokee
Aug 07, 2020
I’ve known Tom for a long time, and what a fantastic experience it was, working with him on his annual inspection!
Tom is the president of our local EAA chapter, and he’s given me numerous opportunities to speak to the group about maintenance topics. Thank you Tom, for serving our local general aviation community so well!
It had been quite a few years since I had inspected Tom’s Cherokee, and it was a great experience to work with him again in the shop at Classic Aviation, LLC. I was impressed with the way he has kept up the maintenance on his airplane, and I was also reminded once again of the value of getting a different set of eyes on an airplane from time to time.
Other inspectors notice things I don’t see, and I notice things other inspectors don’t see. It’s always been that way, and I suppose it always will be.
So this year, I was happy for the opportunity to work with Tom, and take his Piper Cherokee from really good condition, to even better condition.
Here’s a list of squawks we addressed this year, that I’m confident will put us in a situation where we just might be able to accomplish his next annual inspection in one day, when the time rolls around next year:
Squawk #1: The AD records needed updating.
I sorted through the past AD records, and put all the information into my favorite online AD platform that we use at Classic Aviation LLC, the AD Toolbox, by April and Reuben Zook. These people are awesome, and their service is the best! Check them out at AirworthinessDirectives.com They even have a free trial, and it’s totally worth checking out!
When it comes to AD research, record keeping, and compliance reports, April and Reuben are the go-to people. Why waste your time with some big corporate company, when you can get the best service available from our friends at the AD Toolbox?!
Squawk #2: AD 75-24-02.
This one was a simple matter of verifying the rear seat anchors were still holding the seats firmly in place, with the proper amount of pull tension to pull them up out of the anchor points. The plates with the round holes are where the seat anchors fit into, and must require a minimum of 15 pounds to pull them up out of the anchors.
Squawk #3: AD 76-07-12.
This one is simple, but really important. At low RPM, you momentarily turn the key to “OFF” and then put just a little pressure in the “past off” direction, to make sure the engine does not continue to run (it’s going to quit if you stay there too long,) and then turn the key back to “BOTH.” This verifies you do not have a hot mag when the ignition switch is in the “OFF” position.
Squawk #4: AD 2013-02-13.
This AD is due each 2000 hours, or 7 years, whichever comes first, and begins after an affected Piper is 15 years old. Since many of the Pipers were inspected in 2013, they are now coming due again for this inspection in 2020, 7 years later. Such was the case for Tom’s Cherokee.
This AD requires inspection of the complete stabilator control cable system, with special emphasis on the two turnbuckles in the tail. Since the AD states the inspection is to be done “following instructions 1-10 of Piper SB 1245A,” this is a case where that service bulletin becomes mandatory, because the AD says so.
Therefore, when the service bulletin says to “Disassemble the turnbuckle bodies to facilitate a complete inspection of the turnbuckle bodies and associated cable terminals,” we have no choice but to do that. So if anyone tells you it’s not necessary to take the turnbuckles apart for this AD, they’re simply not correct.
SB 1245A also says to “Clean the turnbuckle bodies and associated cable terminals thoroughly with Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) or acetone prior to inspection. The non-threaded surfaces of the turnbuckle body and cable terminals may be cleaned using Scotch-Brite General Purpose Green Scouring Pad 96 or 105b.”
This will give you a like-new appearance of the turnbuckle body. Check it out:
I completely disconnected the cable ends from the turnbuckle body, on both turnbuckles, and inspected them with a 10x magnifying glass, per SB 1245A. They were in excellent condition, so I reassembled them, set the tension, verified full and correct stabilator travel, and installed safety clips in the turnbuckles.
Now Tom is good to go for another 7 years, as far as this AD is concerned.
Squawk #5: Idle speed slightly low.
The fix for this was to simply turn the idle stop screw in 1/2 turn so the throttle control on the carburetor would make contact a little sooner and bring the idle RPM up just a little.
The first thing that got my attention on this one, was the dark brown wear dust that appears when a steel bolt is chafing. The following picture was taken after I installed a new bolt and locknut, but you can still see some of the brown dust.
Squawk #7: Cockpit door stop does not hold the door open.
Since this was not an airworthiness issue, we did not do anything with this one, but I did find some very interesting information. If you own a Piper, you’ll like this one!
I researched and found a new door stop / slide assembly is about $700… yikes!
And wait… Airward.com also has a “Door slide spring” (with the appropriate stainless rivet included,) for a mere $15! In Tom’s case, I think this is all he needs, since the other parts appeared to be in good condition. If you also need the attaching clevis bolts and spacers, you might want to order the $95 kit.
Squawk #8: White powdery growth under battery box.
At first glance, the problem appeared fairly small, with a little evidence of corrosion at the base of the battery box:
But after further investigation, it was obvious, the problem was much bigger UNDER the battery box:
Tom chose to clean and treat this area himself… smart decision in my opinion, and a win-win! I didn’t have to worry about it, and he didn’t have to pay $85 per hour to have it done.
Tom ended up removing the battery box to clean the area.
Squawk #9: Debris inside right spar area in fuselage.
This one showed evidence of a mouse nest, and a prime example of why annual inspections are important. This issue was found after removing the center floor board and inspecting inside the main wing spar carry through area.
Tom chose to clean this up as well… he cleaned the area and treated it with Corrosion-X. It was a fairly simple, but very important part of the annual.
Squawk #10: One loose seat back stop bolt on pilot seat.
This one was simple… I tightened the stop bolt.
Squawk #11: Right aileron chafing on nutplate in forward center console.
This one was a bit challenging to figure out. There was a clicking noise when I pulled the control yoke all the way back and rotated it. Finally, I discovered one of the aileron control cable ends was catching on a nutplate that had moved out of position.
I repositioned the nutplate, and the noise was gone, along with the chafing. It reminded me again, of the importance of tenaciously discovering the source of any out-of-the-ordinary noises.
Squawk #12: One clip nut broken for center floor board attachment.
We ordered a new clip nut for this one.
Squawk #13: GPS antenna not sealed at edge, and at screws.
I’ve seen many airplane antennas that are sealed, and many that are not. Is it absolutely necessary? Some may say not. I prefer to have them sealed around the edge, even though there is typically a gasket, just to safeguard any moisture from getting inside. And in Tom’s case, he had very recently had an avionics upgrade, with a new GPS antenna installed. One of the avionics guys came over to our shop and did a fantastic job of sealing the antenna:
Squawk #14: One cowling pin bushing worn.
There are two of these bushings, one at each forward side of the bottom cowling. The steel pins in the top cowling fit into these bushings, and it’s important to keep them in good condition to prevent metal-on-metal wear between the pin in the top cowling, and the bushing receptacle in the bottom cowling.
In this case, it was time for “out with the old, and in with the new!” The new bushing P/N 69790-000 by PMA Products, is available at Aircraft Spruce for $9.85. McFarlane also has one, which may be better quality… theirs is P/N MC69790-000 and is sold WITH a new snap ring for $25.50.
Squawk #16: Left wing, aft attach bolt slightly loose.
This the the most important one!
This is common on Piper aircraft, and needs to be checked closely!
And, it seems to happen more on the left wing than on the right. I think it might have something to do with the direction of torsional movement that happens during takeoff, landing, and flight, between the wing and the fuselage attachment.
And sometimes it makes a difference if the airplane is on jacks or not, for being able to detect the problem of looseness.
If you can put a wrench on the bolt head on the aft side of the rear spar attachment, and turn it easily, it’s a sure sign it’s too loose.
After verifying the correct torque on this bolt, it’s a good idea to put a stripe of torque putty on both the bolt head, and the locknut on the forward side, so you can tell in the future if it has moved, or not.
Also keep in mind the maintenance manual has specific instructions about torquing these bolts, along with replacing hardware and even installing a repair kit in some cases. Check your maintenance manual for specific instructions, as this is an absolutely critical area.
Another related issue with this aft spar area is the potential for corrosion between the aluminum aft spar of the wing, and the steel plate attached to it, where the bolt attachment is located.
Here’s a great video by Airframe Components showing this critical area and inspection per Piper SB 1244B:
Thank you Tom, for the privilege of working with you on your airplane!
After all the previous work Tom has done to keep his airplane in good condition, and after the work we did this year on the annual, I’m very hopeful we’ll be able to complete his annual next year, in one day! We’ll see how it goes.
Other resources from Dean Showalter:
Video training course: Safety Wire Like A Pro! (Learn to perform safety wiring that keeps everything tight, and makes it look like it was done by an experienced A&P! Don’t settle for mediocre… develop the skill to do your safety wiring well! Click here to check it out. And remember, there’s a money back guarantee… if you’re not satisfied, I wouldn’t want to even keep your money. Try it out for 30 days, and if you’re not satisfied, I’ll gladly give you a full refund… no questions asked.
Need help evaluating exhaust valve pictures? Grab a copy of my Exhaust Valve Borescoping Guide! It will help you understand what to look for when borescoping your exhaust valves… it’s just the resource I wish I had when I was getting started with borescoping. Click here to check it out.
Cessna 172 Common Parts List: Do you need a quick, convenient place to check common part numbers for your Cessna 172? Click here to get a copy of this simple resource you will love!
150 – John and Leslie Caubble’s Aviation Journey!
Jul 24, 2020
In today’s episode, we get to hear how John and Leslie got into aviation, and their move from Arkansas to Maui. It’s a real adventure, and I’m sure you’ll be inspired listening to their story!
Be sure to also listen to their latest episode of the Fly Maui Podcast, “Don’t Let Setbacks Define You.” What a timely message for all of us! Listen on your favorite app, or click here for the Fly Maui HI website.
To learn more about John and Leslie and what they’re doing, check out the following links:
You can also find flymauihi and thealoha360 on Instagram.
New resource for Cessna 172’s: I’ve put together an easy-to-use list of common Cessna 172 parts, with part numbers. I’d love to send you a copy, and you can find it here:
Even if you don’t have a 172, take a look at it, and let me know what you think… I might consider making a similar resource for some other types of airplanes as well.
149 – Cessna 172 Q & A with John and Leslie Caubble
Jul 17, 2020
In today’s episode, I’m super excited to introduce John and Leslie Caubble to you!
They’ve become good friends of mine in the last couple years, and they have a really inspiring aviation journey.
We put together some Cessna 172 maintenance related questions, and I thought it would be a lot more fun to have them join me for this episode, rather than me talking about these questions by myself.
In a future episode, we’ll have them back again to talk about their personal aviation journey.
Thanks, John and Leslie, for being a part of this episode!
To learn more about John and Leslie and what they’re doing, check out the following links:
You can also find flymauihi and thealoha360 on Instagram.
I thought this might also be a good time to provide a free resource for owners and operators of Cessna 172’s… it’s a list of commonly needed parts, along with part numbers.
It’s completely free, and I’m confident can save you some significant time and frustration… grab a copy at the following link:
148 – $200 Annual Inspection with Jim Weir
Jul 09, 2020
You might be wondering, “How is that possible,” or “What kind of shady operation is that?!” Same here. When I first heard about the $200 annual inspection, I was skeptical… until I actually researched what Jim does and how he does it. That prompted me to call him, and he was gracious enough to take some time to talk with me for the podcast. Thanks Jim!
In talking with Jim, I discovered he does a very thorough, AND very efficient annual inspection with the carefully selected owners he works with. He does this by maximizing the involvement of the airplane owner, and by requiring a very specific process of preparation before he even puts his eyes on the airplane.
Jim Weir has been involved with aviation for many years, and has a wealth of wisdom and experience to share with us.
Although the following picture may have been a few years ago, Jim is still very much full of life and energy… I discovered that the day I spoke with him!
And somehow, I’m guessing Cindi has been a very significant part of Jim’s success in aviation and in life
In the following picture, Jim ties down his Cessna 182 in advance of a thunderstorm on the way to Oshkosh (Iowa City) in 2002.
And here’s a fun picture: Jim has collected a coffe cup from Oshkosh, every year from 1974 to 2019!
I have to admit, Jim’s approach to annual inspections is not for everyone, but for the owners of small planes who want to be deeply involved in the process, it’s certainly a fascinating option to consider, especially if you’re anywhere near the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Maybe one day I’ll be able to travel clear across the country to visit Jim in person and see his operation… I would LOVE that, for sure!
Thank you Jim, for talking with us in this episode! Keep up the good work!
147 – Aram Basmadjian and His V-Tail Bonanza
Jul 04, 2020
In today’s episode, I’m happy to introduce my good friend, Aram Basmadjian! Aram has a very interesting aviation journey, and it was fun talking with him for this episode.
Aram flew for Skywest Airlines for about 8 years, which was a great foundation for the flying he does today.
Aram enjoys going places with his wife and daughter in his 1962 P35 Bonanza.
He’s also the chief flight instructor at a local college, which allows him to use his skill and passion for teaching pilots effective procedures for instrument flying.
And one of these days, I’m hoping to make a trip to Pennsylvania to have Aram work me over in the flight simulator!
Aram is also a phenomenal organist, and is Vice President of Sales at Allen Organ Company in Macungie, Pennsylvania. According to the website, “Aram Basmadjian is one of the most accomplished organ virtuosos in America.” Wow, well done Aram!
I heard years ago that musicians many times make really good pilots, and I think that’s certainly true in Aram’s case.
So back to the Bonanza, Aram shared some really great tips and thoughts in this episode, and here are a few highlights:
Be involved in the maintenance of your airplane!
Plane Logix is one good solution for digitizing your maintenance records.
When digitizing your maintenance records, transcribe them yourself because you will learn so much valuable information.
Good quality maintenance is expensive… be prepared for it.
And finally, Aram shared something really interesting about his specific airplane… for the first 200 hours or so of his airplane’s life, Larry Ball’s name is in the records because he flew the airplane. Larry is well known for his time as the “Bonanza Program Manager,” and for his books, “Those Incomparable Bonanzas,” and “They Call Me Mr. Bonanza.”
Very interesting indeed. Everywhere Aram goes, he seems to attract a lot of interest in his Bonanza. It is indeed a great airplane.
Here are some links where you can learn more about Aram along with his Bonanza and his aviation adventures:
The part in the yellow circle is an oil scavenge pump that returns oil back to the engine oil sump after it lubricates the turbocharger center bearings. The right side of the assembly is the adapter that fits into the engine accessory case. The left side of the assembly is the hydraulic pump that is used for the landing gear system, the flap system, and the nosegear steering system in this Aerostar 601.
Inside the oil scavenge pump, there are two oil seals, (sometimes called garlock seals,) and two o-rings.
In today’s episode, we discuss this type of pump that reminded me of A&P school from years ago… it’s called a “gerotor pump.” It has a gear within a gear.
Listen to the audio for the details on fixing this oil leak.
We also talk about a Mooney M20K engine in this episode… we lapped the exhaust valve in cylinder #5. We might end up checking the exhaust valve in cylinder #2 as well to make sure it’s not sticking, after the owner had some classic “morning sickness” symptoms as described in Mike Busch’s recent article about sticking exhaust valves. The article is well worth reading.
And while we’re on the subject of exhaust valves, I wanted to remind everyone this resource is available for free… for now. If you want to learn about what to look for when you’re borescoping exhaust valves, this is a great resource. I’m considering moving the guide into the paid section of resources, so grab a copy while you can.
Click here and sign up with your email, and you’ll receive a free copy of the guide, for at least another two weeks.
Post it on Facebook or Instagram, or wherever you like, so people can take advantage of it while it’s free.
Also in this episode:
A big “thank you” to Jeff Claridge who contacted me and did a conference call with me to demonstrate the smoke tester he has to detect leaks in engines. He suggested this would be a great tool for checking exhaust and intake systems for leaks on airplane engines… after seeing it in action, I totally agree! Thanks Jeff!
The tester Jeff has is an Autool SDT202. (If you make a purchase with the following link, I’ll get a small percentage… thanks so much!)
I recorded a conversation yesterday with my friend, Aram Basmadjian, that will appear in a future episode. Be looking for that one. Aram owns and flies a V-tail Bonanza.
I also recorded a second conversation yesterday with Jim Weir, a gentleman I only recently became aware of. He has a very unique and strategic way of doing “owner assisted” annual inspecions. That one will also be in a future episode.
And… it’s risk-free. Within 24 hours after the call, if you are not completely satisfied with the results, I’ll gladly refund 100% of your money… and we’ll still be friends Your complete satisfaction is a top priority for me.
So schedule a one-hour call with me, Dean Showalter, today.
Listen to the episode to hear about a couple challenging issues on a Cirrus SR22 aircraft.
First, the TVS’s, or “Transient Voltage Suppressors.”
There are two different types of these TVS’s. One type is installed in the wiring bundle and is hard to see because it’s mostly covered with heat shrink. The other type is a device about 2 1/2 inches square and about 1/2 inch or so thick. The inline type, along with the corresponding fuses, is pictured in the red circle.
These are used to help guard against lightening strike damage. In this particular airplane, the manual indicates there are 10 TVS’s. Each one has its own fuse, and is to be visually checked at the annual inspection.
Here’s a closer view of a couple of the fuses for this system.
The various TVS’s are located in different areas, including some in the center console area, accessible by removing the panel near the copilot’s left leg.
That’s one topic we discuss in this episode (Transient Voltage Suppressors.)
The second topic is seatbelt airbags.
The AmSafe system includes an EMA (electronic module assembly,) one inflator for the pilot seat and one inflator for the copilot seat, inflatable airbags incorporated into the seatbelts, and the wiring to connect all these components, including a test plug.
The test plug is used at the annual inspection. A test box is connected to the test plug, and the tester gives a pass/fail indication of the various parts of the system.
We talk about this system in today’s episode as well.
After you’ve scheduled a time and paid for the one-hour spot, we’ll
Thanks, and have a great week!
The post “145 – Seatbelt Airbags and Transient Voltage Suppressors” appeared first on AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
144 – Joe Godfrey, Engine Data, and Savvy Analysis
Jun 06, 2020
Joe Godfrey is an expert when it comes to analyzing engine data from aircraft engine monitoring systems.
Joe is the Director of Operations at SavvyAnalysis, as well as a Columnist and Editor for SavvyAviation News.
Not only does Joe analyze airplane engine data, but he also owns and flies his own airplane, a Bellanca Viking.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the “Puzzler” in the Savvy Aviation Newsletter, where some real-world airplane engine data is discussed in a way to help us understand how to “read” the data. These puzzlers are from actual problems encountered in real airplanes.
Listen to today’s episode to hear Joe’s thoughts on the value of engine monitors in airplanes, and how to interpret the data that’s collected.
Savvy Analysis is by far the BEST platform I’ve ever seen for analyzing engine data. You can open an account for free, and upload your data, and look at all the graphs and features for free. If you need help interpreting what you see, you can pay a small fee to have Joe and the other experts at Savvy analyze your data for you and help you understand what it means.
While you’re there, be sure to check out the new technology being launched by Savvy to help detect failing exhaust valves before they become an in-flight issue. It’s called FEVA, which stands for Failing Exhaust Valve Analytics.
Joe Godfrey is also a very interesting guy outside of aviation… he plays multiple types of guitars, and he’s had some pretty cool experiences in the music industry. Check it out at his personal website: JoeGodfrey.com
Finally, listen to today’s episode to find out why I’m now kicking myself for not collecting the engine data out of an airplane that had the engine come apart recently. Thankfully, the pilot was flying alone and landed safely. It would have been a great learning opportunity if I could have seen the data on a computer screen after the #2 connecting rod punched a hole through the crankcase and broke the left magneto right off the engine!
Next time I’ll be more proactive to collect the data… it would have been so easy.
The instructions for doing this, and so much more, are at SavvyAnalysis.com
One last fun thing: I also discovered Joe knows a lot about jingles and ring tones… I mentioned to him that I’d been wanting to have a ring tone set up on my iPhone so that “Brown Eyed Girl” would play when my wife Maria calls me (she actually is my brown eyed girl!). The very next day, he sent me a custom ringtone… thanks Joe!
The post “144 – Joe Godfrey, Engine Data, and Savvy Analysis” first appeared on AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
143 – Oh No! A Lycoming Exhaust Stud Pulled Out!
May 30, 2020
Note: The “Safety Wire Like A Pro!” video training course is available for one more day at 20% off (use code “canard” for discount coupon.) Read about the training here:
It was disappointing, but turned out to be an inspiring learning experience.
A helicoil had previously been installed, which pulled out, and left a hole too big to install another helicoil (thread repair). Listen and find out how we solved the problem with a “Keensert” thread repair:
It worked fantastically!
Story #2:
Bad spark Plug.
We also talked in this episode about a bad spark plug and how we determined which one was bad, using the engine monitor system in a Cirrus SR22.
The EGT for cylinder #2 was higher than all the others because only one spark plug was firing in that cylinder which caused the exhaust gases to be hotter when they crossed the EGT probe.
It turned out the spark plug ceramic was cracked and the plug was not working at all: (I verified it using the spark plug tester.) There’s actually another crack on the other side of the ceramic as well.
With some basic training, an engine monitor can be an excellent troubleshooting tool.
Story #3:
Rough engine in an Ercoupe.
After some troubleshooting, it was discovered that cylinder #2 had no compression due to a stuck exhaust valve.
(Be sure to sign up for the free pilot “Tip of the week.”)
142 – Fixing a Stranded Cessna 172XP and Flying it Home
May 16, 2020
What an adventure!
This airplane got stranded at Wilmington, Delaware due to failure of the #2 cylinder on the Lycoming IO-360 engine.
The local maintenance shop discovered the exhaust valve rocker shaft stud had broken… here’s what it looked like:
Obviously, that cylinder was rendered useless… and it caused a significant power loss. Thankfully, the flight instructor and student were able to make an uneventful landing at KILG.
Weeks later, Kenneth and I set out on an adventure to fix the airplane and get it back home.
We left early one morning with a new cylinder assembly and all the parts and tools we anticipated needing for the repair.
It went as well as could be expected… here’s Kenneth at work in the shop, where we were surrounded by amazing airplanes… a TBM, a Cirrus Vision Jet, and some other bigger jets. The only other piston airplane in this shop was a Piper Warrior.
I wasn’t sure how it would go having two of us working on the same cylinder change, but it went very well.
We took a short lunch break to grab some burgers at Wendy’s, and by mid afternoon, the installation was complete.
We did a short ground run, and then it was time for a brief local flight to make sure things were good for the return to Shenandoah Valley. I’d never done a maintenance test flight at a towered airport, so that was a little different, but actually went very well. The controller was excellent to work with and very helpful, which was much appreciated.
After the short flight, we checked the engine again and everything looked good. Now it was time for the flight home.
Kenneth flew the Mooney we had traveled in that morning, and I flew the Cessna 172XP. Most things went as planned, except for the out of the ordinary situation right before takeoff.
A single engine Cessna landed and told the controller their oil door popped off, and it was on the runway. So we had to wait for a maintenance truck to come out and retrieve the oil door off the runway before we could take off. I didn’t see that one coming!
The trip home went very well… I flew VFR, so I was thankful I had noticed the night before that I could fly slightly around the North side of the BWI, IAD, and Washington, DC area, and stay clear of those areas.
This airplane has a JPI engine monitor, and I later downloaded the data and saw exactly where the cylinder failure had occurred. Take a look:
I just wish the sample rate had been set to 1 second, instead of 6 seconds, but it’s better than nothing for sure. The upper graph is the EGT, and the yellow line is cylinder #2, the one that failed. What I haven’t fully figured out yet, is why the purple (#4) dropped off so dramatically right after that. I’m thinking that happened since it was right next to #2, but I need to ask an engine data expert about that. Maybe I’ll check with Joe Godfrey with Savvy Analysis.
(The bottom graph is engine RPM.) There’s so much more information in the profile that is not shown here.
One more thing… I was very thankful that when I got an error message on the way home, it was for cylinder #1 and not #2, the one we had just fixed. Here’s a shot of the engine monitor on the trip home:
It later turned out that one of the probe wires for #2 was loose… an easy fix.
All in all, it was a great adventure, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to help rescue a stranded airplane. It’s a wonderful thing to fly an airplane you’ve returned to airworthy condition!
Here’s a screen shot of my trip home… a little squiggly, but I figure it’s not bad for the given circumstances!
141 – Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, is Exactly Backwards!
May 01, 2020
Scroll down for pictures of some things included in today’s episode.
Sitting in my truck the other day, I had a revelation. Here it is:
When you are having maintenance done on your airplane, Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, is exactly backwards.
Instead, it’s important to “Communicate, then Navigate, and finally Aviate.”
First, communicate.
TALK WITH your A&P or shop about the work you need done. Establish good communication right from the start, and maintain that communication all the way through the process. This way, you can hopefully avoid the surprises that could happen.
Second, navigate.
WORK WITH your A&P or shop to navigate through the discrepancies on your airplane, and develop a plan of action you both agree on.
Third, and finally, aviate.
FLY WITH your A&P!
Well… maybe not always, depending on the situation. BUT, in my opinion, your A&P should trust their work enough to be willing to go flying with you after working on your plane.
Here’s the point:
When something unexpected happens in flight, it’s absolutely important to “Aviate, then Navigate, then Communicate.”
But for maintenance, it’s just the opposite.
For maintenance, it’s vitally important to “Communicate, then Navigate, then Aviate.”
Communicate what you need done, and stay in touch through the process.
Navigate a clear plan of action WITH your A&P.
And when the work is done, you’re ready to AVIATE!
Here’s the Piper Cherokee that needed cowling latch repair: (Super nice-looking airplane.)
And here’s the Aerostar fuel quantity gauge that was discussed in this episode: (This was the successful reading after cleaning the wiring connection inside the right wing fuel tank.)
Now back to my little “rabbit trail” I mentioned early in today’s episode:
I did in fact, fill out the contact information on Matt Guthmiller’s website, to see if he would be willing to be a guest on the podcast sometime… we’ll see what he says. (At 19, he became the youngest person to fly around the world solo in an airplane!)
I can’t find the video I watched last night, but Matt has a ton of great videos on YouTube… and if you’re interested, by all means check out his website:
I also found a good video by Bold Method, that explains what a contact approach is. I was curious after hearing Matt Guthmiller talk about it.
Have a great week friends!
The post “141 – Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, is Exactly Backwards!” appeared first on Dean Showalter’s website, AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com
140 – I Traveled to Wyoming and Canada this Week and Learned About Four Different Airplanes!
Apr 18, 2020
Before we get into the places I “traveled” through FaceTime calls, I wanted to share something you might be interested in… my friends, John and Leslie Caubble (FlyMauiHI.com) now have a “Fly Maui” YouTube channel, and I recently watched their new video where they talked about ForeFlight basics… It’s called ForeFlight 101. It’s really good information, and here’s a link for that video:
I “traveled” to 3 different locations this week, not physically, but through FaceTime video calls, where I talked with 3 airplane owners and “walked around” their airplanes with them. It was a blast! Listen to today’s episode to hear about those calls.
Facetime call #1: Dallas Mount in Wheatland, Wyoming
Dallas owns and flies a 1952 C35 Bonanza. He bought the airplane and brought it back to life, after some years of inactivity. His story is inspiring, and I had a great time talking with him and his buddy Arnie. Listen to today’s episode to hear more about the history of Dallas’ airplane and the things he’s doing to get it in excellent operating condition.
FaceTime call #2: Curtis Penner in Canada
Curtis Penner was the first airplane owner I talked with this week. He’s up in Canada, just across the border from North Dakota. He’s got two airplanes, an RV-10 and a Bearhawk Patrol. The RV-10 is a tricycle gear traveling machine, that Curtis describes as “Like a Cirrus, but affordable,” and the Bearhawk Patrol is a two-place taildragger type aircraft.
Here’s the RV-10:
And here’s the Bearhawk Patrol:
Now THAT is aviation adventure!
Also, later on, after our call, Curtis sent me an email with some excellent widsom and advice about succeeding as a pilot and airplane owner… I shared that portion of his email in the audio for today’s episode.
Facetime call #3: Warwick Patterson in British Columbia
Warwick owns and flies an older well-kept Cessna 172 and is a very fascinating individual. One of his websites is FormulaPhoto.com (very interesting indeed.)
I also discovered Warwick has a podcast and YouTube channel: “Flying BC.” You can find information about the podcast at FlyingBC.com
I highly recommend starting with episode 3, “James Marasa: Out of the clouds, into the trees.” This is an incredible survival story that could have been a disaster… well worth listening to.
So those are the three FaceTime calls I wanted to share in this episode.
I also have two other items I talked about as well: An early morning flight with my Friend Matt in a Cessna 182, and a conversation with April Zook of the AD Toolbox and AirworthinessDirectives.com
First, the flight with Matt: (It was one of those glassy smooth mornings:)
And here’s the view approaching back into SHD after our trip to Brookneal, Campbell County Airport:
And the final thing I wanted to share in this episode, is about April and Reuben Zook, with AirworthinessDirectives.com and The AD Toolbox. They are great people and I was reminded of that again when April asked me to give some feedback about a new project they’re working on… so I thought I’d mention them again here and encourage you to check out their resources.
April and Reuben have the best AD research and record keeping system in the industry… and they are super nice people who are available whenever you have a question.
Have a great week friends!
139 – My Alternator Came Apart… Should I Also Replace the Voltage Regulator?
Apr 04, 2020
NOTICE: UNTIL THE END OF MAY 2020, USE CODE “CANARD” FOR A 20% DISCOUNT ON MY VIDEO COURSE “SAFETY WIRE LIKE A PRO!” (Listen to the podcast to hear the story behind the word “canard” and why I chose that for the code.)
Click the following link to learn about the course:
I received an email recently asking a question about an alternator that came apart due to a failed bearing… listen to today’s podcast episode for some thoughts on that.
Also, many older airplanes don’t have a digital voltage indicator on the instrument panel, so here’s a fantastic solution for plugging in to the cigarette lighter: (and the great thing is, it’s under $20!)
Here are some other items of interest from this past week: (All of these situations are described in today’s episode.)
STRANGE VACUUM GAUGE INDICATIONS IN A MOONEY – CHECK OUT THE DETERIORATED HOSE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSING THIS:
EXHAUST SYSTEM PRESSURE TESTING ON AN AEROSTAR:
A SLICK MAGNETO THAT MADE IT TO ABOUT 1700 HOURS! (This one has gone to Kevin Herrington at Aircraft Ignition Services, LLC for repair.)
A LOOSE BOLT IN A TURBOCHARGER SUPPORT BRACE: (NOTICE THE RUSTY COLOR IN THE SEAM, WHICH INDICATES CHAFING. ALSO NOTICE THE WEAR MARK UNDER THE WASHER.)
For more information about noticing colors on an engine, check out podcast episode 036 – Tell-Tale Colors in an airplane’s engine compartment.
A FUEL QUANTITY COMPUTER IN AN AEROSTAR:
(We sent this component to Tech-Aire in Wichita, KS because the right fuel gauge was not indicating properly, and “Bill” advised the problem is usually in this box… so I’m hopeful this will fix it.)
PLEASE SEND ME A VOICE MESSAGE OR AN EMAIL:
Which one of these video training courses would you be most eager to learn from:
Servicing landing gear shock struts.
Basic electrical system operation and troubleshooting.
Exhaust valve borescoping and interpretation.
Another idea you have! (Let me know.)
I’d love to hear your thoughts, so click that tab over on the right side of the page and record a voice message, or, send me an email: dean@airplaneownermaintenance.com
Don’t forget, you can get my safety wiring video tutorial course for 20% off through the end of May 2020… click this link for more info:
138 – Mike White and his 1948 Piper Stinson
Mar 27, 2020
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Special announcement: We have more pictures of Mike’s airplane, but first, I want to let you know about a Zoom call I’ve scheduled for tomorrow.
I’m hoping to provide a way to get together online for some aviation encouragement in this weird time we’re in with the Corona Virus and the effects of it. Here are the details for tomorrow’s call:
Time: Mar 28, 2020 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
If you’d like to see some pictures of things I’ve been working on, and how it has looked at our airport this past week, along with some encouragement to keep moving forward in this time, then please join me tomorrow on the call!
If it works out well tomorrow, we might have another call again soon.
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Now back to Mike’s Piper Stinson…
Listen to the audio for today’s episode to hear the fascinating story of how Mike and Sasha White acquired their favorite airplane, and named her “Charlie!”
The freshly overhauled Franklin engine is in pristine condition!
The tail has a very distinct design:
There’s even some beautiful wood interior reminiscent of Charlie’s rich history:
The cowling trim is also a sight to see:
Charlie’s instrument panel sports the beautiful red paint to match the exterior:
… and the leading edge slots provide excellent slow speed and stall characteristics:
All in all, this is a very cool airplane!
I had no idea there was such a thing as a “Piper Stinson.” Thanks Mike, for educating me!
I discovered just today Mike has a special tail hoist he built to lift the tailwheel off the floor for cleaning the belly… real craftsmanship!
So… perhaps the next time Charlie rolls up to the ramp at KSHD, I’ll get to meet the whole crew… Mike and Sasha, and their little Yorkipoo, Bocce!
137 – IA Seminar Borescoping and Exhaust Valve Stories
Mar 15, 2020
Yesterday, I had an opportunity to present a talk at our local IA renewal seminar about exhaust valve borescoping.
I shared some of my favorite pictures – the ones that demonstrate how critically important borescoping is, and that compression testing alone is not sufficient.
The following three examples are especially startling, since they showed a compression test of at least 60/80, but were in imminent danger of in-flight failure:
The FIRST ONEis from a Continental engine in an A36 Bonanza. Notice the green area at 9:00, indicating that area was in danger of a piece breaking off the edge.
The SECOND ONEis from another Continental engine, also an A36 Bonanza. The compression of this one was 61/80, but there was a chunk missing from the edge, with a crack toward the center of the valve!
The broken edge still had enough area to seal for a compression test:
And the THIRD ONE was from a Lycoming engine in a Cessna 152. Take a look:
In the previous three examples, the borescope was absolutely necessary to discover these dangerous and unairworthy exhaust valves.
For comparison purposes, the following two pictures are examples of healthy exhaust valves:
I also shared some pictures of valves that other people have removed from their engines.
The following is from Sylvan Martin’s Grumman Tiger with a Lycoming O-360 engine. Sylvan was able to land safely after his engine ran slightly rough. He said, “My opinion is that cylinder 1 would have been noticeable at a minimum of 150 hrs before it deteriorated to the point of cracking that far across the face… Compression check will help w/ ring problems, but our family’s experience in industrial diesels (power generation) is that rings fail slowly/predictably while valves fail suddenly/catastrophically…..”
He later had to change two other cylinders, after the borescope indicated they were burning:
(Previous three photos courtesy of Sylvan Martin.)
Jason Figueroa had to change a cylinder on his Cherokee 235’s Lycoming O-540 engine due to a burning exhaust valve that was found with a borescope.
(Photo courtesy of Jason Figueroa.)
Jason said, “Borescoping told us we had an impending problem, and led to catching it before it failed.”
Here are two more exhast valve pictures from an unidentified source:
I’m convinced this broken valve could have been detected with a borescope LONG BEFORE the edge broke off.
My hope is that all of us who have the responsibility of determining the airworthiness of piston engines in airplanes, will use a borescope along with the compression tester for higher levels of safety and reliability.
Do you have a dream to fly? If so, you might be encouraged by the poem I shared at the end of my talk yesterday. My daughter sent it to me one day last Summer… it’s called, “The Dream Does Not Die!” If you’re interested, be sure to listen to the last part of the audio.
136 – Engine Oil Leak: How Much is Too Much?
Feb 22, 2020
Engine oil leaks are a common problem on small airplanes with piston engines. But how much oil leakage is too much? Here’s an indicator: If there’s oil on the nose tire, and it paints a stripe on the pavement with each revolution, that’s too much oil leakage.
This was the case the other day on a Cessna 172, so we did some detective work to see where the oil was coming from.
After removing the cowling, it was obvious the oil leak was significant, and it appeared to be coming from the left side of the engine.
Here’s what we discovered about the rocker oil return line on cylinder #4:
The wire that holds the engine baffles in place under cylinders 2 and 4, had cut a hole in the bottom of the rocker cover oil return line. When the engine is running, this line continuously returns oil from the rocker arm area back to the crankcase. With engine vibration, this is a common area for chafing to occur, and is an important area to inspect.
Here’s a closer look at the oil line after it was removed. The spiral wrap was a previous attempt to prevent chafing, but the wire still cut through the line.
After removing the spiral wrap, the chafed area was clear:
It doesn’t take a very large hole to make a big oil mess!
This story reminds me of some helpful principles for evaluating engine oil leaks:
If engine oil is dripping on the nosewheel, it’s probably not normal and needs to be checked.
If something changes, check it out. Example: engine breather tubes sometimes drip after shutdown, but if you notice a dramatic increase, make a further investigation.
When troubleshooting oil leaks, go to the highest point on the engine where you see oil. Oil can run down on lower components and lead to wrong conclusions about the source of the oil leak.
Verify all connections and fittings are tight.
Listen to the audio in today’s episode to hear about some other loose fittings that recently caused problems… one on a Piper Turbo Arrow, and one on a Piper Saratoga.
135 – Carl Valeri: Airline Pilot, Piper Pilot, and Aviation Careers Coach
Feb 09, 2020
After a successful career in computers early in life, Carl Valeri decided years ago it was time to pursue his passion for aviation. Since that time, he’s been an airline pilot, flight instructor, aviation careers coach, mentor, Piper Cherokee pilot, and many other things.
Carl is well known as the host of two podcasts, the Aviation Careers Podcast, and the Stuck Mic AvCast. You can find him in both of those places:
In today’s episode, we talked about all kinds of fascinating things, including:
Carl’s background and how he got into aviation.
How he was hired years ago as an airline pilot, and furlowed the same year, in 2011.
How his struggle served to prepare him for what has become one of his greatest passions… “Helping people move forward with their aviation career.”
What the acronym “CAMEL” means to an airline pilot… I had never heard this before, and I thought it was really cool.
Carl’s current opportunity to lease and fly a Piper Cherokee… the 12th Cherokee to come off the line years ago.
The maintenance issues he’s encountered recently with the Cherokee.
And since this is the Airplane Owner Maintenance podcast, it’s only appropriate that we document this part with some pictures.
ISSUE #1: Smoke in the cockpit! Apparently somebody forgot to tighten an oil line!
The oil made a mess on the cowling. And upon closer examination, the source was identified – the rocker oil return line B-nut had come loose. When the oil dripped down on the hot exhaust, it produced smoke that made its way into the cockpit.
Solution and reminder: Always double check engine fluid lines and hoses, and apply torque putty to the B-nuts.
ISSUE #2: Fuel leak. Carl told us about a leak that showed up under the airplane on the left side. Listen to the episode to hear his advice about how to communicate with your A&P about issues like this.
It turned out the leak was from his “gascolator” or fuel strainer. Here are the parts from this ancient piece of technology… just like you might have seen on your grandpa’s tractor!
In this situation, Carl made the wise decision to upgrade to a “Steve’s Aircraft” gascolator, a much better design with increased reliability and ease of maintenance. Take a look:
ISSUE #3: Exhaust leak. Carl noticed some abnormal discoloration at the cowling seam.
It turned out there was a significant leak at one of the exhaust sleeve transitions in the engine compartment.
This situation is a little different than many Cherokees, since this particular engine was installed with an STC.
ISSUE #4: Electrical problem. With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, Carl was able to recognize how the airplane had been showing some warning signs of this issue… be sure to listen to the audio to get the details.
What seemed like a complex problem in the beginning, turned out to be a blown fuse.
Sometimes the little things can make a big difference!
In spite of the maintenance challenges, Carl still loves to fly the Cherokee. I think one reason why is because he shares his love for aviation with others:
In telling about his aviation adventures in life, Carl is quick to acknowledge that, “I could never have done any of that without the help of others.” Now, he’s “paying it forward” in so many ways to help those who are coming behind him.
And finally, to finish up with a little humor: “Even an airline pilot who flies jets, recognizes there’s something missing in the following picture!
Carl, thank you very much for pushing all of us to keep moving forward and appropriately pursue our aviation dreams! We appreciate you, and I sure am glad flying still puts a smile on your face!
134 – An Unlikely Cause for a Hot Mag on a Cirrus
Feb 02, 2020
“There’s no RPM drop when I select left mag, and if I turn the ignition switch off, the engine continues to run.”
That’s what the owner of this Cirrus reported when he arrived at our airport the other day.
One of our technicians got to work to troubleshoot the problem. Here’s what he found:
The magneto P-lead wiring checked good.
The ignition switch checked good.
It appeared the problem was with the magneto.
So let’s pause and ask, “Which magneto, left or right?”
Good question, because this stuff can sometimes be confusing.
When the pilot got no RPM drop when selecting left mag, it likely means the ability to ground (or turn off) the right mag has been lost. So even though we are selecting left mag, it’s the right mag that actually has the problem.
And sure enough, that’s exactly the case here… upon removing the point cover from the right mag (which also contains a capacitor with a stud for the P-lead attachment,) we determined with an ohm meter check that the capacitor in the P-lead circuit had failed in the open position, making it impossible to ground (or turn off) the right magneto.
The point cover along with the capacitor, mounts to the magneto as seen on the left side of the following picture:
The new capacitor has been ordered and the Cirrus should be flying again real soon. You can hear the full story in today’s podcast episode.
The other P-lead story in this episode is from an A36 Bonanza I’m inspecting. This is a very different situation… this one had some chafing P-leads in the engine compartment that were a problem-in-the-making. Take a look:
After pulling the wires down a bit, the worn areas became really obvious:
These wires have 4 layers:
An inside center wire (the actual P-lead.)
A layer of insulation on the center wire.
A layer of braided shielding to prevent radio noise.
An outside layer of insulation.
Thankfully, the inside wires (P-leads) were still protected… if those inside wires had shorted to ground, the magnetos could have failed to operate. If the P-leads are shorted to ground by touching the airframe, it’s the same effect as turning the ignition switch off.
Here’s one last picture of the P-leads with some context of how they are attached to the magnetos:
So… any time you’re working in the engine compartment, whether for an oil change, or anything else, it’s a good idea to look around for any signs of chafing… sometimes you might be able to avoid a future in-flight problem by catching the issue early.
133 – The Firetrucks Rolled When a Navajo’s Landing Gear Did Not Extend
Jan 26, 2020
I was sitting in my car that day, having lunch with my friend Matt, when we noticed the airport fire trucks were rolling out toward the runway. Although they exercise these trucks regularly, this time seemed different.
And sure enough, a Piper Navajo made a low pass and it was obvious the landing gear was not extended. I decided to go inside and try to find out what was going on.
After some conversation with the unicom people, I offered to talk with the pilot. They gladly agreed.
Thankfully, we had maintained several Navajos in the past at Classic Aviation, so I was reasonably familiar with the landing gear system. I spoke with the pilot on the radio, and confirmed he was able to extend the gear with the emergency extension hand pump, and the gear selector handle had returned to neutral, with all three gear down lights on.
This seemed promising, and we anticipated an uneventful landing. A low pass confirmed the gear now appeared to be extended.
A successful landing was a relief to everyone.
After landing, the nose baggage compartment was opened, and it became obvious the hydraulic fluid in the power pack was very low… apparently so low the engine driven pump could not pump the gear down.
Here’s where a good understanding of the system is helpful.
There is a “standpipe” in the hydraulic power pack that has a unique function. If the fluid level gets too low, the standpipe reserves enough remaining fluid for the emergency hand pump to pump the gear down. It’s a great safety feature in this airplane, and others with hydraulic landing gear.
We filled the power pack with MIL-5606 aviation hydraulic fluid, and recommended the pilot get the system checked for leaks.
Listen to the audio for the complete information on this one, but the main lesson is “Be familiar with your retractable landing gear system, especially the emergency procedures.”
Here are a several suggestions to make this happen:
Practice your emergency landing gear extension procedure, in flight, with a competent and knowledgeable instructor or pilot, at least once a year.
Visit your maintenance shop during the annual inspection and operate the emergency gear system with the airplane on jacks.
Watch the gear operate on jacks, from outside the airplane, so you can have a visual picture of what is actually happening when you retract and extend the landing gear.
Memorize your landing gear emergency procedures, and keep the manual/checklist in a convenient and accessible location in your airplane.
Finally, make sure your landing gear system is well maintained and properly adjusted, with full hydraulic fluid (if applicable) to ensure safe and reliable operation.
132 – Real Inflight Magneto Failures & Troubleshooting
Jan 17, 2020
Note: scroll to the bottom of this post for a special announcement.
Have you ever experienced an inflight magneto failure? If not, you might some day… but if you take action on the recommendation in today’s episode, you can dramatically reduce the likelihood of that happening.
The left mag on this Cessna 172RG failed in flight, and after opening the mag, it became obvious what happened.
The finger electrode that is part of the distributor gear inside the magneto, had gotten loose from its mounting position, and was able to rotate freely 180 degrees, while still occasionally resting in its proper position, which made it somewhat intermittent. Take a look:
The finger electrode should stay firmly in it’s mounting point as in the following picture:
The LAA, or Light Aircraft Association, put out an excellent, one page Airworthiness Alert February 21, 2019, about this very issue. Here’s a link for that document:
The bulletin recommends changing the copper electrode in certain Slick magnetos to a monel electrode, which is much stronger. This is definitely a worthwhile service bulletin to comply with for the affected Slick mags.
Now back to the Cessna 172RG… it also needed a new ignition switch kit. The Gerdes ignition switch is subject to AD 93-05-06 which requires inspection and lubrication each 2000 hours, although I sometimes wonder if this interval is frequent enough. Take a look at the carbon tracking and wear inside the ignition switch:
This condition can cause the switch to malfunction… it’s easily remedied by installing an A-3650-2 Ignition Switch Kit, which includes replacement of this contact plate, as well as the 3 contact cups in the switch housing. Notice the difference between the old cups and the new cups… any contacts that have the silver plating worn off, must be replaced… most of the switches I’ve inspected, have needed a new kit.
Replacing the switch plate is fairly simple, but slightly tedious, by transferring one wire at a time, from the old switch plate, to the new one:
The second story we talked about in today’s episode is about an inflight magneto failure in an Aerostar. The pilot did some excellent inflight troubleshooting, and landed safely after determining the right engine left mag had failed, and was able to fly to a safe destination with the right engine selected on right mag only.
So after today’s episode, I have several tips about magneto troubleshooting:
When you select one mag, if the engine immediately runs rough, it’s most likely a spark plug issue.
When you select one mag, if it’s a more smooth, but large RPM drop, it may be a magneto problem.
When you select one mag, if the engine dies immediately, it might be a mag, or a shorted P-lead, or the ignition switch, (the switch being the most unlikely, in my opinion.)
Causes of ignition system troubles, in the order of likelihood:
Spark plug issues.
Magneto issues.
P-lead wiring.
Ignition lead, or corrosion in magneto attachment.
Ignition switch.
In fact, I seriously wonder if both issues talked about in today’s episode could have been avoided. I don’t have information on the 172RG’s magneto, but the Aerostar’s failed magneto had about 1000 hours since overhaul.
Find a reputable magneto shop, and keep your mags in tip-top condition.
My favorite magneto shop to recommend is Aircraft Ignition Services LLC, operated by Kevin and Leah Herrington in Honey Grove, Texas. They’ve been doing excellent work for us at Classic Aviation LLC. Check out their website:
Announcement: Carl Valeri is the host of the Aviation Careers Podcast and the Stuck Mic AvCast. He recently interviewed me for an episode of each of these shows (ACP255 and SMAC229), and it was so inspiring to talk with him. You can find these here:
During the recent annual inspection on Drew Wright’s Cessna 182, cylinder #1 had a low compression of 42/80. However, with the amazing technology of borescoping, he was able to take a look inside the cylinder. The nice concentric circle of deposits on the face of the exhaust valve indicates a healthy valve. Drew wondered if perhaps this valve would be a good candidate for lapping in place, without removing the cylinder.
Even though the valve appeared healthy, Drew noticed a significant amount of air leaking out the exhaust during the compression test. Once again, his borescope was very helpful in observing the condition of the exhaust valve and seat area. The valve looks good, except for the rough and uneven seating area.
The seat also looks good, except for the corresponding rough and uneven seating area.
With the supervision of his A&P, Drew was able to remove the rocker cover and the exhaust valve springs. After verifying the valve guide was in good condition with no excessive wear, and the valve was sliding freely in the valve guide, he was ready to “lap” the valve (to apply a small amount of valve grinding compound to the edge of the valve using a long Q-tip through the top spark plug hole, and spinning the valve against the seat to smooth out and improve the seating area.)
Drew used a piece of wood dowel rod, some clear tubing, and some hose clamps, for this task… I like his idea so much, I’m planning to use this technique in the future.
One of the most important parts of the lapping process, is cleaning out the residue after the job is finished. One method is to spray Av-gas into the top spark plug hole to wash the grinding compound off the valve and the surrounding areas, and let it run out the bottom spark plug hole. Multiple washings, along with some compressed air, cleans up the area very well.
An additional thing Drew did was to push a thin cloth into the top spark plug hole, and pull the valve back to squeeze the cloth between the valve and valve seat. Then, he could turn the valve against the cloth and clean the seating area even better. I’m also going to keep that little tip in mind for my next lapping project. Thanks Drew!
The seating area of the valve showed a nice smooth band after the lapping was done – very impressive!
After the lapping was completed, a new rotator was installed on the exhaust valve, everything was reassembled, and the compression immediately improved!
But the best result was the compression test that was done after running the engine… that same cylinder that was 42/80, now had a compression of 78/80! What a fantastic result, and now, hopefully that cylinder will run reliably for many more hours.
Be sure to listen to the audio for this episode for more details about Drew’s adventure. He also shared about an induction leak that was visible because of some blue fuel staining.
After removing the intake pipe, it was obvious the gasket had shifted out of position during the assembly process many years ago… perhaps this was part of the poor idling problem that was also corrected during the annual inspection. After installing a new intake gasket and adjusting the idle mixture setting, the engine idled much better than before.
Drew’s story is a true inspiration in so many ways.
So, if you, as an airplane owner, have an interest in learning and getting involved in the maintenance, just find an A&P who is willing to give you some supervision to keep things legal, and you’ll have all kinds of possibilities.
Well done Drew, on your exhaust valve lapping project! I’m thrilled with the result you achieved on this one!
Drew has a young family, and it makes me happy to know he’s taking such good care of his airplane… after all, he’s got some precious cargo to haul around!
130 – A Fuel Leak That Didn’t Catch Fire
Dec 14, 2019
Limited time offer on the “Safety Wire Like A Pro!” video tutorial course: (Offer good until midnight December 24, 2019. Just use code “2019” at checkout.)
Hey, check out this 10 second video of an absolutely startling fuel leak I found this past week during a “routine oil change.”
The reason I put that “routine oil change” in quotes is because I’m convinced we should never view an oil change as just a routine thing in itself.
Rather, it should be viewed as an opportunity to become a detective and find any other issues that might need attention in the surrounding area, especially in the engine compartment… like a fuel leak.
Notice the blue staining in the following pictures… clues of a fuel leak:
Apparently, the gasket on this fuel screen plug was hardened and brittle, and no longer able to provide a good seal.
Listen to today’s podcast episode to hear the story about this fuel leak, and how it was solved.
Also, notice the safety wire on the fuel screen plug in the video… it’s in a very tight spot that’s really difficult to work in. It was a bit of an ordeal to even get the safety wire off the plug to remove it.
And reinstalling the safety wire was even more challenging… which reminds me of something I want offer you:
Between now (Saturday, December 14) and Christmas eve, December 24, 2019 at midnight Eastern Standard Time, I’m offering a 10% discount on the safety wiring video tutorial course, “Safety Wire Like A Pro!” This course will teach you everything you need to know to perform excellent safety wiring during preventive maintenance on your airplane.
Whether you’re changing the engine oil, cleaning fuel screens, or safety wiring a brake caliper after changing a tire, there’s a detailed video in this course to help you with that task.
Become a safety wiring expert with this detailed training opportunity. It’s like I’m right there with you at your airplane… you can set your laptop on a table by your airplane, play the appropriate video, and do your safety wiring right along with me, as you watch me in the video… it’s like having your own personal instructor right beside your airplane.
So don’t settle for that ugly, loose safety wiring that I too often see on airplanes… instead, take advantage of this valuable resource and become a safety wiring expert!
129 – Air Filters: Don’t Let Your Airplane Suffocate!
Nov 23, 2019
Whether your airplane has a “Brackett” brand filter like the first picture, or a “Donaldson” brand filter like the second filter, or another brand like “Challenger” or something else, they all need to be clean and in good condition.
The air your airplane breathes is critically important. Your engine, your vacuum instruments, and even other components, all need to breathe fresh clean air in order to function properly.
Listen to today’s episode to hear about induction filters, vacuum system filters, and even an obscure filter you may not have thought about.
Take a look at what can happen when a Brackett filter is not changed often enough. Upon removal, the foam filter crumbled apart.
Brackett filters have an expiration date on the package… while they work very well when they’re in good condition, they can also fall apart when they are expired. Don’t install an expired filter!
Vacuum systems also need clean filters. Check out this vacuum regulator filter that is covered with dust… this thing has been here for years! Compare this with the new filter that needs to be installed. This filter is sometimes overlooked at the annual inspection. The part number is B-3-5-1. Or, if you buy a Rapco filter, it’s RAB-3-5-1.
The vacuum inlet filter is also an important one to keep clean, so that your vacuum instruments, like the attitude indicator and directional gyro, can breathe nice, clean air. Here’s an example of an old, dirty vacuum inlet filter, compared with a new, clean one:
Clean air filers are vitally important!
Another obscure filter I encountered recently was on an Aerostar 601P. This airplane has a Sandel SN3308 electronic HSI. The internal lamp needs to be changed at regular intervals. Upon removing the unit from the instrument panel, I discovered the fan filter in the bottom of the tray was falling apart. Take a look at the view from under the instrument panel, and how little was left of the foam filter:
The fan pulls air in through the bottom of the instrument tray, for cooling.
It’s a bit of an obscure air filter, but still an important one.
A call to Sandel was very helpful. Although the new filter is a fairly thin, coarse mesh piece of foam, it actually has a part number, and the price was reasonable ($8.) Check it out in the following picture:
The HSI is now breathing clean air again.
So… whether it’s an airplane’s induction filter, a vacuum system filter, an instrument filter, or some other filter, it’s important for all these filters to be clean and in good condition.
Take a look at your filters, and make sure your airplane is breathing nice clean air. Your engine, your vacuum system, and your instruments, will thank you in the form of reliable performance
Filters discussed in this episode:
Brackett induction filters.
Donaldson induction filters.
Challenger Aviation induction filters.
Vacuum inlet and regulator filters.
Sandel HSI cooling fan filter.
128 – Should I Buy a Twin Cessna or a Beech Baron?
Nov 15, 2019
In this week’s episode, we are talking about upgrading to a twin, and some thoughts about choosing between a twin Cessna and a Beech Baron.
Thank you Simon Cail, for your email, and for permission to read the email in this episode.
Simon’s decision was between a Cessna 340 and a Beechcraft Baron 58.
The pictures above are of a Cessna 414 and a Baron 55. But I think they’re close enough for the purposes of this episode.
Listen to the audio for some thoughts about the two types of airplanes, especially from a maintenance perspective.
Simon, I wish you well in your upgrade to a twin… let me know what you decide. And thanks again for your email!
127 – No Oil Pressure in a Cessna 150
Nov 09, 2019
My friend Matt and I had a plan, and it was going to be an awesome adventure. The crisp, clear morning was as nice as we could hope for on a November day in Virginia. The half hour drive from my house to the small town New Market Airport was absolutely refreshing… exhilarating even.
As I pulled onto the airport drive, I didn’t go far before I was compelled to back up and take a picture of the signs that arrested my attention. “DEAD END STREET” AND “LEARN TO FLY HERE” just did not seem to fit together in my mind. As I think about it, I wish I could replace that top sign with “PATHWAY TO POSSIBILITIES!”
For me, and for my friend Matt, we had far more in mind that day than any dead end street. If our planned adventure came together, we would be flying a little Cessna 150 to Tangier Island (KTGI) and maybe having a crab cake sandwich for lunch. But first, we had to solve a problem… a report of “No oil pressure.”
We struggled to get the “barn doors” open in the old rustic hangar, and the site looked so familiar for these old airports, complete with gravel floor, a motorcycle off to the side, as well as a Cessna 120 and another Cessna 150. I was actually pleasantly surprised when I saw the good condition of the airplane we’d be working on.
We decided to go ahead and start the engine and see if we got any oil pressure within 30 seconds. The engine started nicely and within seconds, we saw the oil pressure needle creeping up… good news indeed. However, after some warm-up time, we noticed the oil pressure needle went back down, and was approaching the red line at the bottom of the gauge. (It had never made it up to the green arc.)
So we shut down, and decided to see if the oil pressure line had any air in it. Thankfully, the gauge was very accessible at the bottom of the pilot instrument panel. After loosening the nut for the oil pressure line behind the gauge, there was not even a drop of oil there. So we attempted to motor the engine with the starter to get the air out of the line.
Now we had another problem… low battery power! The engine wouldn’t even turn over more than a turn or so. Back to troubleshooting, except now in the electrical system.
Matt suspected the alternator was not working, and this proved to be true when we discovered no voltage at the field terminal on the back of the alternator when we turned the master switch on.
Then something jumped out at me… I was standing over on the left side of the engine, and I noticed the whole wiring harness plug was disconnected from the voltage regulator at the firewall. Take a look.
Amazing how well things work when all the wiring is connected properly!
So after charging the battery, we tried again to purge the air out of the oil pressure line. Matt motored the engine with the starter for maybe 30 seconds, and just as he let off the starter, I saw oil seeping out at the gauge connection… success, finally!
This time, after starting, the oil pressure climbed up in the green arc, and stayed there during the runup.
Now, how about Tangier Island? Could we still go?
Nope… I noticed the maintenance records were in the back of the airplane, and the airplane was still in annual… sort of. The main thing is there was some lacking documentation that made it unwise to fly the airplane until it was resolved. Mechanically, I totally would have been confident to go flying in that airplane with Matt. But paperwork-wise, the issue needed to be resolved.
That’s ok… instead of lunch at Tangier Island, Matt and I had breakfast at Dunkin Donuts. And… we’re not giving up on the Tangier Island idea. In fact, after thinking about the whole thing, I did some research, and discovered a young man named Swayne Martin, who gave me even more motivation to visit Tangier Island. He and his brother flew their mom there in a Cessna 172 several years ago as a mother’s day gift! If you’re interested, his post is very interesting.
You may recognize Swayne from his involvement with the Boldmethod online flight training resources. He also has an excellent YouTube channel. I also found out he has gone on to become a first officer with one of the regional airlines. Well done Swayne!
Now back to Tangier Island… Matt and I are not giving up, and I’m confident we’ll still get there one of these days… very possibly in that very Cessna 150 we worked on. And when we do, you’ll hear about it, because it will no-doubt be an excellent adventure for another podcast episode!
It really was a great day, and the sunset view of my neighbor’s field from my back yard, was just as fantastic as the sunrise view on the way to the New Market Airport.
Days like this make me say, “Thank you Lord, it’s good to be alive!”
126 – Magneto Trouble at Higher Altitudes
Nov 04, 2019
Corrosion in the towers of a magneto can cause high resistance, and the problem will be magnified as you go up in altitude.
This green corrosion could likely be cleaned up and it may improve some, but it may also indicate a good time to perform either a 500 hour inspection or an overhaul on the magneto.
Pressurized magnetos have an o-ring that seals the connection where the wiring harness attaches to the magneto. I found this one on a twin Cessna last week, while changing one of the magnetos.
Listen to today’s episode to hear about the details of this issue, and some things to think about for optimal magneto performance.
Thankfully, we got the twin Cessna running again, and the owner made 4 flights the very next day!
Have a great week friends!
125 – Engine Failure – What Would You Do In A Moment’s Notice?
Oct 14, 2019
Not long ago, there was an unusual engine failure in a Cessna 182 at Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport.
Cindy Ferek was the flight instructor on board that day, and she landed the airplane safely on the runway. Before we get into that story, I’d like to introduce Cindy. (The Cessna 172 in the following picture is not the airplane that had the engine failure.)
Cindy taught high school physical education for 21 years at Turner Ashby High School, which gave her an excellent teaching foundation that she uses today as she skillfully works with students in the cockpit of airplanes. Not only is Cindy an excellent flight instructor, but she’s also just an inspiring person to be around! I hope you’ll listen to the podcast to hear about more of Cindy’s story, both in and out of the airplane.
The engine failure we talked about in today’s episode, happened in the traffic pattern, thankfully. Here’s the airplane after they landed safely and parked it in the grass to save the engine:
Shortly after their successful landing, one of the line guys tugged the airplane up to the maintenance shop.
At first it was challenging to figure out what actually happened to the engine, because there was no external evidence of any problems. But a borescope inspection revealed the exhaust valve in cylinder #1 was not opening at all. And after removing the rocker cover, it became really obvious. The rocker arm shaft boss had broken apart and the rocker arm could not operate the exhaust valve.
Thank you Cindy, for sharing a bit of your aviation journey and your engine failure story with us, and for all the excellent work you do to make aviation such an inspiring endeavor to pursue!
For those of you who would like to contact Cindy, there are multiple ways to get in touch with her. (And she would love to hear from you.)
Blog: CindyFerek.Weebly.com
Email: pilotcferek@gmail.com
Cell: 540-607-0251
P.S. One last reminder:
If you work on your airplane, and need to learn to perform excellent safety wiring, check out the “Safety Wire Like A Pro” video tutorial course… It will show you in great detail how to do an excellent job, whether it’s safety wiring an oil filter, a fuel strainer, a brake caliper, or any other item an airplane owner is approved to perform.
124 – Owner Maintenance and Cessna Fuel Strainers
Oct 04, 2019
Before we get to the fuel strainers, here are some highlights from the past couple weeks:
Our local EAA chapter had its annual pig roast / fly-in / picnic at Sheldon Early’s “GMI” Greenmount International – a fun name for a country grass runway. It was a perfect evening with a bunch of great people.
There’s even a quaint old porch area for watching airplanes!
One of the members brought a chromed exhaust valve to show me… check it out:
Also, I want to say a big congratulations to John and Leslie Caubble… they both passed their instrument check rides this past Monday, September 30, 2019! Well done friends! You can keep up with their Hawaii flying endeavors by listening to their podcast “Fly Maui.” FlyMauiHI.com
Now for fuel strainers. In today’s episode, we talk about the proper torque value for single engine Cessna fuel strainers, or gascolators. This is one of those “special torques,” and it’s worth checking the maintenance manual for the proper torque value… otherwise, it’s so easy to overtorque the base nut that holds the fuel strainer in place.
Listen to this episode for some ideas on how to avoid common pitfalls.
Remember, 25-30 inch pounds is not very much at all!
Finally, I want to say a huge thank you to Jodey Smith – JodeySmith.com
Joday helped me solve a problem I’ve had for quite some time… only the last 100 podcast episodes were showing up in the podcast apps.
But this past weekend, Maria and I attended a speaker training conference by Kent Julian in Georgia, and Jodey Smith was there running the sound, video, and camera equipment… Jodey told me in about 2 minutes what I should try… and it worked! Thanks Jodey!
So… if you want to access the early episodes of the Airplane Owner Maintenance podcast, you can now find all 124 episodes in the podcast apps and directories.
That’s all for this episode… have a great weekend!
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