Service difficulty report · Piston Ring · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
November 25, 2016
Submitted
November 28, 2016
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N108JL
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft serial
318352028
Aircraft time
7,602 hours
Engine
Lyc TIO540J2BD
Engine time
398 hours
Propeller
Hartzl HCE3YR2A
Part
Piston Ring
Part number
73857
Condition
Broken
Location
Lt Engine
Part time
398 hours
Component
Cylinder · Lyc
Component part number
LW12966
Stage of operation
DE
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
K, S
Precautionary procedure
E

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

DURING DESCENT, LT ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD TEMP FROM 390 DEGREES F TO APPROXIMATELY ONE NEEDLE WIDTH BELOW RED LINE OBSERVED. TO KEEP TEMP BELOW RED LINE, MIXTURE WAS GRADUALLY INCREASED UNTIL FULL RICH JUST BEFORE CHECKS. DURING CHECKS, LEFT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WAS OBSERVED TO BE DECREASING, BUT STILL WITHIN NORMAL "GREEN" RANGE AT BOTTOM END. OIL TEMPERATURE NEVER EXCEEDED 200 DEGREES F. ON OIL PRESSURE DECREASED TO ZERO & ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN DURING ROLL OUT. POST FLIGHT VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF OIL ON LOWER AFT PORTION OF LEFT ENGINE & ON LEFT MAIN GEAR. OIL QUANTITY INDICATOR SHOWED APPROXIMATELY 6 OF 12 QUARTS REMAINED IN THE SYSTEM. ROCKER BOX INSPECTION PERFORMED ON ALL CYLINDERS & DISCOLORATION CONSISTENT WITH HEAT WAS NOTED AROUND THE EXHAUST VALVE STEM OF NR 6 CYLINDER. VISUAL INSPECTION OF EXHAUST SYSTEM REVEALED CONCENTRATION OF OIL COMING FROM NR 6 CYLINDER EXHAUST PORT. NR 6 CYLINDER WAS REMOVED & PISTON RINGS WERE FOUND TO HAVE BROKEN CAUSING INTERNAL DAMAGE TO CYLINDER, PISTON, & PISTON PIN. FURTHER VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED DAMAGE TO 2(TWO) COMPRESSOR BLADES ON LEFT ENGINE TURBO CHARGER. NR 5 CYLINDER WAS REMOVED FOR VISUAL INSPECTION & CYLINDERS 1,2,3, & 4 WERE INSPECTED WITH BORESCOPE. CONDITION OF REMAINING CYLINDERS APPEARED NORMAL & CROSS-HATCHING ON CYLINDER WALLS OBSERVED. R&R # 6 CYLINDER ASSEMBLY AND TURBO CHARGER. GROUND AND FLIGHT CHECKS NORMAL.

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