Service difficulty report · Piston Ring · Piper PA28151

Difficulty date
December 26, 2004
Submitted
March 24, 2005
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N4238F
Make and model
Piper PA28151
Aircraft serial
287715010
Engine
Lyc O320D3G
Part
Piston Ring
Part number
SL3601SC
Condition
Broken
Location
Engine
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
9
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

CROSS COUNTRY FLT, HEADED TO 2ND FUEL STOP, HEARD A SLIGHT RPM CHANGE IN ENGINE THAT WAS INTERMITTENT. UPON LANDING, PERFORMED MAG CHECK AND ONE MAG WAS A LITTLE ROUGH, HAD THE PLUGS PULLED AND FOUND THAT THE PLUG ON NR 4 CYLINDER WAS FOULED WITH TRACES OF OIL AND LEAD. PLUGS WERE CLEANED AND REINSTALLED. TO BE ON SAFE SIDE, JUST IN CASE HAD A 2ND OIL RING FAILURE, CHANGED FLIGHT TO CHECK OIL CONSUMPTION. UPON LANDING, FOUND IT HAD CONSUMED OVER 3 QUARTS OF OIL. HAD CYLINDER PULLED AND FOUND THE OIL CONTROL RING BROKEN. THIS WAS 2ND RING TO FAIL IN LESS THAN 220 HOURS. RING WAS THE SAME MANDATE AS THE PREVIOUS RING THAT FAILED. BELIEVE BAD BATCH OF RINGS LUCKY IT WAS CAUGHT BEFORE ENG FAILURE. (K)

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