Service difficulty report · Cylinder Head · Diamon DA42

Difficulty date
August 9, 2007
Submitted
October 3, 2007
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N240TS
Make and model
Diamon DA42
Aircraft serial
42072
Engine
Thielt TAE12501
Part
Cylinder Head
Part number
02722001002R1
Condition
Damaged
Location
Engine
Part time
421 hours
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

ENGINE BEGAN LOSING COOLANT BY PRESSURIZING THE COOLING SYSTEM WITH COMBUSTION PRESSURE AND BLOWING COOLANT OVERBOARD. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED AND THE OIL DRAINED, COOLANT WAS FOUND IN THE OIL AND FILLING UP CYLINDER NR 3. IT IS SUSPECTED THAT IF THE CYLINDER HEAD WOULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED, EACH CYLINDER WOULD HAVE HAD A CRACK BETWEEN THE GLOW PLUG AND EXHAUST VALVE RECESSES. THE ENGINE HAD PASSED A COMPRESSION CHECK AND IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE CRACKS WOULD ONLY LEAK WHEN THE ENGINE WAS WARMED TO OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE RESULTANT COOLANT LOSS ONLY INCREASES THE PROBABILIITY OF FURTHER TEMPERATURE EXCURSIONS. A PROBABLE CAUSE WOULD BE INADEQUATE DISTANCE IN THE CASTING OF THE CYLINDER HEAD BETWEEN THE EXHAUST VALVE RECESS AND THE GLOW PLUG. ALTERNATE CAUSES INCLUDE INADEQUATE COOLING PROVIDED BY THE AIRFRAME MFG, INADEQUATE WATER JACKETING IN THE ENGINE RESULTING IN HOT SPOTS WHICH COULD LEAD TO CRACKING, AND ENGINE RUNNING AT A HIGHER RPM THAN THE COOLING SYSTENM COULD HANDLE. (K)

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