Service difficulty report · Pump · Piper PA32300

Difficulty date
August 9, 2013
Submitted
August 9, 2013
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N32728
Make and model
Piper PA32300
Aircraft serial
327540061
Aircraft time
6,950 hours
Engine
Lyc IO540K1A5
Engine time
410 hours
Propeller
Hartzl HCC2YK1
Part
Pump
Part number
201F5003
Part serial
HQAN035FP
Condition
Leaking
Location
Zone 400
Part time
410 hours
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
K
Precautionary procedure
D

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

What was found

PRESENCE OF FUEL NOTED ON AFT PORTION OF NOSE WHEEL FAIRING AS ACFT WAS SHUTDOWN. ON RESTART, STEADY STREAM OF FUEL WAS SEEN LEAKING FROM THE LOWER COWLING, ENGINE ROUGHNESS WAS NOTED, AND FUEL PRESSURE INDICATOR FLUCTUATED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM WHERE THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP ATTACHES TO THE ACCESSORY DRIVE SECTION OF THE ENGINE BETWEEN THE PUMP AND ENGINE MATING SURFACES. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL PUMP SHOWED STAINS AROUND THE DRIVE SHAFT LOWER AREA. SUSPECT INTERNAL SEAL FAILURE CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK FROM AROUND THE DRIVE SHAFT. REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE DRIVEN PUMP ELIMINATED ALL SYMPTOMS.

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