Service difficulty report · Carburetor · Cessna 172M

Difficulty date
July 29, 2005
Submitted
September 1, 2005
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Cessna 172M
Aircraft time
9,778 hours
Engine
Lyc O320E2D
Propeller
Mcauly 1C160DTM
Part
Carburetor
Part number
MA45PA
Part serial
75079220
Condition
Failed
Location
Engine
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
E
Precautionary procedure
D

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

What was found

(CAN) THIS OPERATOR HAS EXPERIENCED FOR THE SECOND TIME THE PROBLEM THAT THESE CARBURETORS HAVE WORKED LOOSE BETWEEN TOP AND BOTTOM HALVES, EVEN WITH ALL 4 SCREWS AND LOCKING TABS IN PLACE. THIS PROBLEM LEADS TO AIRCRAFT ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH, ALLOWING AIR TO ENTER BOND AND LET FUEL ESCAPE INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT APPEARS THAT DUE TO WEIGHT AND STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH CARBURETOR AIR BOX ATTACHED, THE CASTING OF THE LOWER HALF OF CARBURETOR CANNOT WITHSTAND THE WEIGHT AND THE THREADS ARE PULLED FREE THEREBY ALLOWING A SPLIT IN THE UNIT. VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM EXISTS AS A RESULT, ALLOWING RAW FUEL TO ENTER ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EXHAUST.

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