Service difficulty report · Cam Follower · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
August 24, 2009
Submitted
October 23, 2009
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft time
21,872 hours
Engine
Lyc LTIO540J2BD
Propeller
Hartzl HCE3YR2A
Part
Cam Follower
Condition
Melted
Location
Magneto
Component
Magneto
Component part number
1038291018
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
9
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

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

What was found

MAG WAS RECEIVED DUE TO EXCESSIVE LT MAG DROP AND A 500 HR INSP WAS REQUESTED. MAG HAS AN SIL REPAIR STICKER DATED 17/4/2008 REF NR17615. UNKNOWN WHO O/H`D UNIT ORIGINALLY BUT TYPED FIELD O/H`D DATAPLATE HAS AN OLDER 2000 SERIES PN AND SN, BUT A NEWER 3000 SERIES MODEL NR( D6RN-3200) AND HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO A 3000 SERIES MAG USING A NEWER HSG (IT SHOULD NOW BE PN 10-682910-18). ALSO DATAPLATE INDICATES AN O/H DATE OF 19/07, WHATEVER THAT MEANS. THE MAG FAILED DUE TO MELTING OF THE NYLON CAM FOLLOWER, POSSIBLY CAUSED BY A LOSS OF CAPACITOR GROUND THROUGH THE HSG/COVER/CAPACITOR ATTACHING AREAS. UPON FURTHER DISASSEMBLY THE FOLLOWING WAS FOUND: THIS UNIT HAS 2 ORIFICE PLUGS INSTALLED FOR PRESSURIZATION PURPOSES WHERE ONLY 1 IS CALLED FOR. THE PRESSURIZATION FITTING IS ALUMINUM INSTEAD OF STEEL. PRESSURIZATION THREADED BUSHING HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH AN ALUMINUM PLUG THAT HAS BEEN DRILLED AND TAPPED TO ACCEPT PRESSURIZATION FITTING. ONE OF THE DISTRIBUTOR BLOCK BUSHINGS IS LOOSE IN DIST BLOCK AND THE GEAR ELECTRODE CONTACTED DIST ELECTRODES. WRONG GREASE HAS BEEN PUT IN THE ROLLER BEARING. AN OLD CAPACITOR HAS BEEN INSTALLED, DATE CODE 86-47, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT O/H. THE CUSTOMER OPTED TO GO WITH AN EXCHANGE MAGNETO.

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