Service difficulty report · Cylinder · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
September 29, 1998
Submitted
March 26, 2000
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Engine
Lyc LTIO540J2BD
Part
Cylinder
Part number
LW12966
Condition
Cracked
Location
Nr 2 Engine
Part time
1,091 hours
Stage of operation
NR
Nature of condition
E
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

(CAN) ON FIRST START, ENG MIS-STARTED AND BACKFIRED. REMOVAL OF ENG COWLINGS AND INSP SHOWED NO DEFECTS. ACFT CARRIED ON WITH MISSION. ON RETURN AFTER 3.5 HRS OF FLT, PILOT REPORTED AN ENG VIBRATION, BUT UNSURE OF WHICH ENG. RUN-UP DETERMINED IT WAS NR 2 ENG DUE TO 200 RPM MAG DROP, WITH LT MAG OFF. ON SHUTDOWN, NR 5 CYL WAS COLD TO TOUCH. BOTH SPARK PLUGS WERE FOUND FOULED AND WERE REPLACED. FUEL NOZZLES CLEANED AND VALVES, ROCKERS, AND INTAKE DUCTS CHECKED SERVICEABLE. NO MAG DROP, BUT MANIFOLD PRESSURE ACTING UP. ON SHUTDOWN, REMOVAL AND INSP OF NR 5 CYL FOUND PISTON TOP HEAD DISINTEGRATED WITH NO SIGN OF METAL REMANENTS. THERE WAS A HAIRLINE CRACK BETWEEN INTAKE PORT FLANGE AND CYL FINS.

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