Service difficulty report · Oil Cooler · Piper PA28181

Difficulty date
December 2, 2014
Submitted
December 3, 2014
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N415PA
Make and model
Piper PA28181
Aircraft serial
2843448
Aircraft time
15,752 hours
Engine
Lyc O360A4M
Propeller
Snsnch 76EM8
Part
Oil Cooler
Part number
20710A
Part serial
H0435602
Condition
Leaking
Location
Zone 200
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
K
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

ON PREFLIGHT, THE PILOTS NOTED THERE WAS NO OIL VISIBLE ON THE DIPSTICK. THEY THEN NOTED A LARGE OIL STREAK ON THE LT SIDE OF THE ACFT, ORIGINATING FROM UNDER THE COWLING ON THE LT SIDE. WHEN MECHANICS REMOVED THE TOP COWLING TO INSPECT FOR THE ORIGIN OF THE LEAK, THEY FOUND FIREWALL AND COWLING INTERIOR BATHED IN FRESH OIL. AFTER CLEANING, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE OIL COOLER HAD CRACKED ON THE END NEAR WHERE THE HOSE ELBOW IS INSTALLED. THE SUMP WAS DRAINED AND 2.25 QUARTS OF OIL WERE FOUND REMAINING; MFG MANDATES 2 QTS AS THE BARE MINIMUM FOR OPERATION. THE ACFT HAD LAST FLOWN THE NIGHT BEFORE AND HAD OPERATED 3 HOURS; IT HAD DEPARTED WITH 7 QTS OF OIL. THE OIL COOLER HAD BEEN INSTALLED 1.5 MONTHS BEFOREHAND.

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