Service difficulty report · Pump · Piper PA44180

Difficulty date
August 13, 2015
Submitted
August 17, 2015
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N440PA
Make and model
Piper PA44180
Aircraft serial
4496084
Aircraft time
9,090 hours
Engine
Lyc O360A1H6
Part
Pump
Part number
86255002
Condition
Blocked
Location
Engine Fuel
Part time
2,347 hours
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R, Y
Precautionary procedure
D

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

What was found

DURING A PREFLIGHT ENGINE RUN, THE CREW SET BOTH ENGINES RPM TO 1500; THE RT ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED. THE CREW NOTED THE RT SIDE FUEL PRESSURE WAS ZERO. THEY SELECTED FUEL CROSSFEED, WHICH RESTORED FUEL PRESSURE AND ALLOWED THE RT ENGINE TO BE STARTED. WHEN THE CREW AGAIN SELECTED "ON" FOR THE RT FUEL SELECTOR, THE ENGINE WENT TO LOW RPM AND AGAIN DIED. INSPECTION BY MAINTENANCE REVEALED THE RT ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED IN THE CLOSED POSITION, RESTRICTING OR COMPLETELY BLOCKING FUEL, CROSSFEED ALLOWED THE AFFECTED ENGINE TO RUN BECAUSE THAT SETTING BYPASSES THE ELECTRIC PUMP FOR THAT SIDE. THE FUEL BLOCKAGE IN THE PUMP IS CAUSED BY A CHECK VALVE SEAT WEARING, ALLOWING THE VALVE TO SEAT TOO FAR IN AND BECOME STUCK. THE PUMP DOES NOT INCORPORATE ANY SORT OF INTERNAL BYPASS, AS IT WAS NOT ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE INSTALLED ON ACFT. MFG PART NUMBER FOR THIS PART IS 86255-002, AND THE OEM'S IS 480543.

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