Service difficulty report · Cylinder Head · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
April 4, 2002
Submitted
April 11, 2002
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N42WP
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft serial
318252038
Engine
Lyc TIO540J2BD
Part
Cylinder Head
Part number
SL54002
Part serial
304
Condition
Cracked
Location
Engine
Part time
198 hours
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
J
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

PILOT REPORTED HIGH CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE AND RETURNED TO BASE. TECHNICIANS DISCOVERED A CRACK COMING OUT OF SPARK PLUG HOLE AN REMOVED INTERCYLINDER BAFFLING WHERE IT WAS FOUND TO RUN FROM SPARK PLUG HOLE TO FIRST COOLING FIN OF STEEL BARREL. THIS WHICH IS NR 6 POSITION WHICH EXPLAINS HIGH TEMPS. THERE APPEARS TO BE MACHINE MARKS IN AREA THAT ALLOWS INTAKE PUSH ROD TUBE TO PASS THROUGH THE COOLING FINS. THIS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. THE ASSEMBLY WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED. IN INSPECTION OF PUSHROD TUBE CUT-OUT AREA OF THE CYLINDER FINS (AS DISCUSSED ABOVE) IT IS NOTED THE CUT INTO THE MEAT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS LEFT WITH A VERY SHARP EDGE. NO CHAMFER FOR STRESS RELIEF.

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