What is this?

Taltruda · #1 04-30-2022, 11:36 AM

Cleaned my oil suction screen on my 900 hour O-360. Found this little piece of aluminum. Any ideas where it could be from?

Mike S · #2 04-30-2022, 11:41 AM

No idea what it is, but the photos are worth 3,000 words explaining why it is important to check the suction screen.

Thanks for sharing.

gfb · #3 04-30-2022, 03:13 PM

I believe Lyc has an email you can send pictures to of debris and they will help identify. I would probably ground the plane until it gets sorted out.

Taltruda · #4 05-09-2022, 10:48 PM

Performing an oil change and cleaning the suction screen on a different engine (not mine) I found an identical chip! Coincidentally, we both have Aerosport engines. The new chip is below on the black background, mine is on the yellow rag in post one..anybody has any ideas where it’s from?

Allan Stern · #5 05-10-2022, 06:52 AM

Looks like it could be a sliver from one of the tapped holes in the case for a case bolt/stud?

Rick RV-4 · #6 05-10-2022, 02:37 PM

Let me start off by saying I'm not an "engine guy", nor did I stay at the Holiday Inn Express, but I was just reading the Kitplanes article about vernatherms. That sliver of metal looks a lot like what might come off of where the beveled end of the vernatherm seats against the stop. The article even shows one with a worn end, and I was wondering if after some time a sliver of the beveled end came off.

Probably not the case that this is your problem, but if you can't find anything else it may worth a look? And it looks like it might be fairly easy to check.

If you get Kitplanes, the picture I'm referring to is on page 24 of the August 2021 edition.

BillL · #7 05-10-2022, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick RV-4

Let me start off by saying I'm not an "engine guy", nor did I stay at the Holiday Inn Express, but I was just reading the Kitplanes article about vernatherms. That sliver of metal looks a lot like what might come off of where the beveled end of the vernatherm seats against the stop. The article even shows one with a worn end, and I was wondering if after some time a sliver of the beveled end came off.

Probably not the case that this is your problem, but if you can't find anything else it may worth a look? And it looks like it might be fairly easy to check.

If you get Kitplanes, the picture I'm referring to is on page 24 of the August 2021 edition.

You make a good point about it being a piece of failed aluminum casting, but wouldn't it be conical in shape if from the vernatherm seat? The manufacturer would be the best source of knowledge of its original home.