Here we go again

[N395V]

Why doesn't the FAA just issue an AD that states you must remove and replace your entire IO 320/360/540 within the next 10 hrs of flight. Must they do this one component at a time?

Con Rod AD

"While the company told the FAA it had sold some 2,800 connecting rods (an engine uses four or six rods, depending upon the number of cylinders), only about 400 rods were manufactured under ECi's parts manufacturing approval (PMA), an FAA-administered process for replacement parts in certificated aircraft. That meant that about 100 certificated engines might have received the replacement connecting rods. The 2400 rods were destined for EXPERIMENTAL aircraft.
While I realize this is ECI and not Lyc this is getting tiresome.

Crank AD, More cranks than the 1st AD, more serial numbers affected, Cylinder AD, Fuel pumpAD, more SN#s affected.

Someone ain't doin their job right.

[Mike S]

Milt,

Great big DITTO on that.

Mike

[jonbakerok]

Unless I'm mistaken, 320's have not been included in any of the crankshaft or connecting rod AD's. Just speculation, but maybe it's for the same reason that they don't have any RPM restrictions... they aren't strokers.

Not that I'm letting ECI or Lyc off the hook. They've been building these engines a long time and ought to know how to do it right. I'm just pointing out that if you are willing to give up 10 MPH, there is an alternative that doesn't have this inherent design problem that vendors have to overcome with metalurgy.