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Lycoming piston pin SB.

I think the answer is "it depends". We're going through this right now at the club I instruct at. Two of our four 182's are impacted. If you get a guy who knows what he's doing, you can accomplish the pin replacement in about a day, maybe two days depending on extraneous stuff. That's on a 182, where the baffles aren't riveted on, etc.

Replacement part availability will be the long pole in the tent.
 
dmattmul said:
My 540 is only off by 1 to this list but it is a EL-xxxxx not a L-xxxxxx. I assume the E is for experimental? If this is true it’s interesting no experimental Lycoming engines were affected?
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Both the certified and experimental lycomings come down the same line and are assembled from the same parts. My understanding is that the FAA can't really apply an AD to a product that doesn't have a type certificate. That doesn't mean that the condition doesn't exist potentially exist in an experimental engine, just that the legal mechanism doesn't allow for the inclusion in the AD. If I had an engine in this serial range with these part numbers installed, I'd be yanking it apart per the AD, experimental or not.
 
Desert Rat said:
Both the certified and experimental lycomings come down the same line and are assembled from the same parts. My understanding is that the FAA can't really apply an AD to a product that doesn't have a type certificate. That doesn't mean that the condition doesn't exist potentially exist in an experimental engine, just that the legal mechanism doesn't allow for the inclusion in the AD. If I had an engine in this serial range with these part numbers installed, I'd be yanking it apart per the AD, experimental or not.
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And I have not seen an AD yet, just a mandatory SB.
 
Desert Rat said:
Both the certified and experimental lycomings come down the same line and are assembled from the same parts. My understanding is that the FAA can't really apply an AD to a product that doesn't have a type certificate. That doesn't mean that the condition doesn't exist potentially exist in an experimental engine, just that the legal mechanism doesn't allow for the inclusion in the AD. If I had an engine in this serial range with these part numbers installed, I'd be yanking it apart per the AD, experimental or not.
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The highest concentration of serial numbers effected has a range of 634 serial numbers with 18% of that range listed as possible issues and 82% that Lycoming has stated there is no effect. Does Lycoming not tell experimental engine users that their engine might be affected, or do we just assume it is affected even though 82% of non-experimental engines in the range they say are ok? At this stage any assumptions is not a good idea and seems more data is needed. In addition, the Table number the serial number falls into highly effect what is needed. Mine falls in the range of Table 2 and remediation is recommended when removing a cylinder or overhaul. The SB runs until Dec 15th, 2025, (Table 3) which I guess they must have found recent issues but even the later ranges effected serial numbers skip over serial numbers sometimes 40 and 50 a part.

It would be nice if Lycoming gives us some better insight than giving us a range of 33188 - 39292 (For a IO540) and telling us experimental users "might" have an issue in this range does not seem reasonable. (This is a Table 3 range which has a lot more serious consequences)
 
Engines with Serial Numbers listed in Table 3 or Spare Parts with an 8130-3 Date in Block 13 between March 23, 2023 & December 15, 2025:

• In the next 25 hours of operation, not to exceed 150 hours’ time in service: o Replace with new piston pin in accordance with the appropriate Lycoming maintenance publication for your engine model. • If greater than 150 hours’ time in service: o Before next flight, complete “Oil Servicing, Metallic Solids Identification After Oil Servicing, and Associated Corrective Action” in accordance with the current revision of Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin 480. o If no recommended corrective action per Service Bulletin 480, within 5 hours of operation, replace with new piston pin in accordance with the appropriate Lycoming maintenance publication for your engine model.

Since Lycoming does not list experimental engines being produced down the same assembly line as non-experimentals seems there might be many Lycoming built engines produced for RV's that MIGHT be affected? Vic S. references this in his latest video but seems little documentation to understand the issue for Exp engines?

 
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