What's you experience - engine O/H

[mhorowit]

I know my recent prop strike could cost me $3500 just for them to open, inspect and close. I need to cut that price down somehow

Who is authorized to do a engine inspection after a prop strike?

What has been your experience with putting the engine back together yourself after an inspection? Is my involvement all up to the A&P or are there 'milestone' where he says "bring it back after you've installed the xxx, and I'll check the torque". - Mike

[Jim Herpst]

Re: What's you experience - engine O/H

Mike, You need to do as someone earlier suggested responding to another one of your posts. That is sell it off, pass the mechanic and the tear down and re-build and go back to buy another engine and get the airframe re-built on your plane.

Trust me. I once purchased an L-2 project that had an A-65 in it that had suffered almost exactly the same accident/fate as yours. With the throttle set at any thing much more than idle you are probablely looking at an engine that now is good for parts. You can find great A-65s or 75s for less that what you will have in re-building yours. Yes I do not think you will get by with a $3900 inspection job. Its a bet I would not make ever after knowing how bad the A-65 was on the L-2. I sold the engine cheap to Capt John and thought at the time I was probably making a mistake selling it so cheap. I explained clearly what had happened but he still wanted the engine because I presume he was willing to take the risk and he is also in the used A-65 parts business. He and I wer both shocked as to how bad it was( bent crank and cracked case, some how even the new slick mags were ruined !!)

You will be taking a gamble whatever you do (duh you are probably saying)
Some risks aint worth it in my book though.

[Garry Crookham]

Re: What's you experience - engine O/H

Mike
I work at an engine shop here in Tulsa. Approximately 20% of our business is a result of prop strikes. We have two airplanes in the shop now...a P210 that the owner forgot to unhook his power tow and a Bonanza as a result of a gear up landing.
To perform a proper prop strike inspection the engine must be completely disassembled. All the steel parts need to be magnafluxed and the case should be zygloed.
Small Continental crankshafts are very brittle and a prop strike usually results in a cracked crank. It is common to find cracks in the case....these case cracks can usually be repaired.
A mechanic with an engine rating can perform a prop strike inspection....note that most mechanics don't have the equipment to do ndt on the parts and usually send them to specialized facilities for the same.
You are allowed to assemble your engine "under the direct supervision of an appropriately rated person (your A&P)." The catch is finding a mechanic who will take on the responsibility of supervising the assembly.
Hope this info helps, let me know if you need more info.

Garry Crookham
N5112M
Tulsa

[denny]

Re: What's you experience - engine O/H

I agree with Garry on this the engine should be torn down and inspected by a properly rated mechanic or repair station. I to have seen to many make it fly inspections, which cost much more later to fix. As an A&P/IA send your engine off to a engine shop and have it inspected and fixed the right way (Its only money).

Stache

[mhorowit]

Re: What's you experience - engine O/H

Mike
I work at an engine shop here in Tulsa. Approximately 20% of our business is a result of prop strikes. We have two airplanes in the shop now...a P210 that the owner forgot to unhook his power tow and a Bonanza as a result of a gear up landing.
To perform a proper prop strike inspection the engine must be completely disassembled. All the steel parts need to be magnafluxed and the case should be zygloed.
Small Continental crankshafts are very brittle and a prop strike usually results in a cracked crank. It is common to find cracks in the case....these case cracks can usually be repaired.
A mechanic with an engine rating can perform a prop strike inspection....note that most mechanics don't have the equipment to do ndt on the parts and usually send them to specialized facilities for the same.
You are allowed to assemble your engine "under the direct supervision of an appropriately rated person (your A&P)." The catch is finding a mechanic who will take on the responsibility of supervising the assembly.
Hope this info helps, let me know if you need more info.

Garry Crookham
N5112M
Tulsa

OK; that's a good explaination. It's not that he isn't authorized to do the inspection, it's that he doesn't have the specialized equipment( or the contacts), or maybe he's just not set up for tearing down engines and it's more timely to send it to an engine shop.
- Thanks, Mike

[adrozell]

Re: What's you experience - engine O/H

Depending on the amount of time on the engine, it may be worth gust overhauling. In an A-65 there is not mush more required to do. The engine is so simple. I am just finishing an overhaul on my a-65-8. It cost about $6,500. That includes brand new millennium cylinders. I am an A&P, so that is without labor. To me on an a-65 if you break the case you might as well overhaul. You are already half way there.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: What's you experience - engine O/H

Don't forget that Slick Mags must be rebuilt after a prop strike. It is written in the Slick manuals.