gkainz
Final Approach
Parts Manual? Or is it IPB? Or is that a throwback with faulty memory to my Navy days?
Anyway, as early as a a few months ago, we were able to find a parts manual online to reference for parts searches for our '83 Piper Dakota. We have a paper one in the hangar but our maintenance guy does a lot of parts search from home and enlists a few others to help. Seems like google search for the parts manual now all lead to suspicious sites offering to sell the manual.
piper.com says all their docs are now available via atp.com which is a subscription site?
So, this stems from an exhaust problem on our Dakota. I'm going to post the email I got from our maintenance guy for discussion and maybe someone can help fill in the blanks?
prelog - Dakota is down for exhaust leak, port side. Exhaust residue inside the cowl, landing light wire is cooked. Muffler ordered.
yesterday's email:
------------------------
We received the new muffler we needed yesterday, on schedule.
The muffler shroud is our new problem. It is an inadequate/poor design that cannot withstand the heat of the mufflers. I believe hundreds of Pipers with -540 engines are plagued with the resulting problems.
The basic shroud has two pieces: top and bottom, made of aluminum. They deteriorate, but can generally be repaired by installing doublers to cover cracked areas. We need some more of that, and Greg can do it for us.
The top and bottom both have 3 thin steel “cradles” for each of the three mufflers. I think they are identical. All of ours are cracked and broken in many ways, and need to be replaced.
Problem 1: Part number. The parts manual is no longer available on line — a very recent development. OUR manual is missing the two pages I need. No help available on weekends.
Wayne will check with the folks at Erie on Monday.
Problem 2: Availability. Years ago, I saw these available in a Wag Aero Catalog, but the online version doesn’t list them.
Last resort: find somebody to build them, or substitutes.
-----------------------
Thoughts?
things I will find out - exactly what pages (by number) are we missing?
Will get pictures of said shroud and cradles.
Greg
Anyway, as early as a a few months ago, we were able to find a parts manual online to reference for parts searches for our '83 Piper Dakota. We have a paper one in the hangar but our maintenance guy does a lot of parts search from home and enlists a few others to help. Seems like google search for the parts manual now all lead to suspicious sites offering to sell the manual.
piper.com says all their docs are now available via atp.com which is a subscription site?
So, this stems from an exhaust problem on our Dakota. I'm going to post the email I got from our maintenance guy for discussion and maybe someone can help fill in the blanks?
prelog - Dakota is down for exhaust leak, port side. Exhaust residue inside the cowl, landing light wire is cooked. Muffler ordered.
yesterday's email:
------------------------
We received the new muffler we needed yesterday, on schedule.
The muffler shroud is our new problem. It is an inadequate/poor design that cannot withstand the heat of the mufflers. I believe hundreds of Pipers with -540 engines are plagued with the resulting problems.
The basic shroud has two pieces: top and bottom, made of aluminum. They deteriorate, but can generally be repaired by installing doublers to cover cracked areas. We need some more of that, and Greg can do it for us.
The top and bottom both have 3 thin steel “cradles” for each of the three mufflers. I think they are identical. All of ours are cracked and broken in many ways, and need to be replaced.
Problem 1: Part number. The parts manual is no longer available on line — a very recent development. OUR manual is missing the two pages I need. No help available on weekends.
Wayne will check with the folks at Erie on Monday.
Problem 2: Availability. Years ago, I saw these available in a Wag Aero Catalog, but the online version doesn’t list them.
Last resort: find somebody to build them, or substitutes.
-----------------------
Thoughts?
things I will find out - exactly what pages (by number) are we missing?
Will get pictures of said shroud and cradles.
Greg
