That almost looks like someone attempted to weld it themselves. But it doesn't look like it was machined or ground. Fugly nonetheless."New" accessory case arrived. Found a kind of ugly casting artifact where the oil filter adapter seals:
View attachment 135124
Sounds to me like a Service Difficulty Report, but I’m not 100% sure what that entails…but maybe ask your mechanic for the appropriate venue to submit it.Got ahold of an actual lawyer this morning after a couple failed attempts. He was very sympathetic but basically said there's not enough there to be worth pursuing legally. So that's that. His suggestion was to make a report to the FAA.
That is my intention, although this thread: https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/filing-a-complaint-with-local-fsdo.140293/ and a very, very similar one on BT (that @SCCutler commented on) give me pause. According to the great majority of posters, making a report like this to the FSDO triggers a rectal exam for the aircraft owner as well. I'm pretty fastidious about maintaining my airplane, and I'm certain my logbooks are in order, but I also realize that they will find SOMETHING if they dig deep enough. In the end, I think it's still something I have to do as I don't want this guy to do this to someone else.
Unsure if I should call the AL FSDO directly or submit a report via the FAA reporting "hotline" website.
My old one has some similar weirdness in the same area, but not to that extreme. Divco said that it's an area where aluminum flows in from two directions during casting, which usually leaves a line, but in this case looks like it wasn't hot enough to completely fuse/fill out the mold.That almost looks like someone attempted to weld it themselves. But it doesn't look like it was machined or ground. Fugly nonetheless.
Sounds to me like a Service Difficulty Report, but I’m not 100% sure what that entails…but maybe ask your mechanic for the appropriate venue to submit it.
NOW imagine that WAS NOT AN AN565 part number but some dumbass Continental or Lycoming part number like LW-12345 or STD-12345, I haven't read the SB relating to this but who would catch this screw-up?The set screw is supposed to be an AN565B1032H5. That breaks down like this:
AN565-military designation for a setscrew
B-conical point
1032-10/32"
H5-length 5/16"
What was in the bag, which according to the 8130 came from Mother Lycoming herself, is an AN565D1032H5. It's a cupped point, not a conical point, and would barely engage the hole in the idler shaft, if at all. Both the bag and 8130 label it as a "B" conical point. $5.31, BTW:
EAA benefit used to be Solidworks, now it's SolidEdge... Which is why I'm not gonna depend on EAA to make CAD affordable enough. I don't want to have to learn a new one when they change sponsors.
Personally, I'm learning Fusion360 (which I think they're rebranding to just "Fusion" now). It seems to be one of the most popular ones in the online 3D printing communities I'm part of, there's a ton of resources for learning it, it's parametric and cross platform... OnShape seems to be the next-most popular, but there are a lot of options out there.
That's a great point. To that end, I called Lyco tech support (for the third time in two weeks). He seemed concerned and asked me to send photos, which I did. Maybe I'll get my very own service bulletin.I read the SI... just wow. There should be actual pictures of the setscrews and warning about how to verify correct parts.
My old one has some similar weirdness in the same area, but not to that extreme. Divco said that it's an area where aluminum flows in from two directions during casting, which usually leaves a line, but in this case looks like it wasn't hot enough to completely fuse/fill out the mold.
20 years as an A&P and I can see myself getting bit here. This is a mess. Getting the correct parts and being able to verify you have the correct parts should a simple task, and sometimes it is not.That's a great point. To that end, I called Lyco tech support (for the third time in two weeks). He seemed concerned and asked me to send photos, which I did. Maybe I'll get my very own service bulletin.
I'm going to title it:Jim, you need to write a book about this experience.
Maybe I'll get my very own service bulletin.
But will he be brave enough to fly This ****ing Airplane to the lectures?I’m voting for the “Jim K AD.” Lycoming owners across the land will bless you as they tear down to inspect the set screws. Maybe you’ll go on the lecture circuit.
But will he be brave enough to fly This ****ing Airplane to the lectures?
It'll probably be empty anywayGood question. Perhaps Zoom from the safety of his hangar?
How about "This is Why We Don't Have Flying Cars Yet"?I'm going to title it:
This ****ing Airplane