How many hours are folks getting out of their Woodward Gov?

[Johnbo]

The current Official info on the Woodward websites is listing a 500 hour TBO for their piston prop governors which seems ridiculous.

In the real world are most folks taking them to engine TBO?

Thx!

 

[Jim Carpenter]

Prop TBO (may or may not be the same as engine) is probably the norm.

 

[NordicDave]

Prop TBO (may or may not be the same as engine) is probably the norm.

Either Prop or engine O/H is common. I just had my Woodward governor O/H with the engine O/H. Cost was $1300.

Conventional wisdom is O/H governor on condition and no later than with prop if high time in service or with engine O/H to flush out old oil. Especially if the engine was making metal, don’t want to circulate contamination through a new engine.

 

[Johnbo]

Thx. I’ve got a new to me 182. 50-hours SMOH on the engine, 300 hours SOH on the prop and 1890 hours on the Woodward...probably should get it OH’d at next annual although it seems to work fine.

 

[NordicDave]

Thx. I’ve got a new to me 182. 50-hours SMOH on the engine, 300 hours SOH on the prop and 1890 hours on the Woodward...probably should get it OH’d at next annual although it seems to work fine.

Really great idea. Just a thought... I’d check the other engine accessories to consider what else was not attended to with the recent engine O/H. Hopefully the carb & fuel pump and other key components were serviced.

 

[Johnbo]

Really great idea. Just a thought... I’d check the other engine accessories to consider what else was not attended to with the recent engine O/H. Hopefully the carb & fuel pump and other key components were serviced.

Only thing missing is the starter which isn’t in-flight safety related (for the most part). Mags are new, carb was factory OH’d, new spark plug harnesses, no fuel pump in this bird.

 

[Dan Thomas]

Alternators fail regularly if they're not opened and inspected occasionally. Their field brushes wear out. Aircraft alternators are running near redline most of the time, unlike the alternator in your car or truck, and that eats the brushes faster.

We sometimes have alternator-failure stories here every week or two. They're being run to failure, not a good thing if you're in busy airspace or flying at night or in IMC. There's a reason that airframe manufacturers include that item on their inspection checklists.