Maybe it’s my math. You said:
That oil cooler hadn't been touched in 800+ hours of flying.
The engine was 833 hours SINCE IT CAME OUT OF CONTINENTAL'S OWN FACTORY IN 2004. BRAND SPANKING NEW ENGINE.
That works out to be 17 years at 833 hrs since any work was performed on the cooler. Then you state:
But again, there was six years and 800+ hours on the engine since that work was done.
How are they the same, 17 yrs vs 6 yrs, both at 800+ hrs? So you see my confusion. Ironically that’s the same confusion date-wise you pointed out the NTSB got wrong in their report.
I still have sincere doubts about the supposed inspection that nobody other than person with a pecuniary interest in it inspect.
FYI: the NTSB participated in the tear down at TCM. So that is not accurate. This information is readily available in the public record to include the name of the NTSB rep who participated in case you wish to contact her.
By the time the engine was returned, Continental and already disassembled the thing they claim they had isolated the cause to.
You are aware they are required by NTSB procedure to disassemble the complete engine? There is also a TCM accident tear down form they use to guide them during these investigations. With pictures. Did you request a copy of that?
However, none of this accounts for the safetied temp probe being loose and leaking. Correct?
But after reading through the reports, your posts blaming TCM for the failure/cover-up of your engine, and dodging the temp probe remove/install questions it kind of moves this narrative in one direction.
If you really want my take, given the proximity of the temp probe to the #2 cylinder, my SWAG is the probe was removed during the #2 cylinder replacement for access (probably to swing a cylinder wrench) and was not torqued when reinstalled. And it probably started to seep oil shortly thereafter which would account for the oil staining on the cooler housing and surrounding area that several of us noted. That was 2 hours prior to the incident flight. Correct?
Perhaps a discussion with the person who performed the cylinder replacement might be order to see if they removed the temp probe?
Regardless, I could never quite understand why you absorbed the entire cost of a new engine without a fight. Most people wouldn’t unless there was a personal connection to the event. Reminds me of another PoA related accident with a 150 where the blame was put on cylinder bolts instead workmanship due to a personal relationship. But at least those owners tried to sue the bolt vendor to get their money back.
