Ernesto Sanchez wrote:
From: Damon Meyer
To: cozy_builders@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2005 7:56 PM
Subject: COZY: Engine Failure!
Hi all,
My wife Lisa and I and I were flying to Virginia yesterday morning when
our #1 cylinder exhaust valve broke at 6000' between Long Island MacArthur
and Republic field. Lots of instant vibration and
noise accompanied by an RPM drop from 2500 to 2100 RPM. I throttled back
to 1800 and got a quick clearance into Republic for a precautionary landing,
checking mags and watching temps on the way in.
We were on the ramp and shut down within 6-7 minutes, and had the plugs
out and a mechanic (Paul Shakalis) looking at it within an hour. BAD NEWS.
The spark plug from #1 looked unhurt, but a huge
chunk of valve had been hammering around in there long enough to make
the piston look like someone had taken a claw hammer to it. Metal in the oil
screen, therefore metal throughout the engine. It
was only a matter of time - and probably very little - before the engine
would have died completely. We were very lucky in all regards.
We dragged the plane over to AirEast, where owner Mike Tarascio was kind
enough to take on the disassembly and inspection task on the O-290. Lisa and
I rented a car and drove back to Maine, and are
shipping him the O-290 overhaul manuals that came with the plane when we
bought it last year.
I am sure I'm not the first person on this list to suffer an engine
failure - if anyone here has a line on an O-290-D or an O-320 that might fit
in our Cozy III, please let me know. And/or any
advice for how to get an engine from probable junk status to reliable
and safe without spending $15,000 (that I don't have) would be appreciated.
If anyone wants to see a nice Cozy on static display
it's behind the AirEast hangar at Republic until I find out the extent
of the damage and plot a course of action.
Sad day, but could have been much worse.
Thanks,
Damon Meyer
I guess this proves beyond any doubt that exhaust valves are undesirable
in aircraft.
Don Sherman
You got it. Absolutely the highest stressed piston engine part.
Paul Lamar
twofooter wrote:
Just to add a quick addendum, I can relate, a few years back I purchased a
Grumman Tiger, which are noted for their cooling problems with cylinder #1.
I purchased out of province so I had a friend check over the aircraft, but I
made the final deal "F.O.B. delivered", and a good thing too. On the ferry
flight the #1 exhaust valve broke in the middle of nowhere but the ferry
pilot was quick ,shutting everything down, as he put it, "before his teeth
fell out", and did a forced landing at a local strip. When we flew a
mechanic out to the site with of course the wrong spare cylinder we found
the valve buried into the top of the piston like a wafer on top of a
birthday cake. Luckily he had shut down in time so that the crank was not
bruised and only cost the new cylinder, piston and rings, not to mention all
the traveling by the mechanic (Luckily paid for by the vendor).
That's why I'm looking to the Rotary solution.
Tony Beaton
Here are some file photos.
Paul Lamar
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