TSIO-550Continental TSIO-550

Parts most often named Magneto (10) · Points (4) · Gear (3) · Impulse Coupling (2)

ON APPROACH INTO KCPR FROM U68 THE PILOT OBSERVED ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH FOLLOWED BY EGT AND CHT TEMPERATURES DRASTICALLY INCREASE. THE PILOT LANDED AT KCPR WITHOUT INCIDENT. MAINTENANCE REPLACED BOTH MAGNETOS AND OPS CHECK GOOD. UPON TEARDOWN OF MAGNETOS, EDWARDS JET CENTER MAINTENANCE (KBIL) FOUND 25% OF THE TEETH ON THE DRIVEN PLASTIC MAGNETO DISTRIBUTER GEAR MISSING, ON THE RH MAGNETO.

AIRCRAFT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT FROM LAS VEGAS, NV TO NORTH DAKOTA AND PILOT NOTICED ENGINE POWER LOSS AND ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH. AIRCRAFT LANDED AT KBIL WITHOUT INCIDENT. MAINTENANCE FOUND ROTOR GEAR MISSING TEETH IN LEFT MAGNETO.

ON TAKEOFF ENGINE RAN ROUGH AND PIC RETURNED TO FIELD. THE RIGHT MAGNETO IMPULSE WAS FOUND TO BE INOPERATIVE ALONG WITH A FAILED #4 IGNITION PLUG. BOTH UNITS WERE REPLACED, AND AIRCRAFT RUN-UP TEST PERFORMED AND FOUND SATISFACTORY.

Parts most often named Cylinder Head (7) · Cylinder (7) · Valve Spring (2) · Lifter (1)

DURING ANNUAL INSPECTION, I WAS BORESCOPING TCM TSIO 550 K ENGINE AND FOUND NUMBER 2 CYLINDER INTAKE VALVE CRACKED AND THE EDGES WERE CHIPPED AWAY. THE CYLINDER ONLY HAD 220 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL. I REMOVED THE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY AND SENT TO CONTINENTAL ENGINES FOR REPAIR.

SEPARATION OF CYLINDER HEAD, EXHAUST SIDE FROM NR 5 CYLINDER DURING CRUISE/LEVEL FLIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT.

CYLINDER #3 WAS LEAKING OIL. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CYLINDER WAS CRACKED. THE CRACK WAS DISCOVERED IN THE CROSSFLOW AREA THAT WAS BLENDED AS PER AD 2020-16-11. AD 2020-16-11 WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON THIS ENGINE ON 9/25/2020.

Parts most often named Lifter (2) · Crankshaft (2) · Case Half (1) · Seal (1)

AN UNACCEPTABLE OIL SAMPLE LEAD TO A RECOMMENDATION BY AN OUTSIDE COMPANY TO HAVE AN INSPECTION OF THE CAMSHAFT AND LIFTERS PERFORMED. WE PERFORMED THESE INSPECTIONS AND FOUND A GOUGE ON THE #6 INTAKE LOBE ON THE CAMSHAFT. A PICK CAN BE CAUGHT IN THIS GOUGE THEREFORE IT IS REASON FOR REJECTION. THE LIFTER WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. THE #6 EXHAUST LIFTER SHOWED SIGNS OF HEAT/DISCOLORATION.

PILOT REPORTED SUDDEN VIBRATION IN FLIGHT, FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF CHT/EGT ON CYLINDERS #1, #3, #5, AND LOSS OF ENGINE OIL PRESSURE. AFTER LANDING AND REMOVING ENGINE COWLING IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE #3 CYLINDER EXHAUST ROCKER ARM SHAFT MOUNT STRUCTURE HAD BROKEN OFF OF THE CYLINDER HEAD AND HAD BEEN PUSHED THROUGH THE ROCKER ARM COVER.

ENGINE WAS DISASSEMBLED FOR INSPECTION DUE TO PROPELLER STRIKE. UPON DISASSEMBLY IT WAS NOTED THAT THE CONNECTING ROD BUSHING HAS MIGRATED PARTLY OUT OF THE BORE ON THE SMALL END OF CONNECTING ROD #2, #3, & #5. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT WE HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL ENGINE.

Parts most often named Turbocharger (2) · Transition Duct (2) · Structure (1) · Wastegate Valve (1)

DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION, BOTH TURBO V-BAND CLAMPS WERE REMOVED FOR INSPECTION AND BOTH WERE FOUND TO HAVE CRACKS IN THE CORNER RADII OF CLAMP INNER SEGMENTS.

PILOT REPORTED SEVERE POWER LOSS WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN 100KTS. UNSCHEDULED LANDING AT THE CHALLIS AIRPORT, IDAHO (C53) MECHANICS INVESTED GATED ISSUE FOUND THE TURBO WAS LEAKING INTERNALLY, AND TURBO IMPELLOR WAS RUBBING INTO HOUSING. TT AIRFRAME 73.1 HOURS TT ENGINE 94.7 HOURS TURBO MANUFACTURE AERO FORCE.

(CAN) LT TURBO CHARGER TURBINE INLET TEMPERATURE, TIT, PROBE FOUND HANGING AND LOOSE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HEAT STAINS FORMED ON THE INSIDE LT SIDE OF THE LOWER COMPOSITE ENGINE COWLING. PROBE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CORRECTLY INSTALLED AND TORQUED AT RECENT INSTALLATION. RECORDED TEMPERATURE INDICATION FOUND TO BE CONSIDERABLY LOWER DUE TO HOT GAS BYPASS.

Parts most often named Exhaust Pipe (4) · Exhaust Duct (2) · Slip Joint (1) · Exhaust Header (1)

THE RT ENGINE EXHAUST TAILPIPE, WAS FOUND TO BE INCORRECTLY INSTALLED OR MANUFACTURED. DURING FLIGHT, THE EXHAUST TAILPIPE CHAFED THE FIREWALL, PN 2813102-8 AND THE FLAME SHIELD, EXHAUST, PN 2813100-13. THE CHAFING PRODUCED A HOLE THROUGH THE FIREWALL. THIS WAS VISUALLY DISCOVERED DURING AN INSPECTION.

PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND SLOW LOSS OF AIRSPEED. MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD BREACHED JUST BELOW THE NR 4 CYLINDER ALLOWING EXHAUST TO MELT THROUGH THE LT TURBO AIR INLET FILTER BOX AND MELT THE AIR FILTER.

EXHAUST LEAK AT THE SLIP JOINT BETWEEN THE RT TURBO TRANSITION ON NR 1 CYLINDER EXHAUST RISER IGNITED NEARBY WIRING CAUSING AN ENGINE FIRE. FIRE WAS ON THE GROUND AND DISCOVERED AFTER SHUTDOWN.

Parts most often named Pan (1) · Check Valve (1) · Hose (1) · Clamp (1)

ENGINE LOSS OIL PRESSURE, DUE TO OIL LINE LOOSING TORQUE AT THE OIL COOLER CROSS FITTING. THE OIL LINE SUPPLY OIL FROM THE OIL COOLER CROSS FITTING TO THE TURBO IS SECURE TO THE ENGINE MOUNT, IT SEEM VERY TIGHT FIT, SHORT AND STIFF, WITH THE ENGINE VIBRATION IT SEEM VERY EASY TO CAUSE IT TO BREAK LOOSE WITH OUT ABLE TO DETECT THE PROBLEM DURING MAINTENANCE. THE ENGINE WILL LOSS OIL PRESSURE AND CAUSE ENGINE POWER LOSS INFLIGHT.

LEFT OIL LINE GOING TO THE LT TURBO WASTGATE CONTROLLER WAS UP AGAINST THE WASTEGATE DOWN PIPE. THIS CAUSED A HOLE TO BE BURNED INTO THE OIL HOSE. THE ENGINE LOST 10 QTS OF OIL BEFORE THE PILOT COULD LAND AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THIS PROBLEM ORIGINATED AT THE MFG. THE HOSE NEEDS TO BE LONGER TO ALLOW FOR THE RE-ROUTING OF THE HOSE AWAY FROM THE TURBO AND EXHAUST COMPONENTS.

WRONG SIZE ADEL CLAMP ON OIL LINE TO WASTEGATE UNDERNEATH OIL SUMP. THE CLAMP MOVED ON ENGINE MOUNT CAUSING CONTACT BETWEEN THE METAL BAND ON OIL LINE AND THE SUMP. CHAFING OCCURRED RESULTING IN MATERIAL LOSE OF OIL SUMP. REPLACED CLAMP WITH PROPER SIZE, REPLACED OIL SUMP WITH NEW AND CHECKED OIL LINE FOR SECURITY.

Parts most often named Spark Plug (8)

PILOT REPORTED HIGH MAGNETO DROP DURING PRE-RUN CHECK. NR 3 CYLINDER BOTTOM SPARK PLUG WAS FOUND TO HAVE ENTIRE CERAMIC MISSING. BORESCOPE OF CYLINDER REVEALED NO INTERNAL DAMAGE.

ONE SPARK PLUG CERAMIC WAS FOUND BROKEN. OTHERS WERE FOUND CRACKED. THESE SPARK PLUGS WERE MIS-FIRING DURING HIGH POWER OPERATION. NO DEFECT WAS NOTED DURING NORMAL GROUND ENGINE RUN UP MAGNETO CHECK.

DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, ONE OF TWELVE SPARK PLUGS WERE FOUND TO HAVE A CRACKED ELECTRODE INSULATOR. SPARK PLUG WAS REPLACED WITH NEW PART.

Parts most often named Engine (2) · Cylinder Head (1) · Duct (1) · Hose (1)

NUMBER 3 CYLINDER OIL LEAK. STILL LEAKING AFTER REPLACING ROCKER BOX GASKETS AND PUSHROD TUBE SEALS. DETAILED VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED A 2.5 INCH CRACK IN THE WEBBING SUPPORT BETWEEN THE TWO ROCKER BOXES. CYLINDER REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH NEW.

ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1000 FT PLANE RETURNED TO AIRPORT WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS. PLANE IS IN THE SHOP FOR EVALUATION.

Parts most often named Mount (3) · Fitting (1)

(CAN) ENGINE MOUNT CRACKED AT 2 PIECE ATTACH FOOTING. CRACK IDENTIFIED BY VISUAL INSPECTION AS PER SB1103C. THIS IS THE 31ST ENGINE MOUNT WITH SUCH FAILURE THROUGH THE SHOP. ENGINE MOUNT WILL BE REPAIRED AND RE-INFORCED USING TCCA RDC C-RA03-047. FAILURE TO INSPECT MOUNT AND RE-INFORCE MOUNT AS PER RDC C-RA03-047 MAY RESULT IN NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE.

DURING A RECENT INSPECTION IT WAS NOTED THAT THE LOCK FASTENERS SECURING THE STEEL LOWER ENGINE MOUNT ATTACH FITTINGS, INBOARD AND OUTBOARD, TO THE FUSELAGE WERE EXTREMELY LOOSE. ALL OF THE LOCK FASTENERS WERE CHANGED TO THE NEXT SIZE UP. ACCESS TO AREA MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO INSPECT.

(CAN) ENGINE MOUNT CRACKED AT AREA DESCRIBED IN MFG SB NR 1103 REV.B NOTE: THIS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED TO ALL OWNERS BY AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE.

Parts most often named Pressure Sensor (2) · Check Valve (1) · Pressure Switch (1)