If you think something is not right, LOOK!

When I was traveling back from Maine this weekend I noticed the engine really shook a lot more than normal on shut down on the last 2 times with the last one at the house.
So I had to add a quart of oil; and really started to look things close under the hood, thought I would start looking at the motor mount for some reason as this seemed like the right thing to do. THEN I noticed that the engine bolt on the motor mount at the #3 cylinder, so upper right corner was backed out and the head was showing about 1/2". HOLY SH*T I said!! Took the top cowl off and found the bolts nut was missing and was backed out of the engine and held in place by the rubbers. Then digging deeper I found the nut laying under the cylinder. Bolt had all of its threads and not broken, nut that is a lock nut was fine and would have needed a wrench to tighten it back into place. Replaced the bolt and nut and retorqued everything back up including the other 3 bolts that needed just a little to torque to specs. This was after an 100hr/annual in November, after 140 hours with a previous annual in June, it had on the engine about 50 hours since the annual in November.


So if you think something is not normal check to see what it might be. I did and am here to talk about it.


Doug

Castle nut with cotter key ? Should be.

Or are you dynafocal mount??

Those all steel lock nuts are picky about being on a short bolt.


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Dynafocal mount

Doug

Good Thread here. I caught a loose exhaust pipe while washing my plane this spring. Just happened to push on it while washing and noticed excessive movement. The restraint clamp that held the bottom was completely loose. I was lucky it was still there. Anyway good to be looking for things even when doing routine things.

I found a cracked out airbox a couple weeks ago because i grab stuff on preflights.

About a month ago I was doing a pre-flight on my 182 and I noticed some strings hanging out of the cowl flaps. The carb heat flange had cracked off of the air box. Be observant!

Sometimes it is nothing, until it is a BIG thing!! Good reminder to look if you feel it is different.

So glad to see you found the problem. mIght want to change out the bolt and nut anyway, just to be sure!

I found a cracked casting on the Kenworth today, I am even preflighting the trucks!

Stay safe everyone.

mike mcs repair said:

Castle nut with cotter key ? Should be.

Or are you dynafocal mount??

Those all steel lock nuts are picky about being on a short bolt.


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Colorguns said:

Dynafocal mount

Doug

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That really should be a castle nut and cotter pin, even with a Dynafocal mount. The cotter hole has to line up correctly, but it does work.

Good reason to remove entire cowl for oil changes, to make sure all nuts, clamps, etc are snug.
Last oil change I found an exhaust flange nut missing.
I also have one intake coupling clamp that likes to loosen up between changes.
Also to give everything a good look in between annuals.
I found this a couple years back.

hotrod180 said:

Good reason to remove entire cowl for oil changes, to make sure all nuts, clamps, etc are snug.
Last oil change I found an exhaust flange nut missing.
I also have one intake coupling clamp that likes to loosen up between changes.
Also to give everything a good look in between annuals.
I found this a couple years back.
View attachment 48900

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I always put a dab of silicone on those clamp heads


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hotrod180 said:

View attachment 48900

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Those hose clamps are close enough to the engine mount to hit and could have been the cause of the break. Rotate the clamps so that they can not hit anything when the engine shakes.