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  1. #1

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    Asking advice on continental engine at annual?

    My 1988 Be 36 TC is in for annual. The engine is Cont TSIO 520 UB, about 800 hours on it.

    In the oil change we found some metal in the filter, not much, but more than a trace. It is all the same, about 10 small iron or steel spikes or slivers, they are perhaps 1/32 of an inch long and half that wide. They taper from a bigger base to a point, like a spike. They are sort of sharp sided, not round, and are magnetic, and just dark in color like the oil. There is no aluminum flakes or bearing metal or bronze,no polished or chrome, just these things. We did an oil analysis but don't have the results back yet. I don't expect the analysis to show much as these are too large to make it through the oil filter.

    My A & P has 40 years experience and is not sure what they are. It could be a tappet or a gear, he doesn't think it is from a camshaft.

    The standby backup generator is worn out, even though it still works, but there no evidence of the gear of where it mounts missing any metal.

    Any good advice or educated guess? A full overhaul is $42,000, and I don't want to do it just on guess work. He suggests flying another 20 hours and then checking the filter again.

    I may also try sending some of the metal itself into be checked by Cont or the oli analysis people, neither of which do I have complete beliefe in.

    Compression is good, he did find ignition timing was about 2 * off. It starts and runs well.

    Thanks
    Last edited by Bill Greenwood; 09-11-2012 at 02:42 PM.

  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Greenwood View Post
    My 1988 Be 36 TC is in for annual. The engine is Cont TSIO 520 UB, about 800 hours on it.

    In the oil change we found some metal in the filter, not much, but more than a trace. It is all the same, about 10 small iron or steel spikes or slivers, they are perhaps 1/32 of an inch long and half that wide. They taper from a bigger base to a point, like a spike. They are sort of sharp sided, not round, and are magnetic, and just dark in color like the oil. There is no aluminum flakes or bearing metal or bronze,no polished or chrome, just these things. We did an oil analysis but don't have the results back yet. I don't expect the analysis to show much as these are too large to make it through the oil filter.

    My A & P has 30 years experience and is not sure what they are. It could be a tappet or a gear, he doesn't think it is from a camshaft.

    The standby backup generator is worn out, even though it still works, but there no evidence of the gear of where it mounts missing any metal.

    Any good advice or educated guess? A full overhaul is $42,000, and I don't want to do it just on guess work. He suggests flying another 20 hours and then checking the filter again.

    I may also try sending some of the metal itself into be checked by Cont or the oli analysis people, neither of which do I have complete beliefe in.

    Compression is good, he did find ignition timing was about 2 * off. It starts and runs well.

    Thanks
    It sounds like the cam or lifter(s) to me. Pull a a few lifters on one side to check the cam and lifter surfaces. Refer to Continental SID 05-1 before doing anything expensive.

    Ed

  3. #3

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    Thanks, Ed. I asked the A&P about looking at the cam and lifters and he says it is not easy to get access to them on this engine.

    I phoned the factory, got a nice guy who also owns a Bonanza,, and he says tappet wear usually shows more as a shaving, and I wouldn't say that is what these look like. He thinks is could be starter drive or an accessory.

  4. #4

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    Lifters bits look like coffee grounds, cam & starter adapter spring bits like needles. It could be your adapter. I hope it is!

    Ed
    Last edited by 1TJ; 09-11-2012 at 05:24 PM.

  5. #5

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    I pulled the particles off the magnet and took a better look. They look more like flakes and are smaller and shiny than my first impression.
    Oil analysis found slightly high iron and a little nickel.

    The lifters are not readily accessable on this engine.

    I think I will fly another 10 hours or so, and recheck.

    But, if there is more metal then, I'll still be considering an overhaul. Ouch $$$$$$$$!

  6. #6

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    Can you attach a picture?

    Have you recently changed your starter?
    Have you changed to Aeroshell 15W-50 or PLUS in the last year?
    You may want to pull your starter adapter and have a peak.

    One exhaust lifter should be 2-3 hours on and off. Fortunately with Continentals you don't have to remove the cylinder.

    You may want to try a high dose of Camguard if you are going to run it.
    Ed
    Last edited by 1TJ; 09-11-2012 at 05:26 PM.

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