diamondaviators.net

Not sure this will come through as an AD, but another item to keep in mind if you're going in for maintenance soon.

Looks like there were some casting issues found that can clog oil passageways.

Check the first couple pages to see if your engine serial number(s) are listed

http://support.diamond-air.at/fileadmin ... cement.pdf

My older engines from 2016 are not affected. Is the issue with newer engines cast by Austro perhaps. I believe older engines were using actual Mercedes engine blocks?

Is the issue with newer engines cast by Austro perhaps.

This appears to be related to the oil pump itself, not the engine (block) casting. Some of the lower serial numbers (below 500 for E4As) are almost certainly "Mercedes" engines. If it was related to the block, the corrective action would have certainly involved more than the oil pump.

My engine was affected and needs to have the pump replaced. Apparently this is preventative, there have been no failures to date because of the bad oil pump (I was told). Diamond is shipping out the new pumps in the next few weeks. It's quite an elaborate job to replace the pump unfortunately. As was mentioned in an earlier comment, the oil pump casting is releasing sand or particles.

I wanted to ask some advice from NG owners, particularly those with engines impacted by the Oil Pump replacement MSB. I have two options on where to do the job. One is my local shop, which is a Diamond Certified maintenance shop. As far as I've ascertained they do a great job, but they have never done invasive work on an Austro engine, and don't have a ton of Austro experience. There are only a few NG's at my field.

The other option is 1.5 hours away - the closest airport with a maintenance facility that works on NG's regularly.

Curious if the job is considered to be sufficiently complex that you would think that it's worth the ferry ride to the more experienced shop?

Thanks !

I would travel. Let them learn on someone else’s plane.

My experience is that using a specialist seems to always save money even if they appear more costly at the outset.

Thank you. This is actually covered under warranty --- I should have mentioned that. So I'm not so much worried about the time, as safety ?

Time is a cost but just get the plane ferried if you don’t have time...shouldn’t cost too much in the context.

I’m not for someone learning on both my engines at the one time. Although unrelated, some airlines don’t allow the same 20+ year mechanic work on both engines simultaneously, particularly for ETOPs aircraft. At a much smaller GA level, we should at least require some experience before doing surgery to both.

Thank you

Agree, go where they know exactly what they are doing Marco