diamondaviators.net

Update on my situation. Engine is at OH shop. Teardown shows the engine was in very good shape except for a worn bushing in a connecting rod (the suspected issue that triggered the OH). Crankshaft and case serviceable so the estimate will hold. Most parts are readily available except for cylinders. I was offered to take Superior cylinders and could have had the engine ready this month but decided instead to give the Lycos a little more time, mostly for resale considerations. Still no date on those. I've made my peace with this ordeal so I don't mind the delays for now, but will reconsider the Superior cylinders if it starts looking like the plane won't be ready after ski season.

I'm still waiting on my crankcase. It was sent out to Divco in August. Apparently they are super backed up and will not provide an estimated completion date. I guess there are only a few case repair shops out there and so we're all waiting on them. Apparently even the big overhaul shops send their cases out.

Another snag was the hose kit which apparently had to be special ordered. But we expect that will arrive before the case...

Finally some good news on the situation. I've got near final numbers on the overhaul. Engine itself was $32k (including new Superior Millennium cylinders). $2500 for the R&R. $1800 for the prop, $1450 for prop governor overhaul, $1700 Diamond tax on engine mount isolator set, $1450 for the hose kit, and $400 for the oil cooler overhaul. All in just shy of $42k, installed.

It'll be another few weeks before they finish reassembling / testing the engine and get it mounted. In the meantime my medical and IFR currency will expire, so I've gotta get that sorted and then find some time in the new year to get down to pick it up.

The hold up at DivCo was apparently due to the passing of one of their lead inspectors. Sounds like they're starting to get things in order, but be aware that there are likely some significant delays here (about six weeks for me personally.)

Very similar prices for the hoses in my case ($1800 CAD) and the shop claims the quality is much better than the Diamond OEM hoses. IFR currency was at risk for me as well but i was able to get enough hours on another private DA40 to stay current.

Tempest finewire plugs and Lycoming cylinders have arrived at the shop so I'm glad I waited. The only missing part is the fuel servo but they expect it any day now. With the holidays, they say the engine will be ready in the 2nd half of January.

Just can't seem to catch a break it seems. When they mounted the engine they found an erratic reading on one EGT probe and a broken clamp on the other. So begins the process of trying to source two replacement EGT probes. Premiere lists them as out of stock so I'm not hopeful this will happen in short order.

Matt:

I assume the probes were working when your airplane went into the shop. If so, make sure your shop checks the connections thoroughly. On mine (VM1000), the probes are affixed to the exhaust riser with standard hose clamps (with a single hole drilled for the probe). Your shop should be able to make one of these.

Steve

Thanks Steve. I am suspect of the #4 probe which James said was erratic. It was replaced in 2021 but the reading sometimes looked a bit off. So it probably needs to be replaced. He also said it didn't look like a genuine part (though I sure was billed for one!) I'm not sure if the G1000 probes are attached with standard clamps, and I'm not entirely sure which bit is broken (email just says "cracked at the attach clamp".) I'd like to think James would have thought to just replace the clamp, but I'll double check.

After waiting so long to fly your airplane, every delay seems like an eternity. When I installed my new engine (after a 4 month wait from Lycoming) everything went fine until the very last step...

... until I was installing the snuffle valve on the bottom of the oil pan. Snapped that sucker clean off. The good news was that I was able to easily get the NPT threaded part out of the pan, the bad news was that a new one cost about $120, and none were in stock anywhere. I finally sourced one a couple of weeks later, but looking at my (almost) completed airplane for two weeks was torture...

Matt, when I had a clamp break on my probe (hose clamp) my mechanic said he could not just replace the clamp, I had to buy a new probe/clamp assembly. I didn't understand what the big deal was.

It does look like the probe is either welded or riveted (or both?) to the clamp.