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Marc W

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2017
Messages
1,234
Location
Colorado
I made a short flight this morning - shortest on record for me! I took off and settled into the climb. Glanced down at the panel and saw the oil pressure was low and dropping. The needle hit "0". The engine was running fine and I didn't hear any wheezing or clanking so I left it running. I made a 180 to head back to the runway and called an emergency.

"Impossible turn" my sweet patootie! I was barely past the end of the runway and it being a cool morning I was probably at close to 1000' AGL. The engine was still running fine but I didn't want to tempt fate so I pulled it to idle and headed down. I was still at 100 MPH at the threshold but the runway is over a mile long so I went ahead and floated down most of it before I felt slow enough to set down. I still landed fast but I thought I could slow better with the wheels and brakes on the ground. As it happened I had enough runway to not need the brakes but I did use the whole runway.

The engine ran fine the whole time. I thought about shutting it off to increase drag but I decided to let it idle in case I needed it. I taxied back to the hanger and shut it off. Then I noticed the alternator circuit breaker was popped. I reset the breaker and fired it up. Oil pressure came up and the breaker stayed in. The only thing wrong is the alternator voltage read about 12 volts and it should be between 14 and 15V.

The new prop hub seals I put in are still leaking bad. Brand new seals shouldn't leak. The crank seal on the flywheel end has always leaked. I just have a bad feeling about this engine. I hear it talking to me. I feel like it is a ticking time bomb. I think it is time to bite the bullet and tear it down before it kills me, maims me or at least puts me on foot. So that's it. I am done flying until I get the engine checked out.
 
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