Hydraulic Lifter Issue

TCM recently published MSB09-8 regarding the inspection and replacement of hydraulic lifters on 240, 360, 470, 520, and 550 series engines.  This MSB was followed by a FAA issued Emergency AD covering the same engine series.  Through the dedicated effort of TCM employees, distributors, supplier, and maintenance facilities over the last several weeks, TCM has restored the hydraulic lifter supply and is resuming engine production.
 

FAQ’s:

What problem did TCM identify with the hydraulic lifter supply?
TCM identified an issue with a vendor component that makes it necessary for aircraft with certain recently installed engines to be grounded effective immediately.  The component is a hydraulic lifter and TCM has confirmed instances of rapid wear of PN 657915.  This has occurred in both TCM engines and field overhauled engines using the 657915 lifter.

What do I need to do to determine if my aircraft is affected?
The aircraft needs to remain grounded until an inspection is completed to determine if your engine has been affected.  If your engine has PN 657913 (Exhaust), 657915 (Intake), or 657916 (Either), it is affected and must remain grounded until the lifters are replaced.  Upon inspection, if your engine has either PN please contact TCM’s customer service department at 1 800 826-5465 for additional instructions.  A listing of potentially affected engines will be on our website (http://www.genuinecontinental.aero/) as soon as possible.  Additionally, a Service Bulletin has been released. 

Is the FAA involved?
Yes, TCM is working in conjunction with the FAA at this time.

Am I going to be compensated for any financial losses?
TCM will replace all affected engine components under warranty. In addition, TCM will reimburse reasonable travel expenses for pilots and passengers stranded away from their home airports as a result of this grounding. We are actively working this issue and will keep you advised through our website as more information becomes available.

What is wrong with my lifter?
We have confirmed a few instances of rapid wear of lifter PN 657915 in both TCM engines and field overhauled engines. We are continuing to work with our supplier to identify the root cause and the corrective action.

What are the symptoms of this issue?
The instances to date have been detected by a rough engine in flight.

Should I be concerned about flying my aircraft?
At this time we believe there may be a potential safety of flight issue, which is why we have decided to ground involved aircraft.

What is TCM going to do about my lifters?
TCM will replace all affected lifters.

What will the lifter replacement cost me?
TCM will replace all engine components affected under warranty.

When can I anticipate the replacement lifters to be delivered?
TCM is working with the supplier to obtain the necessary replacement lifters as quickly as possible. Please review our website for status of this issue.

What is the status of the lifter supply issue?
TCM has released 3,000 hydraulic lifter units to the field.  This includes those installed by TCM in its Factory Engines (770 units) and sold through its Distributors (2,230 units).

Have all of the PN 657915 lifters been retrieved?
To date, TCM has located more than 2,000 of the 3,000 fielded units and TCM has shipped more than 2,200 replacement lifter units to support the inspection and replacement program.

When will production begin for rebuilt engines?
TCM has established and qualified two sources of rebuilt lifters that may be used in engines.  This has allowed TCM to restart rebuilt engine production as of 13 November 2009.

When will production begin for new engines?
TCM is working to restart new engine production and expects to announce that within the next 24 hours.

When will lifters be available for aftermarket supply?
The supply of lifters is still very limited.  We are working to increase capacity and hope to be able to supply some volume of rebuilt lifters to the aftermarket by mid-December.  The company will update the availability of lifters for aftermarket use on 23 November and weekly thereafter.

I have an engine on order.  When will it be shipped?
With the restoration of lifter supply, the company expects to complete shipping of all current engine orders within three weeks. 

What is the turnaround time for a new engine order?
TCM will quote new engine orders with lead times of 4 to 6 weeks, but fully expects to provide delivery in approximately 20 business days.