Sad news for those with IO550's installed in place of the IO520.
(Hope that's not you Doc)
Apparently as per the letter from the CEO of Teledyne Continental, there is a serious issue with the engines that has GROUNDED all aircraft fitted with these donks.
In the case of the engines that have done some hours, it looks like a lengthy downtime and more than likely an engine replacement.
Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) announced yesterday a limited recall of Hydraulic Lifters used in TCM engine valve trains. TCM has determined that these lifters are subject to early wear.
These parts are designed and supplied by an outside vendor, which is working aggressively to identify the root cause and to deliver good parts.
These parts were first used in late June of 2009 and affect only a small percentage of the flying fleet.
I am writing to let you know not only that we have identified an issue, but that we are taking aggressive action to retire these hydraulic lifters with minimal impact to our many customers. Specifically, TCM
Identified alternative sources of lifters.
Established dedicated Customer Service representatives to handle replacement scheduling and customer questions.
Developed a plan and series of priorities to restore internal engine production.
Will provide replacement lifters affected by this issue at TCM expense. It is our goal to manage this program responsibly and quickly.
I appreciate your effort and support as we work through this issue.
Sincerely,
Rhett Ross
President