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Old 5th Mar 2011, 00:40
  #616 (permalink)  
bearfoil
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In this case My surmise would be to give RR the benefit of the doubt. Let us assume that this powerplant is under rather intense scrutiny v/v inspections, and compliance. Oil Issues are at the forefront, and it would be counterintuitive to simply lay off loose nuts at their door.

The Oil Pump is located on the external and aft area of the external gearbox, next to the filter, a non-bypass type, ~ 125 microns, cleanable three times. The Pump is a vaned type, equipped with a pressure relief valve set to 600 psi. When this PRV pops, Oil is redirected into the inlet, similar to a spill valve on the Fuel side.

There are nine scavenge pumps arrayed on the gearbox, each with provision for a chip detector of the screw in variety. The Oil goes directly to the FOHE or in the case of cold bypass cooling, to the Air cooler (OIL).

Each of these fittings needs to be cycled at least once whilst in the shop or on the ramp during an inspection, along with the external connections into the core. That is a lot of opportunity for missed checks in the boxes. Only five conditions of loss of Oil since Burst? not so very many.

QF32. Note the Oil Quantity during the EEC log at Burst. It drops a quart or two, then regains its level. I think this is not an oil leak, but could be indicative of a flow problem, not a loss of quantity problem. The oil drains from the bearing boxes via gravity into a scavenge rail, or gallery. Vibration has other outcomes when fluid is flowing, other than nut loosening, imho. Foaming, Sloshing, etc.A temporary drop in "quantity" at the Oil Tank does not necessarily signify missing OIL, only perhaps missing temporarily from the ceramic resistance stacks that feed the EEC with quantity reads.