....or it drops a valve, frees a valve seat, overheats or has a bottom end through bolt related failure, which ever comes first.
Fixed
Exactly as you say Young Mic 'Fixed' It is a great credit to the Jabiru Company that as their engines evolved they actually addressed any problems that were found. As solutions were found notifications were sent out to owners detailing what needed to be done to ensure the engines performed safely. Sometimes these notices were to replace parts and sometimes they were operational and maintenance issues.
Jabiru's major problem was that many owners chose to ignore the notifications.
The truth of this was spelled out when RAA/CASA (I think it was) came up with the idea that the aircraft's engine maintenance log had to be sent in with the annual licence fee. Of the first 70 or so sent in only 3 engines fully complied with the factory service bulletins, maintenance schedules and maintenance procedures.
The great improvement in reliability has come about because the licence renewal is withheld until the engine is compliant.
Most owners are not engineers and they don't fully grasp the complexities in designing a completely new engine. Even giant companies have teething problems with new equipment. Airbus 380 and Boeing 787 come to mind.
I realize it was just a throwaway line but I wonder if Young Mic understands the real reason the through bolts were failing and what the factory had to do to identify the cause. (If you don't understand the cause of a problem anything you do to fix it is just a guess)
Two things to note. I am not an engineer and I don't own a Jabiru plane or engine. I've always had an interest in engineering and I think Jabiru should be given a fair go as they appear to be a company doing the right thing by their customers which is more than can be said about Continental and Lycoming.
