blown up 912 ??

[GASSITT@aol.com]

I just got a call from a customer that says he just bought a Rotax 912S engine from Lockwood and he bought it as a blown up engine $ 4000. and he knew it was blown up , two rods on the crankshaft are toast and the reason was climbout was too steep (PER LOCKWOOD) about 200 hrs TT , ITS BLOWN UP ! they tell the original owner that its not worth fixing , Well I have been working on Rotax engines now for 32 yrs and about ten of them with the 912 , and this one is beyond me , never heard of anything like this , The Rotax 912 doesn't have an oil pan its got a oil tank ,Its a dry sump engine , question , How friggen steep would you haft to climb to starve the engine for oil and for how long ?? I totally disagree with the diagnosis , Any thoughts ? ITS STILL BLOWN UP , Its not Lockwoods fault , they never worked on it , no one has , IT could have been caused by SUN SPOTS ?
GASSITT

[ClickClickBoom]

I just got a call from a customer that says he just bought a Rotax 912 engine from Lockwood and its blown up , two rods on the crankshaft are toast and the reason was climbout was too steep (PER LOCKWOOD) about 200 hrs , they say its not worth fixing , Well I have been working on Rotax engines now for 32 yrs and about ten of them with the 912 , and this one is beyond me , never heard of anything like this , The Rotax 912 doesn't have an oil pan its got a oil tank , question , How friggen steep would you haft to climb to starve the engine for oil and for how long ?? I totally disagree with the diagnosis , Any thoughts ?
Steve@ Airscrew Performance

More to this story than meets the page. Sounds like Lockwood doesn't want to fix the booboo.
Total time on cases, installation, ect. 200 hrs on an engine is just enough to guarantee break in, not much more.
Without many more details, not enough info to analyze accurately.
Rod toasting would suggest an oiling problem.

[rogerh12]

Engine mechanics have a general rule, "if it's going to let go after a engine rebuild, it will do it in the first 50 hours". I guess that means any mistakes in the rebuild will only last a few hours before those loose nuts start coming off the rod bolts. Anyway, 200 hours is a lot of time on a Rotax, the 582 only has a TBO of 300 hours, so any way you slice it, I suspect a breakage or part failure followed by oil pressure loss in the 912 was to blame.

That' my take on it, given very little information (though that's never stopped me from venturing an opinion before !!!)
Roger

[GASSITT@aol.com]

OK , iI got my fix this morning , BEAUTIFUL and smooth , eat your hearts out , Alright i changed the original post so ANYONE capable or piloting a Kitfox or anything without a training wheel on the front should have no problem (THIS TIME) understanding my post , My whole thought about this scenario was knowing the Rotax 912 as i do and it being a dry sump engine and the thought of residual oil in the system that it would take some doing to starve the engine ENOUGH to damage it , I was just looking for others input and thank you Michael for yours .

GASSITT

[Av8r_Sed]

Steve,
Why do you join the forum today, make your first post and take Lockwood to task publicly? Is Lockwood a competitor and you're taking a shot? How about suggesting to your customer that they join the forum and ask the wise minds here for advice?

[DesertFox4]

Steve,
Why do you join the forum today, make your first post and take Lockwood to task publicly? Is Lockwood a competitor and you're taking a shot? How about suggesting to your customer that they join the forum and ask the wise minds here for advice?

I read and re-read the OP and am not quite sure why the attack.
No accusations were made toward Lockwood, a know reputable business, by the OP who was relaying what a customer said to him.

Anyways- was the engine brand new or a rebuild?
Was it on a Kitfox? I'll assume it was and if so , no I've never heard of too steep of a climb out yet in a Kitfox that would do in a healthy Rotax 912 but as stated there just isn't enough information to conclude much yet. There are other aircraft using the Rotax 912 engines that may climb out even steeper than our Kitfox's do and no I've not heard of those having difficulty keeping their engines together either.

Sorry for his troubles.

[Woodennickle]

Gee Av8r-Sed, hope you received a better welcome to the site when you joined. What crawled up your butt?