AMT 643 LEC
A/C POWERPLANT OVERHAUL & TROUBLESHOOTING
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Preventive maintenance> consists of preservation, upkeep,
and the simple replacement of small parts.
Annual Inspections > are based on calendar months and,
therefore, are due on the last day of the 12th month after the
last annual was completed.
100-HOUR INSPECTION> All general aviation aircraft that are
operated for hire must be inspected every 100 flight hours.
This inspection is in addition to the annual inspection
requirement, and covers the same items as the annual
inspection.
Progressive Inspection > is designed for aircraft operators
who do wish to have their aircraft grounded for several days
while an annual or 100-hour inspection is being
accomplished.
Preflight Inspection> is a visual inspection of all external
parts that can be seen from the ground.
Routine inspections > are those inspections that are
mandated by an approved inspection schedule or Federal
Aviation Regulations.
Non-routine Inspection > is any inspection that must be done
as a result of a component failure or incident that could
potentially damage an engine.
Manufacturer's Maintenance Manual > is the primary
reference tool for the aviation maintenance technician
working on aircraft.
Service manuals > provide information on routine servicing,
system descriptions and functions, handling procedures, and
component removal and installation.
STRUCTURAL REPAIR MANUALS > For repair of serious
damage, structural repair manuals are used. These manuals
contain detailed information for repair of an aircraft's
primary and secondary structure. The repairs described in a
structural repair manual are developed by the
manufacturer's engineering staff, and thus are usually
considered approved data by the FAA.
INTRODUCTION
As a powerplant technician, you must be able to operate,
maintain, inspect, and overhaul aircraft engines. Performing
those tasks requires you to develop the ability to determine
when an engine is running normally and when engine
performance is deteriorating.
ENGINE STARTING
-Starting an aircraft engine is a specialized procedure and
varies with an individual engine and aircraft. Before starting
any aircraft engine, be sure to study the procedures in the
appropriate airplane flight manual and get instruction from
an experienced operator.
-Before attempting an engine start, check engine fluids and
verify that all cockpit engine controls are intact and fully
operational.
Functions of Lubricants:
• LUBRICATION/REDUCE FRICTION
• COOLING
• SEALING
• CLEANING
• CORROSION PROTECTION
There is always a possibility of fire when starting an engine.
Because of this, you should always have a carbon dioxide fire
extinguisher of adequate capacity available.
Induction system fires are the most common type of fire and
occur most frequently in reciprocating engines. The reason
for this is if an engine is over-primed and then fires back
through the carburetor, the gasoline in the induction system
can ignite.
WHAT TO DO?
-If an induction fire occurs, continue cranking the engine to
draw the fire back into the cylinders. If this fails, signal the
fire guard to extinguish the fire.
FLOODED ENGINE
-If an engine becomes flooded during a start attempt, place
the mixture control in the idle cutoff position. This shuts off
all fuel flow to the cylinders. With the mixture in the cutoff
position, place the ignition switch in the off position,
-Open the throttle all the way, and crank the engine with the
starter until the fuel charge in the cylinders has been cleared.
Once this is done, repeat the normal start procedure.
ENGINE WARM-UP
Proper engine warm-up is important, particularly when the
condition of the engine is unknown. An improperly adjusted
idle mixture, intermittently firing spark plugs, or improperly
adjusted engine valves all have an overlapping effect on
engine stability.
-The warm-up should be made at a speed that results in
maximum engine stability. This typically results when the
engine speed is between 1,000and 1,200 rpm. During warm-
up, monitor the engine instruments to ensure normal
operation.
-For example, the oil pressure gauge should indicate pressure
within 30 seconds after a start. If that does not happen, the
engine should be shut down immediately.
MAGNETO CHECK
-Magnetos are self-contained engine driven units to supply
electrical current to the spark plugs.
-The magneto generates sufficiently high voltage to jump a
spark across the spark plug gap in each cylinder.
-Each magneto operates independently to fire one of the two
spark plugs in each cylinder
-A magneto safety check can be performed during warm-up.
The purpose of this check is to ensure that all ignition
connections are secure and that the ignition system will
permit operation at the higher power settings.
This test is accomplished at idle rpm with the propeller in the
high rpm, low pitch posi- tion. To conduct the check, move
the ignition switch from the "both" position to "right" then
return to "both," from "both" to "left" and return to "both,"
from "both" to "off" momentarily, and return to "both."

-While switching from the "both" position to a single

magneto, a slight but noticeable drop in rpm should occur.
This indicates that the opposite magneto is properly
grounded out. Complete cutting out of the engine when
switching from "both" to "off" indicates that both magnetos
are properly grounded.