Lycoming claims to have all the cranks in hand, produced by new vendor Louisville Forge in Georgetown, K.Y., to replace the affected parts without an interruption of normal programs. If your engine has an affected crankshaft, Lycoming will replace the crank at no cost and, “when authorized by Lycoming,” will reimburse owners for the removal and replacement labor according to Lycoming’s current Removal and Installation Labor Allowance Guidebook (SSP-875). The contentious crankshaft issue first surfaced in early 2002 when Lycoming recalled some 400 crankshafts used in TIO- and LTIO-540 engines. By late 2003, after a fifth crash attributed to crank failure, Lycoming broadened the recall to include some 1800 airplanes total; the recall program was concluded in 2003. It was believed at the time that only the high-horsepower versions were at risk.
…Owners: What It Means
Key Takeaways:
- Lycoming has obtained replacement crankshafts from a new vendor, Louisville Forge, to address affected parts and ensure normal program continuation.
- Owners with affected crankshafts will receive a free replacement from Lycoming, with potential reimbursement for removal and installation labor.
- This contentious crankshaft issue first emerged in 2002 with recalls for TIO- and LTIO-540 engines, expanded by 2003 to include 1800 aircraft, and was initially believed to only affect high-horsepower versions.
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