Well, took the new to me 59' 182 in for a few minor issues and low an behold the engine mount/truss has 4 or so cracks in the welds. They were powder coated about 120 hrs ago when the engine was overhauled/replaced. Could the powder coating process with heat help cause these? Mid-3000 hrs on the airframe.

Any one else had cracked engine mounts? No idea what it's going to cost yet as the main guy is on vacation. Sounds like its all going to be removed and sent out for repair.

Not what I wanted to have pop up after 1 month of ownership. Yes, its fresh out of annual so who knows if they were there when I bought it or happened in the 20 hrs i have flown it.

Thanks for any thoughts / ideas.

Travis

Powder coating usually takes the oven to be set at 325 - 400 f.... That will NOT cause cracks in a steel mount. My guess is the cracks were there long before you bought the plane. Unless you crashed it in the last 20 hours..

Stol wrote:Powder coating usually takes the oven to be set at 325 - 400 f.... That will NOT cause cracks in a steel mount. My guess is the cracks were there long before you bought the plane. Unless you crashed it in the last 20 hours..

No crashes. My guess is they developed after the powder coating a few years back and 120 hrs since they were removed to be powder coated. Anyhow it is what it is. Just a bummer after buying a plane with a low time engine and appears great MX history.

Will be anxiously waiting for tuesday to find out how much this is going to cost...

Have you seen the cracks? Where are they ? Are the tubes ok? My guess is if the mount only needs the cracks repairs it will run 400 -700 bucks.

Stol wrote:Have you seen the cracks? Where are they ? Are the tubes ok? My guess is if the mount only needs the cracks repairs it will run 400 -700 bucks.

On the welds for the cross/support structures. Not the tubes. That eases the mind.

I have refused to have my airplane motor mounts powder coated after seeing a demo of how strong the coating is. The demo was done with wrecked motorcycle parts for evidence. They showed that the frame could crack without breaking through the powder coating. I have powder coated lots of parts on my old International Scout, but my airplane motor mounts only get PAINTED white. The paint will show cracks sooner and the white shows up oil leaks sooner that the usual black.

Just my 2c

Chris C

I have 2 182 mounts per 1962 aircraft. If I get them out I plastic bead blast and nondestructive mag check and paint for $650 exchange . Contact me at my email below and send your phone number and I'll check .

I have a mount that came off a 180 . I think it will work for you. $500 bucks plus shiping.
Powder coating will not cause the problem. I do powdercoating. The temp range is 350 to 400 tem rang for
20 minits after flow out. The cracks are from viberation or other problems. Let me know if you would like the mount. I do not need two of them.

Ken in Alaska

akflyer2001 wrote:I have a mount that came off a 180 . I think it will work for you. $500 bucks plus shiping.
Powder coating will not cause the problem. I do powdercoating. The temp range is 350 to 400 tem rang for
20 minits after flow out. The cracks are from viberation or other problems. Let me know if you would like the mount. I do not need two of them.

Ken in Alaska

Thanks.. I will see what they say on Tuesday. I might just have it sent out and refurbished. I have options. Thanks

I'd love to see a pic of where to look, if you have any...

lesuther wrote:I'd love to see a pic of where to look, if you have any...

.

Look around where the cluster of tubes come together -- if you grab prop and rock it around it may move just slightly ,also if engine seems to have a "new or unusual vibration in climb . Tubes themselves will rust corrode from inside too . Ultrasonic test might be used to see if it's sound -

Thanks. I'm pulling the cowl this evening (in lieu of an actual vacation), so it's good timing.

A few years ago when replacing the motor at about 1800 hrs and 30 years on my 1975 182P, my mechanic ask if I wanted to have the engine mount sent out to be inspected. We had the engine off at that point, so, with that decision, we removed the heat shield baring the diagonal tube. Under where the heat shield had hid was a 3+ inch stretch of rust that was near a third of the way around the tube that would have been very difficult to spot without removal of the heat shield. I don't know how much metal was gone, but when it was tapped with a screwdriver, enough was gone it changed tone (very distintctly) when the rusted section was tapped. We sent it out to the motor mount rebuilder, and the whole rusted tube was replaced. We chose to go with white paint so cracks should be easier to spot than on the original black color.
The airplane had been hangared it's whole life in a fairly damp climate (Germany), and that rust was unexpected. The rest of the plane is good since it is factory zinc chromated (green).
Motor mounts are vital, and it is a VERY good idea to have them inspected at any/all opportunities....

On seaplanes I was taught on rental planes (Kenmore) or multi-pilot planes to grab the prop and do your best to shake the motor with it, to make sure there is no 'give'/motion. It was indicated repeated slamming into waves, or repeated hard landings could cause a motor mount to start to fail, and finding it before the flight was a GOOD idea.....

lc

I sent my mout of at 2886 hrs while doing engine change on my 1957 182A.
Walter Bazemore in Lake Park, Ga did the work. Magnaflux showed fatigue cracks consistent with older style mounts.
Work done was stripping, cutting and welding rienforcement in the joints with sleeves. Then aligning, corrosion proofing, and painting.
I was surprised that an aircraft with this little time, that I know had been hangered its entire life, would have cracks. Mr. Bazemore said it was common with older 182's.
All told with labor, shipping and work was about $2400, when done in conjunction with engine change.

Thanks for the pointers. Mine seemed fine, but has been re-painted black and has old paint underneath to confuse the matter. I agree that white or grey paint could make it a lot easier to look at.

29singlespeed wrote:Well, took the new to me 59' 182 in for a few minor issues and low an behold the engine mount/truss has 4 or so cracks in the welds. They were powder coated about 120 hrs ago when the engine was overhauled/replaced. Could the powder coating process with heat help cause these? Mid-3000 hrs on the airframe.

Any one else had cracked engine mounts? No idea what it's going to cost yet as the main guy is on vacation. Sounds like its all going to be removed and sent out for repair.

Not what I wanted to have pop up after 1 month of ownership. Yes, its fresh out of annual so who knows if they were there when I bought it or happened in the 20 hrs i have flown it.

Thanks for any thoughts / ideas.

Travis

You may want to check your prop/ engine for dynamic balance, vibration causes fatigue cracks, it’s odd that none of the cracks were noticed when the mount was blasted prior to powder coating, normally a crack will stand out when it’s blasted. Have the front AND the rear of the engine checked for excessive vibration levels .

Thanks for all the responses. Looks like I will be sending the existing ones out for repair or a core exchange. I don't want to pick up a used set and have the issue again. Paying a bit extra for a certified repair shop to make them good as new will give me peace of mind.

29singlespeed wrote:Thanks for all the responses. Looks like I will be sending the existing ones out for repair or a core exchange. I don't want to pick up a used set and have the issue again. Paying a bit extra for a certified repair shop to make them good as new will give me peace of mind.

Update: The mount was found to be the wrong one for the plane?? Not sure on the exact details but is peculiar. It did have a firewall replacement after the nose wheel collapsed and the list of the repairs did not include the engine truss. Luckily no extra charge for the correct one.

So it's still in pieces up in Mack and I hope to get it by mid-oct. Even though 2551G had a new annual/inspection when I got it, I am having Dana at Monument Aviation go ahead and inspect the rest of the plane for piece of mind.

It's a reminder how 1 small issue becomes a rabbit hole to go down.. all started with a Tach issue. Glad we are finding it, but also starting to think about just joining a club. Since I am now back in Phoenix, AZ there are plenty of fun planes to fly without owning.

--Travis

It's a reminder how 1 small issue becomes a rabbit hole to go down.. all started with a Tach issue. Glad we are finding it, but also starting to think about just joining a club. Since I am now back in Phoenix, AZ there are plenty of fun planes to fly without owning.

--Travis
29singlespeedPosts: 222Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 7:10 pmLocation: Moab, UT

Don't give up this is an awesome plane and I know you got a good deal on it, although this is certainly a set-back.

DBI wrote:

It's a reminder how 1 small issue becomes a rabbit hole to go down.. all started with a Tach issue. Glad we are finding it, but also starting to think about just joining a club. Since I am now back in Phoenix, AZ there are plenty of fun planes to fly without owning.

--Travis
29singlespeedPosts: 222Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 7:10 pmLocation: Moab, UT

Don't give up this is an awesome plane and I know you got a good deal on it, although this is certainly a set-back.

Putting it through a full health exam this week including a prop/engine balance.