I was by the shop yesterday and asked if they had an answer on the cause of the blown cylinder on the O-470. They hadn't really spent any time investigating the cause, so speculation was the prevailing attitude. The plane was an out of town plane and the shop had nothing to do with maintenance nor was familiar with the history of the bird. However, the likely causes still were repeated as a cracked case or the bolts became a little loose. Something that allowed the cylinder to "hammer" a little before it worked it's way all the way off.

The new engine was there and ready to go on. Now the poor guy (owner) is left with some serious choices to make......"While the 182 is down, should I fly my Caravan or my Citation? Going to a short field? Better take my R44." Quite a fleet to choose from!

RWM wrote:The new engine was there and ready to go on. Now the poor guy (owner) is left with some serious choices to make......"While the 182 is down, should I fly my Caravan or my Citation? Going to a short field? Better take my R44." Quite a fleet to choose from!

As an avionics friend said once about a similarly very well-heeled customer;
"It is horrible to contemplate the conditions under which some people still endure to live."

I ask my engine shop the question. He said: Cylinder departs, wrong torque. Head departs, something in the combustion chamber.

nealkas wrote: As an avionics friend said once about a similarly very well-heeled customer;
"It is horrible to contemplate the conditions under which some people still endure to live."

I had a cylinder come off of an engine in flight some twenty years ago. It was as George said, lead build up on a valve. Piston hammered the cylinder off of the engine.Still have the piston the cylinder is somewhere between Snohomish and Issaquah.

The engine was a Wright R-975.