Rear Engine Wear

[CO_Skymaster]

Has anyone noticed that the rear engine of the Skymaster requires more maintenance over time than the front engine. Since the purchase of my Skymaster, I've had to replace the muffler, alternator, rear spinner cone, deal with oil leaking past my head gaskets, oil leaking along the propeller seals, and now the magneto is acting up. I joke with my A&P that my rear engine is cursed. Maybe since it's in the slipsteam of the front prop, it is subjected to more vibration.

[John Hoffman]

We have had the Skymaster going on 10 yr now and cant say that I have noticed any difference in maintenance - we started out with two newly overhauled engines so all things should be equal. Just a note re. the mags. - did a 4 mag. overhaul on time (500 hr.) thinking there was an AD requiring it. After done found out its not required so next time I would just deal with a problem mag as they show up. I have also wondered if the front propwash has any effect on the rear but have never read anything re. it. Hope your luck changes with the rear engine.

[Ernie Martin]

I too have seen more problems with the rear than the front, and the vibration is indeed greater. To the point where parts of the airframe around the rear engine started cracking --see the thread with pictures at http://www.337skymaster.com/messages...ead.php?t=2178

Ernie

[CO_Skymaster]

Thanks for the info Ernie,

I'm glad it's not my imagination. The engine itself seems to be in good condition, but I've overhauled several components attached to it. I will watch the rear engine more closly for problems in the future.

I tried to buy the carbon rear spinner, but like I said my rear engine is cursed and it didn't fit (Owen told me I'm the only person that has happened to), so I replaced it with an aluminum one.

Karl

[JeffAxel]

a prop balance is especially important on the rear prop because anything that gets loose in the rear engine compartment goes thru that prop. Every Skymaster I looked at while buying had nicks, some pretty big ones, in the rear prop. You have to be meticulous to be sure all hardware, screws, whatever; that gets loose in the rear engine compartment is removed before flying, or your prop will pay the price!

[tropical]

Have the props dynamically balanced. Most owners skip this process because the believe the static balance done on the props are good enough. I've done lots of dynamic balances and the owners were shocked at how much smoother the plane ran and flew.

Everything described in the first post is the result of a prop that is not balanced dynamically.