Here's where we stand: I called Mike Busch yesterday, and be damned if he didn't answer the phone himself! He was very interested in seeing my data, which I uploaded for him. In the course of the conversation, he taught me a potfull.
I told him that, as a physician with lawsuit experience, lawsuits would be my very last option. His first comment was that, as an experienced litigation witness, he felt I would have a tough time with any kind of lawsuit against the avionics shop, because "the first question they will ask is why it took you two years to figure out it was wired wrong." My response: because I haven't been able to fly it in that time, logging only about 23 hours since installation. He thought that was still pretty weak. He pulls no punches, which is what I wanted.
We talked about the options for repair, and that most folks that I know were against anything short of a full overhaul. I dread that possibility because of the time involved, and for the same reason don't want to get tied up in a suit. I popped the Big Question all doctors hear: what would do if it were YOUR (father) airplane?
"I would do a top overhaul, but only after watching my webinar about the perils of cylinder removal." (I have.) Here's why I think it's the way to go: any aluminum will either blow out the exhaust or go into the sump. The big worry is the oil system. First clean the sump. The sump pickup tube has a coarse screen whose purpose is to protect the pump. Clean that. Then cut the oil filter. If you think there is so much metal in the filter that it has bypassed (I don't - the filter is three weeks old) then remove the prop governor and look at the screen. If there is metal there, game over - overhaul time. If not, top it."
My response was as follows: I can get it topped where it sits in my hangar. Good stuff. As for the rest of it, here's what I plan to do: gather all my pictures, files, charts, data, pictures of the JPI done today showing the good engine running and the other screen active. (Incidentally, the oil temp senders and TIT senders go to the correct engine. Talk about mass confusion in the air!!!) I will go down to NC and set up a private lunch with the owner of the shop and show him what I have and tell him that I accept some responsibility for the problem, but that I believe his shop must accept some, too, and ask him is he is willing to work with me to make this thing right. And see what he says. The evidence is overwhelming, and if he tries to crawfish, deny, sandbag, then that is the last business I will do with him and I will feel free to share my experience with others. (I won't tell him that; I don't want to threaten him to get what I want. I want to see what kind of man he is.) I would like to see him or his insurer cover the cost of parts and I'll cover the labor, but we'll see how it goes. I'll let the group know. Any advice would be appreciated.
That's the plan.
