PSC
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2015
- Messages
- 98
- Reaction score
- 10
Last night the better half took my plane and her instructor on her night cross country (only a few more hours to go on her PPL 
! ). When they got back, the instructor told me they had a little engine issue. He said on the take off roll it began to sputter, miss, and very lightly backfire - he said it was very similar to the way it acts on a single mag during mag check with carbon built up on the plugs, but a little worse.
They aborted the take off, came around and investigated, did a mag check, several cycles to full power and were unable to reproduce the issue - so they departed normally and flew almost an hour home under normal power conditions. My visual inspection on their return came up equally as empty-handed - no leaks no signs of a grounding wire, everything was straight and orderly.
He is quite an experienced aviator and instructor, who also happens to operate two aircraft in the PA28 family (161 & 180), so I trust his judgement a lot. He suggested that we might be experiencing worn connections in the magnetos and if they hadn't been rebuilt lately that they were probably in need. I reviewed my engine logs and cannot seem to locate any record of rebuild or replacement in about 1900 hours of operation. That feels highly unlikely to me, but maybe possible? I'm having my A&P investigate and will follow up with a report from him.
So my question(s) for the group:
Does this sound roughly in line with one would expect to experience if a mag were on its way to dying? Do they give trouble before they crap out or do they just crap out one minute with no warning?
Assuming mag rebuild is required, where should I send my mags? I'm sure my A&P will suggest someone, but curious about any recommendations the group may have.
! ). When they got back, the instructor told me they had a little engine issue. He said on the take off roll it began to sputter, miss, and very lightly backfire - he said it was very similar to the way it acts on a single mag during mag check with carbon built up on the plugs, but a little worse. They aborted the take off, came around and investigated, did a mag check, several cycles to full power and were unable to reproduce the issue - so they departed normally and flew almost an hour home under normal power conditions. My visual inspection on their return came up equally as empty-handed - no leaks no signs of a grounding wire, everything was straight and orderly.
He is quite an experienced aviator and instructor, who also happens to operate two aircraft in the PA28 family (161 & 180), so I trust his judgement a lot. He suggested that we might be experiencing worn connections in the magnetos and if they hadn't been rebuilt lately that they were probably in need. I reviewed my engine logs and cannot seem to locate any record of rebuild or replacement in about 1900 hours of operation. That feels highly unlikely to me, but maybe possible? I'm having my A&P investigate and will follow up with a report from him.
So my question(s) for the group:
Does this sound roughly in line with one would expect to experience if a mag were on its way to dying? Do they give trouble before they crap out or do they just crap out one minute with no warning?
Assuming mag rebuild is required, where should I send my mags? I'm sure my A&P will suggest someone, but curious about any recommendations the group may have.
