Metal chips on the gear box

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Metal chips on the gear box

Post by FNAviation »

We have the DA42NG and we found metal chips on the magnetic plug.
Austro engine told us to:
1.Change the gear box
2.Flush and clean the prop.
The governor took the most of the hit and its broken.
So I have a few questions.
1. Is it possible to overhaul/repair a gear box?or we have to buy a new one (very expensive)?
2. On our model of DA42NG, there is no filter for the gear box(the filter comes only from serial no. 60, we have serial no. 40). So how can we prevent this from happening again?
Many thank to any one who can help!
Uria VANUNU.
Uria.fna@gmail.com
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Re: Metal chips on the gear box

Post by CFIDave »

Running changes over time have been made to the gearbox design, including the addition of a gearbox oil filter. The latest gearboxes are now liquid cooled, plumbed into the same coolant system as the engine.

I don't know if it's possible to overhaul/repair a gearbox, but if you bought a new gearbox you'd get a newer model that includes the oil filter.

In my experience (with newer gearboxes than yours) I've fortunately never found any metal on the magnetic drain plugs, gearbox oil filters, or when filtering and replacing the gearbox oil at 100 hour service intervals.
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442AD
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Re: Metal chips on the gear box

Post by 442AD »

Hi How much is a gearbox?
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Re: Metal chips on the gear box

Post by Davestation »

You can get an overhauled exchange which will be the latest and greatest version, and they have not been known to stipulate what constitutes a viable core.
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Re: Metal chips on the gear box

Post by VickersPilot »

CFIDave wrote: Mon Jul 31, 2017 5:49 pm Running changes over time have been made to the gearbox design, including the addition of a gearbox oil filter. The latest gearboxes are now liquid cooled, plumbed into the same coolant system as the engine.

I don't know if it's possible to overhaul/repair a gearbox, but if you bought a new gearbox you'd get a newer model that includes the oil filter.

In my experience (with newer gearboxes than yours) I've fortunately never found any metal on the magnetic drain plugs, gearbox oil filters, or when filtering and replacing the gearbox oil at 100 hour service intervals.
Dave, are the newer (liquid cooled) gearboxes passing the 600hr inspections?
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Re: Metal chips on the gear box

Post by Davestation »

VickersPilot wrote: Wed Nov 03, 2021 1:43 pm
Dave, are the newer (liquid cooled) gearboxes passing the 600hr inspections?
The new ones have the full 1800 hour life, no inspection other than oil and filter. They used to be 900 hour replacement (only on the 62). You may be thinking of the TVDs which are inspect every 300 (and replace every 600 on the 62).
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Re: Metal chips on the gear box

Post by CFIDave »

My comment earlier in this thread applied to my experience with my DA42-VI in 2017 which had no gearbox issues the four years I owned it.

But now I know of multiple gearboxes that have required replacement due to metal flakes/chips found on their magnetic drain plugs (which need to be inspected every 100 hours). This included one of the gearboxes on my DA62; see photo below of its magnetic drain plug. Fortunately this was caught while the plane was still under warranty (and thus the gearbox was replaced by Diamond/Austro at no charge).
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