Difficult Choice

After over 20 years of ownership, it might be time for new engines in our Cessna 340.

Frank Bowlin

Sunday, January 14, 2024 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A Cessna 340 owner faces a critical decision regarding an engine "making metal," while both engines are past TBO, necessitating either repair or replacement.
The initial step is a diagnosis to determine if the metal originates from an internal engine component (requiring replacement) or an external accessory (potentially allowing for repair).
If an engine must be replaced, the owner intends to replace both due to their identical operating times, believing it offers greater reliability and symmetry.
Replacing both engines is a costly endeavor, exceeding the aircraft's original purchase price, and will result in significant downtime due to a six-month lead time for overhauls.

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After over 20 years of ownership, it might be time for new engines in our Cessna 340. One engine is making metal, but we don’t know if it’s from inside the engine or from an accessory.

The engines have identical SMOH time and are past TBO. They both run fine. Before my time with the airplane, these engines both had a prop-strike inspection, meaning new bearings and such on the bottom end about 1000 hours ago. I put on new cylinders about 600 hours ago. So, my feel-good conclusion is that while overall the engine is past TBO, the attention it has received should make that okay.