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 critical engine decisions due to one engine making metal and both being past their time between overhauls (TBO).
The immediate plan is to diagnose the metal's source; if internal, engine replacement is necessary, but if external, a repair might allow for proactive planning.
The owner intends to replace both engines simultaneously if one is deemed irreparable, citing their identical history and to ensure symmetrical reliability.
This process entails significant financial expenditure, exceeding the aircraft's original cost, and a lengthy downtime of 6-7 months for engine overhaul and installation.

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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.