9/18/07, 58.4 hrs: performed oil change, replacing the filter with a CH48108-1 and filling with 7 qts of Aeroshell 15W50. Torqued valve cover scews and exhaust header nuts. Tightened all hose clamps, fuel and oil line AN fittings. Removed, cleaned, and rotated all spark plugs (1-3, 2-4), new aircraft plug at #1. Performed a compression test #1 77/80, #2 77/80, #3 77/80 #4 76/80. Removed pulsation dampener. Installed new length of baffling on the upper left side of the engine. Idled engine to ensure there are no leaks. Updated Garmin GNS430 database (Aug 30), installed GRT XM weather module and Trutrak ADI backup attitude indicator, reconfigured GRT EFISes to match connector changes (see GRT installation notes in Electrical References binder). Set FloCal to 190 to account for 5% high readings. Loosened two screws holding pilot's left brake master cylinder to eliminate binding of the brake pedal. Made and attached label to airframe and engine logbooks.
11/8/07, 64.0 hrs: before flight, noticed oil that had dripped onto the hangar floor. Cleaned up oil around base of bottom cowling, all on the left side. Upon return from flight, found that more oil had leaked, running all the way back along the underside almost to the tail. Decowled and cleaned up completely. Performed a run up with OC watching and found the usual small amount of seepage from around the #2 exhaust coupling. Talked to Mahlon Russell about replacing the cylinder, and Roger Anderson who agreed to do it.
11/9/07, 64.0 hrs: removed spark plugs, and the #2 and #1 exhaust headers. All looked normal. Reassembled everything and performed a 15 minute runup (5 at idle, 5 at 1,700rpm, and 5 at 2,000rpm). Found very little leakage, if any, and the crankcase vent tube discharged nothing of interest. Discussed with Roger Anderson that cylinder is likely not at fault. He agreed with plan to do one turn in the pattern after tightening oil feeders for #2 and #4.
11/13/07, 64.0 hrs: flew one turn in the pattern and returned to find some oil working its way back along the fuselage. Decowled and found leakage on bottom left of cowl, as well as a variety of spatter around the left oil feeder lines. Cleaned everything up completely and wrapped the #2 oil feeder junction at the cylinder with paper toweling, plastic wrap, and heat shielding to see whether the leak is there. Removed the Adel clamps at both #2 and #4 valve covers and retorqued screws to 55 in/lbs. Will wrap #2 exhaust coupling with heat shielding and fly another turn in the pattern in order to try to isolate the leak.
11/17/07, 66.1 hrs: wrapped #2 exhaust coupling with heat shielding, and made a "hammock" under the #2 valve cover to catch dripping oil. Was not able to put anything under the #4 valve cover, but since it was the only unmonitored potential oil leak source, did not worry. One turn in the pattern revealed that there is no leaking from the #4 valve cover, or either oil feed line. There was a definite leak from the #2 valve cover, which should have accounted for the small amount of oil in the cowling. I rolled up a length of spare heat shielding and put it in the "hammock" to absorb any leak that might occur on the way to Hagerstown. Flight to Hagerstown (1.0) seems to have yielded little, if any leakage into the cowling. Will inspect the hammock and its soaker on Monday when I take the plane apart for painting.
1/31/08, 66.1 hrs: following the replacement of the #1 piston's rings and re-honing of the cylinder, replaced the multigrade oil with 7 quarts of Aeroshell 100 SAE 50 and performed a runup to check for leaks. None were found. Following the advice of Hagerstown Aircraft Services (Paul), conducted a one hour flight at 75% power (24/2,400) for break-in purposes. Engine parameters were normal and post-flight inspection found only a little oil in the cowling, almost certainly from the quick drain's tube. Slight anomaly was found with fuel pressure, which went to -2 during the flight, but then returned to normal. Fuel flow never went below 9 gph, which is normal for the power setting.