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Spectrometric Oil Samples?????


Mt.crewchief
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I suppose this question should be in the historical section, but---- While I was at CCK 69 & 70, they found a new job for us crew chiefs (as if we needed any more!!)

We were given a kit? which contained a bunch of little vials and some other paraphernalia to take oil samples from each engine and record the dates etc. I can't remember exactly what the schedule of sample taking was, but it was quite often and everywhere you went. I remember taking a few and don't remember how we obtained the samples, but it was a pain in the ass! Anyway, I don't think that program ever was successful as it seemed that those little bottles (unfilled or turned in) were laying around forever until they and the testing disappeared. Do any of you guys remember doing that and what exactly was intended purpose of that program?

I'm sure it was of the utmost importance!!! It seemed that those planes/engines were/are still being used 40+ years later.

If any of you guys can explain this test please do. Maybe I can get it right this time!!!!!!!

Ken

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Ken, I remember this program well. It begain about 1963 or so. I remember because I helped set it up in my sqd. At the time, no one, including my self placed, any credence in it. Just another bs program dreamed up by some desk bound idiot. It was based on wear levels of the different metals internal to the engine, such as a main bearing, or any oil wetted component. This wear was expressed in parts per million (ppm). Each metal had a max. limit. Once the limit was reached corrective action was required. Depending on what metal was high could guide you to the failing component. And not every hit resulted in an engine change. Sometimes it would be an oil pump or another component replaceable at the O level. Other times the procedure would be to simply change the oil and watch for an uptrend. Over a number of years, my experience made me a believer. More than once, engine teardown as a result of an oil anaylsis hit confirmed an iminent component failure. That said, I grumbled like everyone else when changing an engine that seemed to us to be operating perfectly just because those wimps in the oil lab said it had high iron or some other metal ppm out of limits. Don't know if the procedure has changed but the F-16 required a sample after every sortie and the acft. could not be flown on a subsequent sortie until the results of that sample were found to be okay. OBTW, if you wanted to have a one on one with the line chief, take your samples from a can of oil.:D

Today, this same process is used in over the road semi trucks. If there is a piston ring or fuel injector failing you will see combustion products or fuel in the engine oil. Some folks who are anal about thier Corvette or Viper also sample.

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Although don't remember specifics but am sure we changed numerous engines at CCK for oil sample hits. Mostly though the problem was low torque which was easily explained when upon looking down the intake and discovering the compressor blades were about the size of toothpicks.

Forgot to mention in my post above the one incident, that I'm aware of, in which the oil sample program caused loss of an F-100 at Phu Cat. Pilot punched out ok and was picked up by Dust Off. The engine failed as a result of the oil sample tube being dropped into the oil tank. It reverted and plugged up the tank outlet resulting in loss of all oil pressure. Scratch one F-100D.

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I can remember doing them on HSC's at that time they were every 35 days, during ISO Inspection, prior to any major deployment

and upon request from the lab if they were tracking a particular engine, then it was by flight hours usually 10 hours.

73, Rex

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I remember taking Samples on all 4eng. and GTC on every BPO and they had to be taken with in 30 or 45min. after landing before the oil had time to settle good. this was at CCK and Little Rock, but the years before that I can`t remember doing it.

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Well----I guess my memory is better than I thought it was. Now I wish I hadn't brought it up!!! I guess we would have done them if somebody had forced us to do it! I do remember the requirements like davis describes and I guess since most of the BPO's were done in Viet Nam we were excused from doing them there due to the mission requirements. I do see the importance of them and probably did then too but you know how we were!!! My guess is that when we started doing them in 69 there was no solid oil testing program set up so it was excused if we didn't do them. I know I had never heard of that program at Naha when I was there earlier!!

Larry, the place that I work does the oil samples on the trucks there!

Thanks for the replies guys , I guess something that we thought was a pain in the but was important after all.

Ken

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