Looking for A&P IA assistance in the DFW area

[Fearless Tower]

Any 170 A&P IAs in the Dallas-Ft Worth area?

I may need some assistance with my '48 170 (currently sitting at Mineral Wells).

Just to recap from some posts several months ago:

While attempting to move my 170 from San Diego to our new home in Norfolk, VA, 96V experienced a mag seizure that subsequently broke a gear tooth off and sent metal through the engine. Airplane has been hanging out at MWL with a friend who is an A&P IA for the past year. Had the engine taken off and sent to Tri-State Airmotive in AR. They did the teardown inspection and cleaning. Crank was in good shape and after minor polishing and bearing replacement, the engine was put back together last spring. Due to my friend's schedule, he was not able to finish the reinstallation until August. After reinstallation, he test ran the engine and found the oil pressure to be excessively high. Inspected the pressure relief and found washers which he removed. OP was then normal but oil temp was above 225F (OAT in the mid-80s). Prior to the teardown inspection, this engine always ran hot and I had installed an STC oil cooler prior to the move. We threw that one away due to the metal contamination and decided to install a new cooler. Initial optest was satisfactory.

I flew back to Texas the weekend before Thanksgiving to bring the airplane home. Cold front had just passed through and OAT was in the low 30's. Engine still had Aero Shell 100 in it. Took us several attempts to start, but finally got it started. I do not recall the exact oil pressure when it started, but I do recall seeing the gauge go up to 15 just from the starter turning the engine over (obviously cold oil). Warmed it up for 20-25 minutes and oil temp into the green, so I taxiied out and did a runup - all good. Then went to check static RPM - only got 2000 out of it and then noticed that the oil pressure gauge was reading 6 PSI. Pulled the power back and at 1000 RPM the gauge was reading just under 5 PSI. Shut it down and I had to fly commercially home to VA. My friend was able to get back out and test it a week later when warmer - oil pressure was back to normal on the ground and static RPM was back up to close to 2300 RPM, go figure. He test flew it and all was fine at first, but then the OP started dropping - got down to 5 PSI while on final to land. Back to troubleshooting.

We've talked about possible gasket issues and bearing issues based on other threads here. Right now, my friend thinks the oil pump may be going bad. I've reached out to Tri-State Airmotive to see if they did anything or even looked at the pump (doubtful) and am waiting to hear back.

In the meantime, here is my issue - I'm in Virginia and the airplane is still at MWL. Annual expires at the end of this month and my friend doesn't have the time to do the annual. He is going to pull the pressure relief spring and check that again, but doesn't have much time to mess with it further (he has alot of irons in the fire and does A&P IA work as a side thing).

So, I'm wondering if there is anyone (A&P IA) in the DFW area that could take over this project?

My options are:
If he can get the pressure back up after working the spring - fly it home to Virginia myself....if I really trust it

or

If we can get the pressure up enough - ferry it to an airport nearby where someone else can work on it

or

Dissassemble the airplane and truck it here to Virginia

or

Junk it

Would prefer to avoid the last two options

Any thoughts and assistance would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Andrew

[Inverted]

Give Phil Pedron a call. Great father & son team at Denton.

http://www.pedronaircraft.com/

[pedacft]

Hi Andrew,
My name is Phil Pedron. My son Mat and myself own and operate Pedron Aircraft Works at the Denton Airport just north of the DFW area. I am sure we can work with you to sort out your issues and get you on your way to Virginia, without flying a questionable engine, or putting her on a truck. Please give us a call 940-453-5324.
Phil