Great Plains Case Machining Issues- Force One Crank/Hub

[N418SX]

I hate to do this, but for everyone here, I hope it serves to show you what may happen if you deal with Art at Great Plains.

4 months ago, I purchased an unassembled, new Aerovee 2.1 from a fellow member here. It was a great deal and a very smooth transaction. After one question was satisfactorily answered by the seller, I moved on to the next part of my engine planning. About 3 weeks later, 3 months ago I purchased a Great Plains Force One Crankshaft and Hub assembly from Art at Great Plains. It arrived about a week late according to UPS, but it arrived.

I sent my AeroVee 2.1 case to Art a week later for the required machining. It was sent UPS Ground. I tracked it and called Art the day after it arrived at their address. He told me it had not arrived and he did not have it. After two days of looking and dealing with UPS, it was delivered exactly as UPS reported and Art had signed for it.

Over the next 6 weeks, calls were greeted with indifference or toward the end hostility and shouting on Art's part, to the point, I quit calling and contacted them via email only. Upon being told my case was ready to ship, I awaited and invoice. when a contacted Art again by phone, he told me my case was not ready. I'm about ready to blow at this point. That was two weeks ago Thursday. That Friday, he now had my crankcase ready to ship. He gave me the weight, dimensions and address and I emailed Great Plains a prepaid UPS shipping. When I received the invoice for a job that was quoted at $250, the charge was $470.10. I tried to discuss this with Art, but All encountered was yelling and a violent hang up. Against my better judgement, I emailed him my payment information. The following Monday, this Monday, my account was charged and my label shown as in transit.

Yesterday I received a box that was crushed and poorly packed. I sent the case to Great Plains in a double box, the inner one over stuffed with packing material the case double bagged in heavy plastic bags. What I received was my case in the inner box, in a light 30 gallon garbage bag with insufficient packing material, yesterday.

My real problem seem to begin when I started to examine my case. I have no idea what was done and if the case is even usable now. I am posting photos for help. Frankly, I need help in moving forward. I'm done with Great Plains and just want a safe engine with my Force One crankshaft properly installed in it.

Please look at these photos and offer advice, suggestions on what I should do next, if this looks like an AeroVee 2.1 case and if you think this case is even usable.





Two More photos in next frame.

[N418SX]

[Area 51%]

Are you sure this is the same case you sent them? I think there is a traceable number stamped into the mounting flange on Aerovees to verify it is a 2.1 unit.

Welding behind the #3 cylinder is common in the high-performance VW world. I inquired to Sonex about it's absence when I received my engine kit. They replied it's not a requirement for our horsepower rating......even though the pictures of the factory engines showed it in place. Maybe GP includes it as a precaution. If not, you might have someone else's case.

The case opening for the prop hub has to be enlarged for the Aerovee hub. What's left of the boss that surrounds that opening can be thin to say the least. A non-event for an Aerovee. Probably even less of it remaining after GP sizes it for their bearing. I'd bet that's why there is a weld around that area--to give a support surface for the bearing. What appears to be gouges is likely the boundary between the original case material and the weld. Not the best weld job to be sure.

Somebody else with a GP case can verify if that weld is part of the process.

[n502pd]

Since you have concerns with this case...as I would if mine looked like that...you will be flying behind something you wont be comfortable with, and maybe you would be waiting for something to mess up your enjoyment of flying. If it were mine, and I didnt want to fly just waiting for something major to happen, I would find another case, IMHO. If it is not right and correct, it isnt worth the worry about consequences, however long they may take to show up. It is your butt sitting there, and, as I do, much to the cagrin of my fly buddies, if it (Sirpeedee) aint right, or if I am not right, I wont even pull him out of the hanger. Use your good judgement. Sometimes education isnt cheap.

[rizzz]

Somebody else with a GP case can verify if that weld is part of the process.

I have a case with the GP F1 prop hub, there’s no weld on mine in that location.

[tx_swordguy]

tend to agree with Joe, I would be ok with the porosity of the weld if there was more weld material on the back side. As it is if the prop or hub is unbalanced over time it may crack and or loosen up. It may happen in 2000 hrs, it may happen in 200 or may never happen. You may get a machinist to do another weld and rework it, for less than a new set of cases that you have to have machined again for the prop hub/bearing. I realize most of the force would be on the inside and that is why the exterior lip is thin to begin with, however it is on a propeller not a car and the centrifugal force of an unbalanced prop my cause a crack at that area. Would it down the plane? probably not, depending on the crack. I would want to be able to check it every flight somehow and that might be an issue with the cowl.
Mark

[Corby202]

That's a real shame Great Plains have gone downhill since Steve Bennett sold the company.

[frkatck@yahoo.com]

Contact Scott Casler at Hummel Engines in Arizona. He is as good as they come in knowledge of VW aviation engines in my opinion. He rebuilt my engine with the force one. Google Hummel engines and send him your pictures and follow it up with a call
Regards
FW

[N418SX]

Contact Scott Casler at Hummel Engines in Arizona. He is as good as they come in knowledge of VW aviation engines in my opinion. He rebuilt my engine with the force one. Google Hummel engines and send him your pictures and follow it up with a call
Regards
FW

I contacted Scott Casler. He and I talked. He reviewed my photos posted here and approved my case for use, without issue. I want to thank all of you for your responses and your advice. This is a great resource and you are good people. Hummel will be part of my next project.