"Unobtanium" is right. I pulled my engine for overhaul on Lil Blue back in December of 2021. Parts all sent to Aircraft Specialties for inspection/yellow tags. Of course, I got the dreaded news the crankshaft was unserviceable, "cracks in the slinger ring." So the search began for a new crankshaft. Long story short, I find a gentlemen in Florida who has two, one coming back from Aircraft Specialties here soon, my name is on it. It comes back, cracks in the slinger ring. He sends his second crankshaft in, it TOO has cracks in the slinger ring! Hmmm. Find another source with two crankshafts in stock to be sent for yellow tags, they BOTH get red tagged for cracks in the slinger ring! So long story short, over the span of about a year, I was associated with FIVE crankshafts with "cracks in the slinger ring." Not sure if Aircraft Specialties changed their inspection methods or Continental changed their inspection Go/NoGO criteria but I found it all highly curious. Taking a step back, when I first got notification of the bad crankshaft, I ordered a NEW one from Aircraft Specialties. Said it was in stock on website only to find out it wasn't. This is February 2022. Was told I'm number 8 on the list with an anticipated delivery date of August 2022. The salesman did say up front that he wasn't confident on that delivery date as Continental was not making any of their stated delivery dates. That date came and went. Next one was December '22. Then April '23. Then somewhere along the way... they put an arbitrary "280 Days" comment out there. I will occasionally check with Aircraft Specialties to check status and see where I am in the conga line. I'm up to number 4 for a new one. Not optimistic of delivery anytime soon. I've tried calling Continental directly on the phone with no success of talking to a real person. BTW, when this started in '21, the price for a new crankshaft was $6400.00. Current listed price is $7998.00 I still have an engine sitting in Georgia at Watson Aero in pieces, all set to be assembled, just waiting for a new crankshaft. So unbelievably frustrating.
