Keep Those Props Turning Podcast

Metal in your oil filter is not a diagnosis -- it's the start of an investigation, and for piston engines, the camshaft and lifters are usually the first place to look. John holds up actual worn parts and walks through what a healthy lifter looks like versus one with pitting, corrosion, and a worn-through hardened face. Once the hardened steel surface on a flat-tappet lifter breaks down, soft...

On a 90-degree day, your engine is already warm before you start it -- and how you handle takeoff, climb, and shutdown can mean the difference between a healthy engine and a damaged one. Jeff walks through the specific things that change in hot weather operations: why you open the cowl flaps before takeoff, why climbing at a slightly higher airspeed matters, and why reducing power marginally durin...

Mixing up hobsmeter time and tach time is one of the most common sources of confusion in aircraft maintenance records -- and when it goes unresolved, it costs owners money and obscures the real condition of the engine. John breaks down the difference between the two gauges, why they're not interchangeable, and what happens when a mechanic or owner has been flip-flopping between them for years...

Incomplete or vague logbook entries don't just cost you money at resale -- they can expose you to liability for work done on an aircraft you haven't owned in a decade. John and Jeff walk through how aviation logbooks actually work: the three types (pilot, airframe, engine), what entries should say and why, and the red flags that tell an experienced mechanic something went sideways. They ex...

Send us questions by commenting below or emailing John & Jeff at: Podcast@SignatureEngines.com Is Your Checklist Actually Protecting Your Engine? Following your aircraft checklist isn't optional — and skipping a single step like mixture full rich on takeoff can send cylinder head temperatures past 400° before you've leveled off. John and Jeff walk through the checklist habits that actu...

Send us questions by commenting below or emailing John & Jeff at: Podcast@SignatureEngines.com How to Keep a Post-Flight Discrepancy Log Most engine problems don't show up overnight — they trend. Keeping a simple post-flight discrepancy log is how you catch them before they ground you, or worse. John and Jeff walk through the habit they wish every owner and pilot would adopt: at the end of...

Send us questions by commenting below or emailing John & Jeff at: Podcast@SignatureEngines.com How to Preflight a Piston Engine the Right Way A real preflight inspection is more than opening the oil door and checking the dipstick. John and Jeff walk through what they actually look for before every flight — and what most pilots miss. Vibration is the number one enemy of a piston aircraft. Motor...

Send us questions by commenting below or emailing John & Jeff at: Podcast@SignatureEngines.com Why Oil Analysis Alone Won't Save Your Engine Oil analysis is an indicator, not a verdict on airworthiness. John and Jeff break down why the report is just one tool, and what you have to do alongside it to actually know what's happening inside your engine. More owners and pilots are leaning o...

Send us questions by commenting below or emailing John & Jeff at: Podcast@SignatureEngines.com How Often Should You Change Aircraft Engine Oil? The 50-hour aircraft engine oil change interval in your POH was written for flight schools flying constantly — not for the owner who flies a few hours a month and parks the plane. John and Jeff break down what the book actually says and what most owner...

Send us questions by commenting below or emailing John & Jeff at: Podcast@SignatureEngines.com How to Properly Drain Oil From Your Aircraft Engine Sump If you own a prop plane and you've never pulled the quick drain out of your oil sump, you might be hiding water, metal, and sludge at the bottom of your engine — and getting clean oil analysis reports that aren't telling you the truth....