CD Engine Shop

Receives the 4th

Consecutive FAA
Diamond Award

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Engineor Maintenance
Reproduction unathorized use isTraining
prohibited.
(EMT)
Presented by

Mike Straus
CD Aviation Services

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 1

 Table of Contents (Section I)
Sections Page Number
Overview 4
TPE History 14
Model Numbers 16
Air Flows 18
Horsepower 22
Free Turbine Design 26
Fixed Shaft Design 30
Fuel Consumption 39
Cost comparisons 42
Engine Power 49
Engine EGT / ITT systems 55
Engine power runs 63

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Beta and PG Modes of Operation 73
Engine starts 87
Trouble Shooting 102
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
Why is good fuel nozzle maintenance important?
Operational Cost Savings
122
143
What is carbon erosion? 158
Engine Description 168
The end 232

This document is the property of CD Aviation Services, Inc. Its use is for informational and
training purposes only and is not to be copied or reproduced without the written
permission and authorized consent of CD Aviation Services, Inc.

NOTE this publication has no official status, in all cases refer to the FAA authorized
documents ie, airframe FM, MM and engine MM for approved data.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 3

Service Programs

Turboprop
• TPE331-1 through -12 series
Turbofan
Property of CD Aviation Services.
• TFE731-2
Reproduction -3 -4 -5 -15 -20
or unathorized use-40 -50 -60 series
is prohibited.

Auxiliary Power Units

• GTCP 36 -100 and 150 series

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 3

TPE 331 History
Since 1965 over 13,000 TPE331
The TPE 331 engine was first engines have been installed on
manufactured in 1965 and they over 85 different AC models and
were certified at 575 HP. in excess of 113 million engine
flight hours has been logged.

Property of CD Aviation
Those first engines weighed 335Services.
As a result the HP to weight ratio

Reproduction or unathorized
whichuse
is a 59% is prohibited.
lbs which give a HP to weight
has improved to 2.7 HP per lb.
ratio of about 1.7 HP per lb. improvement.

Several upgraded models have

The engine weight has increased
been developed since 1965 but
slightly over the years but the HP
they all have the same external
has nearly doubled to 1100 HP.
dimensions.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 4

Air flow stations continued

T4

T4.1

P5-T5

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

P1-T1
P2-T2 P3-T3

5
TPE331 Line Maintenance Course – Section I (rev 1 July 2011)
 Property of CD Aviation Services.
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
BORESCOPE VIEW OF
1ST TURBINE WHEEL BLADES
(STATION T 4 )

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 6

Horsepower

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 7

Free Turbine Design (DRAWING ONLY)

FREE OR POWER TURBINE DESIGN

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 8

Free Turbine Design

Free turbine engine (PT6) advantages versus fixed

shaft engine designs such as the TPE331.

The free turbine engine starts are faster and cooler with less
reliance on a good start system and or start system energy.

Property of
On the free turbine design CD
the starterAviation
energy available isServices.
reduced by the amount of energy required to drive the propeller
not

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

like it is on a fixed shaft engine. As a result all the starter energy
is directed to start the free turbine design engine.

Bowed rotor, critical range issues and load from the propeller all
contribute to the engine being more difficult to start and require
full operator attention during starts to prevent potential engine
damage on the fixed shaft design.

The free turbine design adapts to helicopter installations much

better and they are quieter during ground handling operations.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 9

Fixed shaft Design

Fixed shaft engine

(TPE 331 design)
advantages versus the
free turbine design

The ability to provide power rapidly

The fixed shaft engine design is a (without a spool up time - delay) is a
Property of CD Aviation Services.
more fuel efficient design that
significantly reduces hourly fuel cost
significant safety advantage if the pilot
gets a little behind the power curve.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

of operation.

The ram air inlet and the

straight thru exhaust enhance
The overhaul cost on the TPE
engine and aircraft in-flight
are significantly below the cost performance versus the free
of the PT6.
turbine configuration.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 10

Constant Speed Operation (fixed shaft)

In a constant speed (fixed shaft

engine) the propeller pitch or prop
load plus the load from the
compressor section together must
be offset by the turbine section
power output.
Property of CD Aviation Services.
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
The balance between turbine
section power output and the
load applied by the compressor
section and the prop pitch must
be equal to result in a fixed
power and speed setting.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 11

Constant Speed Operation (fixed shaft)

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
3000 HP
1000 HP 2000 HP

COMPRESSOR IMPELLERS AND

= TURBINE POWER OUTPUT!
PROP PITCH LOADS MUST!

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 12

Constant Speed Operation (fixed shaft)

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 13

Cost Comparisons
in

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 14

 Otter

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 15

 Otter

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 16

Engine Power
LIMITATIONS

The TPE 331 max allowed power limit

is either torque or temperature (EGT
or ITT)!

Property of CD Aviation Services.

The operator advances the power levers as
required without exceeding the temperature or
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
torque limits!

The turbine temperature limit is established by the

engine manufacture and considers the turbine
materials and the rotational speeds of the power
section.

The torque limits are established by the airframe

manufacture to meet the aircraft structural
integrity and design performance criteria.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (rev 1 July 2011) 17

 ENGINE ON (CDAS JOPLIN) TEST CELL

A lebow is used to determine what the real torque is at the

prop via the lebow digital torque readout and what the Lebow
torque sensor pressures positive pressures are on torque
sensor engines. As well as what the torque ring voltages
are on strain gage engines at these various lebow
indicated power levels.
A

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 18

ENGINE EGT/ITT SYSTEMS
Performance Testing A max compensation setting is also
available so that the engine compensated
EGT indication reads less than it does with
The test cell computer the min comp setting. This allows the
performance program operator to advance the PL so that the T4
computes the T4 value in can be increased to the T4 limit at the
relationship to EGT during same time the EGT reaches the red line
engine test cell performance using all the engines temperature margin.
runs.

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
The TPE 331 design uses an
EGT compensator that
changes the raw EGT
reading to a compensated
EGT. When the compensator
is set to min comp it reads
the EGT limit when the
engine is making rated
power on a standard day and
the T4 is below the limit.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I 19

ENGINE EGT/ITT SYSTEMS

The T4 temperature location is at the inlet of the The temperature drop from station T4 to station
first stage turbine wheel and it is the most T4.1 (ITT location) is very linear with a specific
important and highest temperature in the turbine temperature drop or change between these two
wheel section and is the area that limits the thermal locations that is not effected by the mass airflow
power of the engine. through the engine.

Property of CD Aviation Services.

(STATION T 4 )

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

In both the ITT and EGT engines they must reach However, the temperature drop between stations
the engine temp gauge red line at or before the T4 T4 and T5 (EGT) is affected by the mass air flow
reaches its limit to ensure that engine damage does of the engine and is not linear.
not occur and that the engine life is not adversely
effected.
As a result a standard EGT
indication uncorrected and
without a system such as the
SRL system requires a constant
reference to the flight manual to
determine the EGT limit for the
specific ambient conditions at
any given point in time (which is
burdensome for the operator).

20
TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011)
ENGINE EGT/ITT SYSTEMS
Station T4.1 (ITT harness location) is on the T4.1 is a very hostile location for the
exit side of the first stage turbine wheel. harness due to the high temperatures as
Bolted into the vane openings of the 2nd stage well as solids and carbon erosion that
nozzle or stator assembly on the TPE -3 -5 and occurs at this location on these older
-6 model engines. model engines.

The ITT harness, primarily In addition the ITT The good news is the ITT system is a

Property of CD Aviation Services.

due to the location within the harness change very responsive system that does not
engine has not proven to be results in exposure to require a SRL system (computer) to
as reliable as the alternative other expensive hot provide a single red line indication with
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
EGT harness configuration.
When the ITT harness fails
section hardware in
addition to the ITT
harness that can
923°c being the redline takeoff limit.

prior to the schedule hot

section it requires more labor effect the total cost of
and material to replace the the repair.
harness because an engine
removal and partial hot
section disassembly is
required.

21
TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011)
ENGINE EGT/ITT SYSTEMS
EGT (T5) probes
(8 each)

ITT (T4.1)
HarnessProperty of CD Aviation Services.
EGT (T5)
Harness comp

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 22

ENGINE EGT/ITT SYSTEMS examples (@ max comp)
SRL
computer
T4
ITT

EGT (T5) comp

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
All except
Conquest

-10/ -11/ -12

T4 / (max–20’c) comp ITT comp EGT SRL EGT SRL correction

Std Day limit 923 550 650 100

Hot Day limit 923 580 650 70

Cold Day limit 923 530 650 120

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 23

Engine Power

TPE 331- 5 flat rated to 715 HP Engine

AIRCRAFT INDICATION

OAT 59°f (standard day)

PA SL
Property of CD Aviation Services.
HP
PPH
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
715 aircraft red line
455
ITT 875°c

(T4) below the limit

What is the thermal HP capability of this engine?

If 923 c is the ITT limit why did this engine not reach the limit?

24
TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011)
Beta and PG Modes of Operation
POWER LEVERS (PL) SPEED LEVERS (SL)

PG (FLIGHT)
PITCH
FUEL PG
(100%) -
96%
FI
FUEL
USFG
PITCH Property of CD Aviation Services.
BETA (GROUND) (97%) -
70%
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
REV

Beta PG Beta PG

The position of the PL determines When the PL is in Beta mode the SL will
the mode of operation control the USG speed from 70% to 97%
BETA or PG
When the PL is in the PG mode the SL will
control the PG speed from 100% to 96%

25
TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011)
 (PG)

Property of CD Aviation Services.

(PPC)

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 26

 Prop Pitch Control (PPC)

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

PL INPUT TO PPC SHAFT

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 27

Woodward fuel control rigging
mock up used during the 1 week
line maintenance training class.

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 28

Beta tube port Beta tube

PPC

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
RPM ?

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 29

Engine Start and Ground Checks:
What is the min RPM rate of increase?
Why did the NTS light come on and what is the correct RPM for that to occur at?
Is the fuel flow higher than it was on last slide (@ 15% RPM ) and why?
(T-sensor engines only)
NTS

BETA

NTS LIGHT OUT GRD CK

AND CRICITAL RPM
RANGE
Property18-28
of %CD Aviation Services.
POWER LEVERS (PL) SPEED LEVERS (SL)
RPM
ITT
Reproduction400-500°C
or unathorized use is prohibited.
HP - PITCH 0
FUEL FLOW 75
█ █
PRIME

0
█ █

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 30

Trouble Shooting
WHAT IS WRONG? WHERE WOULD YOU GO TO ADJUST THIS?
WHAT RPM SHOULD YOU AVOID INFLIGHT IF YOU HAVE A SRL SYSTEM?
DOES THE RH ENGINE NEED MAX FLOW?

POWER LEVERS PL SPEED LEVERS SL

PA 1000 feet
OAT Property of CD Aviation
90°F █ █ Services.
TARGET TORQ HP
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
█
BETA LIGHT OFF OFF █
RPM % 96.0 96.0
EGT ° C 550 560
HP 475 485
FF PPH 380 385

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 31

 SECONDARY

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
PRIMARY

TPE -1 thru -6
engine fuel nozzles

FIVE AND DIME FUEL NOZZLES

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 32

 DUPLEX FUEL NOZZLES

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Primary Secondary

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 33

FUEL NOZZLE CLEANING INTERVALS
When the engine is running and fuel is flowing through the nozzles the fuel flow cools the nozzle body’s
and tips below the coking level.

However after engine shut down when the large sections of hot metal in the turbine section radiates
heat outward it elevates the temperature of the fuel nozzle body’s and tips above the normal operating
range and into the range where residual fuel in the fuel nozzle body's and tips may turn into carbon.

Inadequate cooling (3 min at idle required) prior to engine shut down will result in elevated rotating
group mass residual temperatures after shutdown. These higher rotating group temperatures will
radiate outward and cause elevated fuel nozzle tip and body temperatures a few minutes after engine
shut down.
Property of CD Aviation Services.
Reproduction or“carbon
unathorized use is prohibited.
Previous test at HW with improper shut down procedures indicated that fuel nozzle temperatures can
be up to 100 degrees higher with the rate of accumulation” at these higher temperatures being
4 times worse than normal when improper shut downs with less than the (recommended 3 minutes cool
down intervals) being used.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 34

 FUEL NOZZLE CLEANING INTERVALS

The combustor surrounds the turbine section

which permits a shorter engine design.

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

The turbine section includes a lot of very hot material

and after shut down the heat radiates outward and into
the fuel nozzles.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 35

Fuel Nozzle Maintenance

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 36

Fuel Nozzle Maintenance

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 37

Fuel Nozzle Maintenance

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 38

Fuel Nozzle Maintenance

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 39

FUEL NOZZLE CLEANING INTERVALS
A defective fuel nozzle can cause a hot streak within the engine that exceeds the T4 limit at
that particular location in the engine.

But because the EGT / ITT harness reads an average of all the probes in the harness and not the
highest reading probe, the potential for damage like this is possible if you have a bad flowing fuel
nozzle and it will have very little impact on the average EGT reading.

A bad flowing nozzle can cause a small average temperature increase at the EGT harness which
often is not adequate to alert you that the fuel nozzle flow is resulting in a hot streak that can badly
burn a first stage vane such as the one on the lower right that has “nozzle burn through”.
Property of CD Aviation Services.
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 40

 COMBUSTION CHAMBER

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

Most of what we can see looks good

except for one specific location where it
is badly burned. Could an engine hot
start cause this?

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 41

 Property of CD Aviation Services.
Could this damage
have occurred because
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
the operator frequently
“did not comply” with
the recommended 3
minute cool down?

Could it be the result of not

turning the prop after shut
down to cool the engine
turbine section and exhaust Maybe the operator did
residual heat from the turbine not clean his nozzles at
to reduce fuel nozzle coking the correct interval for his
that occurs after shut down? operation! Or maybe it is
some of all these issues!

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 42

Operational Cost Savings

The engine critical range is in

the 18% to 28% RPM band.

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
Slow acceleration at a rate of (1% per second or less) will result in the engine main rotating group shaft
assembly becoming unstable and flexing. Rotating group flexing radially, will result in the spinning
rotating group parts rubbing into the surrounding stationary parts causing internal engine damage.

Some of the reasons that an engine may not properly accelerate in the critical range are low fuel flow,
low battery assist, weak power cart, power lever in the wrong position, prop not on the start locks and
rubs from thermal bow of the main rotating group and etc.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 43

Bowed Rotor Start

Bowed rotor

A condition known as bowed rotor that occurs due to internal thermal differences and (heat rising) within the

Property of CD Aviation Services.

main rotating group after engine shut could cause engine damage on the next start.
This condition may cause some internal engine rub damage and in some cases it may cause slow

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

acceleration due to the rotating parts making contact with the stationary parts within the engine during engine
start.

A (slower than normal acceleration rate) in the 18% to 28% (critical range) sometimes referred to as hanging
in the critical range can be due to a bowed rotor causing internal contact and rub. The slow acceleration in
critical range can cause engine damage when the main rotating assembly becomes unstable and moves
radially into the stationary parts in the critical RPM range.

The bowed rotor condition occurs on all TPE331 engines to some extent but it is more pronounced and more
likely to result in hung starts on engines that are freshly refurbished because the internal clearances are
tighter on these fresh engines. It is possible on freshly overhauled engines for the engine to totally lock up
and not turn 10 to 30 minutes after engine shutdown for 1 hour or more in some cases.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 44

 2ND STAGE COMPRESSOR HOUSING
IMPELLER SHROUD SURFACE

Shroud Bowed Rotor and or

Critical Range Rub Damage

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

Repaired

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 45

Operational Cost Savings

Engine operational issues.

Landing with the speed lever low or moving the speed lever from high to low during the landing roll is
not recommended for a couple of reasons. If a go around is required the power available with the SL
low would not provide adequate power. With SL low inadequate reverse power is available and in full
reverse inadequate fuel / RPM may not be available to support the high reverse loads. Even moderate
reverse with the SL low especially with high forward airspeeds results in prop loads the engine is not
designed for and bog down with damage may occur.
Property of CD Aviation Services.
Reproduction orflame
unathorized use is prohibited.
Some engine inlet down AC installations are prone to engine inlet water ingestion during landing on
wet runways which can cause engine out to occur. The potential flame out is increased further if
the SL is retarded to low prior to slowing to taxi speeds.

After a flame out for what ever reason with the accumulating puddle of fuel
in the hot turbine section as the engine winds down it may in some cases
re-light from residual engine temperatures with the potential for
significant engine damage. ues

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 46

AIR COOLED
BLADES

HUB

Blade

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
CARBON EROSION!
HUB

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 47

 WORN TURBINE TIP SHROUDS - WHAT CAUSED THIS?

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 48

New design
combustor

Property of CD Aviation Services.

Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.
Main difference
is the new design
has lots of holes
drilled at an angle
in aft end of the
outer and inner
panels

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 49

 Property of CD Aviation Services.
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

MAIN ROTATING GROUP ASSEMBLY

41730 RPM

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 50

 The end
Property of CD Aviation Services.
Reproduction or unathorized use is prohibited.

TPE331 Line Maintenance Course - Section I (Rev 1 July 2011) 232