Narrative:

Work was performed overnight on the gate in subfreezing temperature and blowing snow and in my opinion o-rings don't perform as required in cold WX and there are conflicting instructions in between amm and work card as regards to run-up procedures after an oil filter change. Reference amm. I would suggest all conflicting references made uniform and have task done in a temperature-controled environment with adequate run-up procedures. Oil filters changed at night in below freezing temperatures with conflicting maintenance manual/work card leak check procedures. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the engine run requirement after changing the engine oil filter and o-ring seal in a warm hangar is to perform an 80% N-2 high power run; similar to takeoff power. If the new oil filter or o-ring seal has a problem; then; this type of high power run-up will generally show oil leak discrepancies. Reporter stated when changing the oil filter and o-ring seal at the terminal (gate) however; the run-up procedure is to run the engine only at idle; no high power run. Reporter believes the idle power engine run is not adequate to determine if the filter and seal change has problems and places the mechanic and aircraft at a disadvantage for determining serviceability. As a result; the engine he worked on had a complete oil pressure loss during the takeoff climb transition after the filter change. Reporter also stated the subfreezing temperature and blowing snow; combined with a very cold and stiff o-ring seal being installed while outside in the below freezing temperatures; contributed to the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 MECHANIC DESCRIBES THE DIFFERENT ENG RUN-UP PROCEDURES REQUIRED AFTER CHANGING THE ENG OIL FILTER; O-RING SEAL AND WEATHER AS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR HIS ENG OIL PRESS LOSS ON TKOF.

Narrative: WORK WAS PERFORMED OVERNIGHT ON THE GATE IN SUBFREEZING TEMP AND BLOWING SNOW AND IN MY OPINION O-RINGS DON'T PERFORM AS REQUIRED IN COLD WX AND THERE ARE CONFLICTING INSTRUCTIONS IN BTWN AMM AND WORK CARD AS REGARDS TO RUN-UP PROCS AFTER AN OIL FILTER CHANGE. REF AMM. I WOULD SUGGEST ALL CONFLICTING REFS MADE UNIFORM AND HAVE TASK DONE IN A TEMP-CTLED ENVIRONMENT WITH ADEQUATE RUN-UP PROCS. OIL FILTERS CHANGED AT NIGHT IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPS WITH CONFLICTING MAINT MANUAL/WORK CARD LEAK CHK PROCS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE ENGINE RUN REQUIREMENT AFTER CHANGING THE ENG OIL FILTER AND O-RING SEAL IN A WARM HANGAR IS TO PERFORM AN 80% N-2 HIGH POWER RUN; SIMILAR TO TKOF POWER. IF THE NEW OIL FILTER OR O-RING SEAL HAS A PROBLEM; THEN; THIS TYPE OF HIGH POWER RUN-UP WILL GENERALLY SHOW OIL LEAK DISCREPANCIES. REPORTER STATED WHEN CHANGING THE OIL FILTER AND O-RING SEAL AT THE TERMINAL (GATE) HOWEVER; THE RUN-UP PROCEDURE IS TO RUN THE ENGINE ONLY AT IDLE; NO HIGH POWER RUN. REPORTER BELIEVES THE IDLE POWER ENG RUN IS NOT ADEQUATE TO DETERMINE IF THE FILTER AND SEAL CHANGE HAS PROBLEMS AND PLACES THE MECHANIC AND ACFT AT A DISADVANTAGE FOR DETERMINING SERVICEABILITY. AS A RESULT; THE ENGINE HE WORKED ON HAD A COMPLETE OIL PRESSURE LOSS DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB TRANSITION AFTER THE FILTER CHANGE. REPORTER ALSO STATED THE SUBFREEZING TEMPERATURE AND BLOWING SNOW; COMBINED WITH A VERY COLD AND STIFF O-RING SEAL BEING INSTALLED WHILE OUTSIDE IN THE BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES; CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.