Narrative:

The aircraft owner/a&P contracted with an FAA licensed repair station in ZZZ to supply a complete exchange set of 6 engine instruments for a beech model G35 bonanza. The repair station insisted that they were quite familiar with this aircraft and gauge application and could provide all the necessary gauges. The repair station required full payment up front (a big mistake). About 6 weeks went by and the newly overhauled and certified gauges finally showed up. At least 1 of these was clearly wrong; so the whole set was returned to the repair station. Several more weeks went by and the corrected gauges arrived. These were installed and tested per the aircraft maintenance manual and accepted shop practice. Several of the gauges did not work properly. After expensive troubleshooting; it was determined that the oil temperature and ammeter gauges were incompatible with this installation. The repair station was very difficult to reach by phone and e-mail and did not offer much assistance. When challenged as to their expertise in selecting; repairing; and certifying engine gauges for the G35 aircraft; the repair station owner made the statement that 'there were about 4 possible combinations of early bonanza engine gauges and senders; how could he know what I had.' in addition; the repair station owner threatened to lien the aircraft and sue the owner/a&P; if the old 'core' gauges were not immediately returned. As an a&P; I am trained to trust and rely on the FAA repair station network for repair parts and expertise. Communication is the key to this important system working. If a repair station is not familiar with a part application; repair procedure or calibration requirement; they need to clarify this with the mechanic; prior to quoting the job or starting work. It will improve safety and save everyone in the system a lot of trouble and expense.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE35 OWNER RPTS PURCHASING 6 ENG INSTS FROM AN FAA LICENSED REPAIR SHOP. THE FIRST SET WAS RETURNED; 1 GAUGE BEING WRONG. THE SECOND SET WAS INSTALLED AND 2 INSTS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THIS ACFT.

Narrative: THE ACFT OWNER/A&P CONTRACTED WITH AN FAA LICENSED REPAIR STATION IN ZZZ TO SUPPLY A COMPLETE EXCHANGE SET OF 6 ENG INSTS FOR A BEECH MODEL G35 BONANZA. THE REPAIR STATION INSISTED THAT THEY WERE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THIS ACFT AND GAUGE APPLICATION AND COULD PROVIDE ALL THE NECESSARY GAUGES. THE REPAIR STATION REQUIRED FULL PAYMENT UP FRONT (A BIG MISTAKE). ABOUT 6 WKS WENT BY AND THE NEWLY OVERHAULED AND CERTIFIED GAUGES FINALLY SHOWED UP. AT LEAST 1 OF THESE WAS CLRLY WRONG; SO THE WHOLE SET WAS RETURNED TO THE REPAIR STATION. SEVERAL MORE WKS WENT BY AND THE CORRECTED GAUGES ARRIVED. THESE WERE INSTALLED AND TESTED PER THE ACFT MAINT MANUAL AND ACCEPTED SHOP PRACTICE. SEVERAL OF THE GAUGES DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. AFTER EXPENSIVE TROUBLESHOOTING; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE OIL TEMP AND AMMETER GAUGES WERE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THIS INSTALLATION. THE REPAIR STATION WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO REACH BY PHONE AND E-MAIL AND DID NOT OFFER MUCH ASSISTANCE. WHEN CHALLENGED AS TO THEIR EXPERTISE IN SELECTING; REPAIRING; AND CERTIFYING ENG GAUGES FOR THE G35 ACFT; THE REPAIR STATION OWNER MADE THE STATEMENT THAT 'THERE WERE ABOUT 4 POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS OF EARLY BONANZA ENG GAUGES AND SENDERS; HOW COULD HE KNOW WHAT I HAD.' IN ADDITION; THE REPAIR STATION OWNER THREATENED TO LIEN THE ACFT AND SUE THE OWNER/A&P; IF THE OLD 'CORE' GAUGES WERE NOT IMMEDIATELY RETURNED. AS AN A&P; I AM TRAINED TO TRUST AND RELY ON THE FAA REPAIR STATION NETWORK FOR REPAIR PARTS AND EXPERTISE. COM IS THE KEY TO THIS IMPORTANT SYS WORKING. IF A REPAIR STATION IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH A PART APPLICATION; REPAIR PROC OR CALIBRATION REQUIREMENT; THEY NEED TO CLARIFY THIS WITH THE MECH; PRIOR TO QUOTING THE JOB OR STARTING WORK. IT WILL IMPROVE SAFETY AND SAVE EVERYONE IN THE SYS A LOT OF TROUBLE AND EXPENSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 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.