COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 107 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES Electrical Equipment AD/ELECT/38 Bendix Distributor Gear Electrode - Inspection/Replacement 8/81 Applicability: All D-3200 Series pressurised (blue) magnetos with S/Nos. 100 thru 1422 installed on Avco Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD used on Piper PA31-350 and LTIO-540-J2BD used on STC SA1151SO and STC SA970SO Colemill conversion of PA31, PA31-325 and PA31-350; STC 980NW Machen Industries conversion of Piper Aerostar 600; STC SA762 NW Machen Industries conversion of Beechcraft Bonanza B35 and A36 series. Document: Bendix SB No. 618. Note: FAA AD 81-12-06. Compliance: Within 100 hours time in service after 31 August 1981 and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 100 hours time in service if gears pass inspection and are not replaced by serviceable gears. Background: The distributor gear electrode has come loose in service on a number of D-3200 series magnetos overseas. If this condition exists the distributor gear electrode may contact the distributor block stationary electrodes causing contamination in the distributor. Engine misfiring could result from the subsequent arcing within the distributor. This in turn could result in rough engine operation, cylinder or engine damage.