Page 1 of 1
Oil found on the ground...
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:10 pm
by yl472401
Received pictures send by folks at the airport and they found some oil on the ground where my Da40 parked. The shop manager says " it looks like it is just oil being blown out of the breather- most of these motors will do that from time to time..." . As I recall we did some simulation for engine fire with emergency dive on that day and wonder if has anything to do with this? I haven't noticed anything like that after I had it for two weeks
Is it still safe to continue to fly?
Many thanks!
Re: Oil found on the ground...
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:18 pm
by smoss
totally normal. They all do that. Varies depending on prior running conditions. Usually will be some oil and some blue concentrated avgas residue.
Re: Oil found on the ground...
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:33 pm
by Steve
I agree - perfectly normal. I do notice that the rubber hose (used as a grommet for the aluminum sniffle valve drain tube) is coming out. It should be flush with the aluminum retainer tube on the breather drain). Just push it back in until it is flush...
Steve
Re: Oil found on the ground...
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:39 pm
by yl472401
smoss wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:18 pm
totally normal. They all do that. Varies depending on prior running conditions. Usually will be some oil and some blue concentrated avgas residue.
Thanks. Might be just acid reflex from an airplane?
Re: Oil found on the ground...
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 4:30 am
by Lance Murray
Worry more if it doesn't leak oil! My first guess is that the airplane was over-serviced with oil. Above the normal oil level and the engine will blow out the excess.
On my aerobatic airplane I put a catch can under it to keep the floor clean. What is surprising is that when the can begins to fill up it will be 1/3 water.
Re: Oil found on the ground...
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 7:01 am
by perossichi
I agree with Lance. If you fill to 8 qt capacity the io360 likes to dump out oil until you get to about 6 qts. Also, even at 6 qts, you will get small amounts of oil leaking out the breather tube. It’s supposed to do this. Most people put a metal tray under plane to catch this so as not stain the hanger floor.
Our ancient design aircraft engines have this crude form of crankcase ventilation and consume a qt or so anywhere from every 4 to 10 hours of running. There is a lot of blow by as the pistons expand more than in a liquid cooled engine and the rings/pistons can’t be as snug.
I have found that lots of high rpm operation increases oil consumption as well as blow by and these kind of releases from breather tube. Things like lots of pattern work with touch and goes.
In any event totally normal. You should only be concerned if there is a large change in oil consumption.
Check the belly of the plane for oil as well.
Re: Oil found on the ground...
Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 1:19 am
by yl472401
perossichi wrote: ↑Tue Jun 23, 2020 7:01 am
I agree with Lance. If you fill to 8 qt capacity the io360 likes to dump out oil until you get to about 6 qts. Also, even at 6 qts, you will get small amounts of oil leaking out the breather tube. It’s supposed to do this. Most people put a metal tray under plane to catch this so as not stain the hanger floor.
Our ancient design aircraft engines have this crude form of crankcase ventilation and consume a qt or so anywhere from every 4 to 10 hours of running. There is a lot of blow by as the pistons expand more than in a liquid cooled engine and the rings/pistons can’t be as snug.
I have found that lots of high rpm operation increases oil consumption as well as blow by and these kind of releases from breather tube. Things like lots of pattern work with touch and goes.
In any event totally normal. You should only be concerned if there is a large change in oil consumption.
Check the belly of the plane for oil as well.
Thanks for the information. So far everything as been normal as you mentioned. Added a Qt of oil and the oil level has been remaining the same so far.
Re: Oil found on the ground...
Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 10:37 am
by Lance Murray
If you truly do have excessive oil blowing out the vent then this text may apply. Track your oil consumption. Look at the oil itself and notice if it is turning black quickly.
