AndyRV7
Well Known Member
RV7 with O-375 Aerosport Power engine, 520 hours since new, oil & filter changes every 25 hours, no metal or debris ever found, stable mid-70's compression's since birth (through last November's annual). I've always had oil on the belly.
I'm going to annual in 2 weeks but was wondering what other people may have to offer before I get to the mechanic. I bought this plane with about 140 hours on it. 5 years ago. It was consuming about 3.5 quarts in 25 hours at the time. That crept up to 4.5, then maybe as high as 5.5, slowly over the past 5 years.
My problem is that over the last 6-7 hours, my oil use seems to have jumped up to around 10 quarts. The inside of my cowling is dry except for a thin coating of oil from underneath the oil quick drain to the exit of the cowling. It sure doesn't look like enough to indicate 5 extra quarts ran out in the last few hours. Also, there is an oil sheen around some areas of the back of the engine on the passengers side, particularly around the oil dip stick tube. My mechanic had reasons for these things (an o-ring on the quick drain, and a paper gasket on the dip stick tube.). Things that probably require attention at annual, but don't seem to me to be significant enough to account for the high oil loss I think I am experiencing.
Just one last thought. I recently flew off the last hour of my 25 hour oil change interval. Before doing this, I topped off the oil to 8 quarts and when I landed (still hot) I was at about 6.5 quarts. Not exactly a scientific test but lower than the level I was hoping to see. For full disclosure, I usually fly the plane at 6 quarts and top it off when it gets down to 5.5 quarts. That is, unless I am going on a longer trip than local flying, at which point I would fill it to 7 quarts. I've never been alarmed by a low level of oil after I've landed. But I also don't have a historical sense of how the engine behaves when flown at 8 quarts.
Has anyone had similar experience at any point?? Any thoughts??
Thanks! Andy
I'm going to annual in 2 weeks but was wondering what other people may have to offer before I get to the mechanic. I bought this plane with about 140 hours on it. 5 years ago. It was consuming about 3.5 quarts in 25 hours at the time. That crept up to 4.5, then maybe as high as 5.5, slowly over the past 5 years.
My problem is that over the last 6-7 hours, my oil use seems to have jumped up to around 10 quarts. The inside of my cowling is dry except for a thin coating of oil from underneath the oil quick drain to the exit of the cowling. It sure doesn't look like enough to indicate 5 extra quarts ran out in the last few hours. Also, there is an oil sheen around some areas of the back of the engine on the passengers side, particularly around the oil dip stick tube. My mechanic had reasons for these things (an o-ring on the quick drain, and a paper gasket on the dip stick tube.). Things that probably require attention at annual, but don't seem to me to be significant enough to account for the high oil loss I think I am experiencing.
Just one last thought. I recently flew off the last hour of my 25 hour oil change interval. Before doing this, I topped off the oil to 8 quarts and when I landed (still hot) I was at about 6.5 quarts. Not exactly a scientific test but lower than the level I was hoping to see. For full disclosure, I usually fly the plane at 6 quarts and top it off when it gets down to 5.5 quarts. That is, unless I am going on a longer trip than local flying, at which point I would fill it to 7 quarts. I've never been alarmed by a low level of oil after I've landed. But I also don't have a historical sense of how the engine behaves when flown at 8 quarts.
Has anyone had similar experience at any point?? Any thoughts??
Thanks! Andy