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14A quick oil drain plug

Bernard Hartnell

Active Member
While I see Vans sells an oil quick drain, has any 14A bought one. I don?t know if it will fit with the exhaust cross over just below the plug grain hole.
 
I didn't buy it from Van's but I have the same one shown in their catalog and there is no clearance issue.
 
Both the RV-14 and 14A prototypes have oil quick drain valves installed.

They are used for convenience only and not to do oil changes without removing the cowl (full engine compartment inspections are done at every oil change).
 
Understand Scott, I?ve never done an oil change with the cowl on. I also always change the filter. I see the filter as cheep medicine given the overall cost of the motor. Even Walmart does this with their cheapest oil changes. So if that?s the standard for cars all the more reason to do it with my plane. Back to the quick drain; thanks for your thoughts ind info on the 14 tail dragger because I have the IO360 also but with the forward prop govenor. But our sumps May be different because the crossover exhaust is directly below the drain plug. Looks like about 3? below the drain hole. Should that distance be no factor for the Vans catolog quick drain?
 
Curious how that could be done?

Both the RV-14 and 14A prototypes have oil quick drain valves installed.

They are used for convenience only and not to do oil changes without removing the cowl (full engine compartment inspections are done at every oil change).

I must be missing something > Even if someone wanted to change the oil without removing the cowling, how could that be done? Maybe some kind of in-place tubing line or a hole drilled in the bottom cowling under the quick drain.
 
I must be missing something > Even if someone wanted to change the oil without removing the cowling, how could that be done? Maybe some kind of in-place tubing line or a hole drilled in the bottom cowling under the quick drain.

Suck it up like some of the car dealership do but that is a very poor job of maintaining your engine. One other task for oil change is to have good look around your engine compartment and make sure there is no abnormal wear or other issues exist.
 
Understand Scott, I’ve never done an oil change with the cowl on. I also always change the filter. I see the filter as cheep medicine given the overall cost of the motor. Even Walmart does this with their cheapest oil changes. So if that’s the standard for cars all the more reason to do it with my plane. Back to the quick drain; thanks for your thoughts ind info on the 14 tail dragger because I have the IO360 also but with the forward prop govenor. But our sumps May be different because the crossover exhaust is directly below the drain plug. Looks like about 3” below the drain hole. Should that distance be no factor for the Vans catolog quick drain?

The standard models of angle valve engines recommended for the RV-14 have an oil drain port on the side edge of the sump in the back.
This can be seen on DWG 43-05. It is the unlabeled fitting port adjacent to the fuel pump inlet fitting in the drawing. This is where the oil drain is installed on both RV-14 prototypes.

My comment related to short cut oil changes is because many RV owners with quick drains do this. It is possible to drain the oil using a hose attached to the quick drain, and also change the filter, with only the top half of the cowl removed.

It is a very bad practice and I encourage all RV owners to not be tempted.

Complete cowl removal for the oil change is a perfect time to give the entire engine installation a good careful look over.

If everyone did this, I believe that "guess what happened to me today" storys caused by failures in the engine compartment would be just about nonexistent.

BTW, using the drain port I described is beneficial in more fully draining the oil because of the nose up attitude. Particularly on the tail dragger.
 
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One of the best decisions we made was the installation of camlocks on both the upper and lower cowls. Complete removal in less than 10 minutes. With a quick drain and flex funnel the oil is drained warm in another 10. We install our alternate set of spark plugs at every oil change.(50 hrs) Total job in an hour.
 
One of the best decisions we made was the installation of camlocks on both the upper and lower cowls. Complete removal in less than 10 minutes. With a quick drain and flex funnel the oil is drained warm in another 10. We install our alternate set of spark plugs at every oil change.(50 hrs) Total job in an hour.

Nothing wrong with camlocks if that's what people want, but I can remove the cowls on any of our airplanes (with the standard kit supplied hinges) in well under 10 minutes..........
 
Hi Scott,

My engine is know unpacked and I started to prepare it (section 43). The ports are equipped but I didn't see any information about oil drain valve and where to install it, just about sniffle valve with small port. When I read Lycomming manual, the horizontal sump is not the same of mine and the manual version is 01/01/2017 !!!.
I missed something ?
 
Hi Scott,

My engine is know unpacked and I started to prepare it (section 43). The ports are equipped but I didn't see any information about oil drain valve and where to install it, just about sniffle valve with small port. When I read Lycomming manual, the horizontal sump is not the same of mine and the manual version is 01/01/2017 !!!.
I missed something ?

An oil quick drain is a builders choice option. It is not included in the FWF kit (or detailed in the plans).
 
Scott,

I am sure you are an expert at removing the bottom cowling, as you say, in 10 minutes. I would like to hear what techniques, steps, lessons learned you may have for re-installing the RV-14a bottom cowling. I have only 56 hours on my aircraft, and have had the bottom cowl off several times, however it remains to be a major struggle, to get it re-installed, even with two sets of capable hands. I know you probably have it down to a science. Thank you! :D

Greg Novotny
RV-14a N14ZP
Tacoma Narrows (KTIW)
 
I would like to hear what techniques, steps, lessons learned you may have for re-installing the RV-14a bottom cowling.

Was reading about quick oil drains and figured I'd add something to this ... our painter (Evoke Aviation/Plane Schemer) thought us a great technique.

You will need several plastic folders: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WKZ6KI4

Use these folders with some masking tape to create shaped templates for the various areas that may touch such as the cowl to spinner area.

These folders will not scratch your paint and provide a slick surface to work with.

The only other procedural thing they thought us is to pull the bottom canopy sides a bit and allow them to go past the fuselage on the sides. This lets you get a better angle. Use masking tape and/or folders on the fuse here to make sure you don't scratch anything.

These folders are also great for installing and removing the intersection fairings.
 
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Was reading about quick oil drains and figured I'd add something to this ... our painter (Evoke Aviation/Plane Schemer) thought us a great technique.

You will need several plastic folders: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WKZ6KI4

Use these folders with some masking tape to create shaped templates for the various areas that may touch such as the cowl to spinner area.

These folders will not scratch your paint and provide a slick surface to work with.

The only other procedural thing they thought us is to pull the bottom canopy sides a bit and allow them to go past the fuselage on the sides. This lets you get a better angle. Use masking tape and/or folders on the fuse here to make sure you don't scratch anything.

These folders are also great for installing and removing the intersection fairings.

I have used similar technic for years with great success. I used a large sheet of paper, cut to size and shape for the spinner area and had it laminated for less than a dollar at local OfficeMax. I now have another sheet that protects the gear leg fairing. For the sides of the fuse, I use a 2" wide plumber tape.
 
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