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Oil fill tube

Dennis Madden

Dennis Madden

Active Member
Folks,
I have an O-320 D2J in my four. I just reinstalled the motor after a bunch of upgrades, and discovered the oil fill tube hits and rubs against the engine mount. Upon closer inspection, it was doing it before removal as well. One of the squawks on my list was a loose oil fill tube. Well, now I know why it was loose. Didn't catch it on the pre buy. :-/
Has anyone else had this? If so what did you do? A tube of a smaller diameter would solve this, but does one exist somewhere? If I shortened it, it would be difficult to check the oil, but it would work. I'll do whatever I have to do I guess.
This ringing a bell for anyone? Any ideas?
Thanks,
 
oil fill tube

I bought a new 0-320 from Van's and the oil filler tube was too long. It stuck up through the oil door. I found a P/N for a shorter tube from Lycoming and that solved the problem. I don/t know if this helps, seems odd that it would hit the motor mount.

Chris Murphy RV-4
 
It's kind of a "modified" unit. Not stock. Not having built the plane, and never having paid much attention to this particular part on other airplanes, I wasn't sure if all RV 4 builders had to do this... I'm quickly finding out the answer is "No". <BG>
Anyone have a part number or a proper name for this piece?
Thanks
DM



Christopher Murphy said:
I bought a new 0-320 from Van's and the oil filler tube was too long. It stuck up through the oil door. I found a P/N for a shorter tube from Lycoming and that solved the problem. I don/t know if this helps, seems odd that it would hit the motor mount.

Chris Murphy RV-4
Click to expand...
 
Dennis, this might help. As i read your message I had the info regarding my Superior engine on my desk beside me. It has a list of parts it is composed of.

One of them says:
75674 oil tube

My guess is that is what you want. Aero sport power put it together for me and said, 'oh, you need the short dipstick for an RV4' when I was ordering. I dont know if theat is both parts or just the tube, I cant see anything on the list that might be the stick. Allthough my engine is Superior, I think that part # is probably Lyco.

Hope it helps, but check carefully.
 
Last edited:
Thank you Steve.
Nice web site BTW.
DM


Steve Sampson said:
Dennis, this might help. As i read your message I had the info regarding my Superior engine on my desk beside me. It has a list of parts it is composed of.

One of them says:
75674 oil tube

My guess is that is what you want. Aero sport power put it together for me and said, 'oh, you need the short dipstick for an RV4' when I was ordering. I dont know if theat is both parts or just the tube, I cant see anything on the list that might be the stick. Allthough my engine is Superior, I think that part # is probably Lyco.

Hope it helps, but check carefully.
Click to expand...
 
Dennis, me too.

Dennis Madden said:
Folks,
I have an O-320 D2J in my four. I just reinstalled the motor after a bunch of upgrades, and discovered the oil fill tube hits and rubs against the engine mount. Upon closer inspection, it was doing it before removal as well. One of the squawks on my list was a loose oil fill tube. Well, now I know why it was loose. Didn't catch it on the pre buy. :-/
Has anyone else had this? If so what did you do? A tube of a smaller diameter would solve this, but does one exist somewhere? If I shortened it, it would be difficult to check the oil, but it would work. I'll do whatever I have to do I guess.
This ringing a bell for anyone? Any ideas?
Thanks,
Click to expand...

I had a similar problem on my 9A IO-320. It didn't hit that hard so I just used RTV to glue a piece of baffle material to the tube so that the rubbing was against it.


Kent
 
Rub me the wrong way...

Dennis,
I had the same problem on my RV4 when I upgraded to a Wide Deck 0-320 and a dynafocal mount. Seems some 0-320's and 0-360's oil tubes will hit the mount. I removed mine, cut 3" out of the middle and welded it back together with a smaller diameter sleeve where the mount contacted the stick and shortened it 2". Clears the mount now with no worries.
I shortened the dipstick and calibrated new ticks when I filled it with oil the first time. I took a 1.5" wooden dowel and carved a notch in it and made it into a dip stick removal tool.
Not an issue on my Rocket, the dipstick it on top...:)

Your mileage may vary...

Rob Ray
1500 great hours RV4
300 HR2...even better!
 
WRONG END......

smokyray said:
Dennis,

I shortened the dipstick and calibrated new ticks when I filled it with oil the first time.

Your mileage may vary...
Rob Ray
1500 great hours RV4
300 HR2...even better!
Click to expand...

That was not the part of the dipstick that was too long.:D
The dipstick is held into the cap with a pin. Just drive out the pin, heat the cap with a hair dryer and drive the dipstick out with a pin punch.

Cut off same amount as you did the tube. re-install in the cap till flush with the top. And then re-drill for the drift pin. Just like new............;)
 
Dennis Madden said:
Folks,
the oil fill tube hits and rubs against the engine mount. Upon closer inspection, it was doing it before removal as well. One of the squawks on my list was a loose oil fill tube. Well, now I know why it was loose. Didn't catch it on the pre buy. :-/
Has anyone else had this? If so what did you do? A tube of a smaller diameter would solve this, but does one exist somewhere? If I shortened it, it would be difficult to check the oil, but it would work. This ringing a bell for anyone? Any ideas?
Thanks,
Click to expand...
Dennis,
Had to shorten mine too (E2D). I just cut the original tube and used an ABS coupling and prosealed/riveted the three pieces back together. If you do this you have to remove the dipstick and cut the same amount off the top and drill another hole for the roll pin. Threaded back onto engine,lockwired and its been fine....no leaks.
 
The other left...!

Gasman,

Oops...luckily I figured that out too right before I sliced the bottom off ..:) I do always calibrate every new engine when I fill them with oil to see exactly where I stand, tail low, level etc...

RR
 
Aerosport/Superior dipstick

Dennis - Smokey's way is cheaper, and it what I did on my -9a, but if you want to go the expensive route there is a picture of the dipstick assy that came with my engine here if you are interested.
 
Steve Sampson said:
Dennis - Smokey's way is cheaper, and it what I did on my -9a, but if you want to go the expensive route there is a picture of the dipstick assy that came with my engine here if you are interested.
Click to expand...
Steve,
That actually looks pretty good. I'll give them a call to see how much they want for one. I'll keep that info for when the frustration meter pegs. At the same time I'll try to implement Smokeys idea to the original. At this point I'm willing to throw money at it to save time. Flying weather is here and this winter rebuild project needs to get finished.
best,
 
Mission accomplished

Thanks folks,
Fixed it with a hack saw and some cussing and a little epoxy, in just about that order. Oh, and a wooden dowel. (Thanks RR)
My next road block is a bit more daunting. Post to follow if I'm unable to figure it out from books. (it's electrical, meaning it involves black magic and voodoo ) :-/

DM
 
RV-4, O-360 oil fill tube

I tried adding a 2.2" extension from eci2fly.com, PN AEL22780 to my original 7" tube, but even the extended portion contacted the engine mount.

Then, I tried just the 2.2" extension inserted into the engine case, and shortened the dipstick as per previous suggestions. It works, oil fill tube cannot contact and break; however, it's a reach to remove the dipstick, and I'll need a long tube funnel to add oil.

Barney
RV-4, N44LR, bought flying
RV-3, N90516, bought flying, wings off, restoring
 
Oil filler tube

How much did you reduce the standard filler tube by? If you were doing it again would you want the tube longer or shorter (to bring it close to the oil filler door?

(Mine is an O-360/later engine mount)

Nigel Marshall
 
Cut down and narrowed dipstick still too close to mount.

I have the same problem of my cutdown and narrowed dipstick being too close to the engine mount. I changed from an old used O-320-E2D to a brand new Lycoming YO-320-EXP56 through Van's and somehow the dipstick that was not contacting the engine mount before is now very, very close to it, I'd say a few thousands away. The narrowed portion of the dipstick is the spliced portion and is just an aluminum section riveted and pro-sealed to the original plastic tube.

So far I just wrapped the engine mount and dipstick with self-fusing silicone wrap plus a thin teflon wrap so they actually don't rub each other.

Read about some of the solutions here but hope not to have to resort to a real short tube which would be hard to reach and change oil with.

Anyone know of a much narrower tube? Is the Aerosport version narrow?

Thanks!

Jerry Wang
RV-4
 

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