OK, maybe I'm just a slow learner, and everyone else figured this out long ago.....
I have posted before about my problem getting the oil filter to drain completely when I am doing an oil change. As a reminder, I've got an angle adapter on the back of my TMXO-360, so the filter sticks up and left at a 45 degree angle. I have tried all of the tips suggested before, including punching holes int he filter to let air in so that it can drain. Most other suggestions relate to making sure that when the filter DOES drip oil as you unscrew it, said oil doesn't make a mess - catching it, soaking it up, etc. I've gotten pretty good at those things, and have a nice technique using a couple of paper towels and a large zip-lock bag...but still, I end up with a filter with oil in it.
Well yesterday, I had a revelation! I did all the normal things for an oil change - drained it hot, even punched some holes in the filter. Sure enough, when I spun it off, it still had a good third of a can of oil. But this time, I noticed that the oil filter adapter (on the engine) was full of oil as well. And then it hit me....(here comes the incredibly obvious point that I have been missing!)....THE VALKYRIE IS A TAIL DRAGGER!
Sure enough, it looked to me like the bottom quarter or so) of the oil filter can't drain, because it would have to do so up hill with the tail on the ground. I picked up the tail and put it on the saw horse I keep for tail wheel maintenance, and the oil in the adapter drained away into the engine. It seems pretty obvious now - I just never was in the habit of putting the tail up for oil changes - gee, I never did that in twenty-some years with my Grumman! (Tricycle gear, of course....)
SO now I have to wait for another 50 hours to confirm that the filter will drain completely if I lift the tail up. Maybe this is finally a good excuse to buy one of those fancy tail wheel lift thingies....I always seem to wrench a shoulder in the awkward position it takes to lift it by hand....
Whew....I'm glad I am now not the only person left who hadn't figured this out!
I have posted before about my problem getting the oil filter to drain completely when I am doing an oil change. As a reminder, I've got an angle adapter on the back of my TMXO-360, so the filter sticks up and left at a 45 degree angle. I have tried all of the tips suggested before, including punching holes int he filter to let air in so that it can drain. Most other suggestions relate to making sure that when the filter DOES drip oil as you unscrew it, said oil doesn't make a mess - catching it, soaking it up, etc. I've gotten pretty good at those things, and have a nice technique using a couple of paper towels and a large zip-lock bag...but still, I end up with a filter with oil in it.
Well yesterday, I had a revelation! I did all the normal things for an oil change - drained it hot, even punched some holes in the filter. Sure enough, when I spun it off, it still had a good third of a can of oil. But this time, I noticed that the oil filter adapter (on the engine) was full of oil as well. And then it hit me....(here comes the incredibly obvious point that I have been missing!)....THE VALKYRIE IS A TAIL DRAGGER!
Sure enough, it looked to me like the bottom quarter or so) of the oil filter can't drain, because it would have to do so up hill with the tail on the ground. I picked up the tail and put it on the saw horse I keep for tail wheel maintenance, and the oil in the adapter drained away into the engine. It seems pretty obvious now - I just never was in the habit of putting the tail up for oil changes - gee, I never did that in twenty-some years with my Grumman! (Tricycle gear, of course....)
SO now I have to wait for another 50 hours to confirm that the filter will drain completely if I lift the tail up. Maybe this is finally a good excuse to buy one of those fancy tail wheel lift thingies....I always seem to wrench a shoulder in the awkward position it takes to lift it by hand....
Whew....I'm glad I am now not the only person left who hadn't figured this out!