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The mystery oil leak continues??

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XLS+PAT

Active Member
So I've been chasing a mystery oil leak for a few months. I'm wondering if anybody else has had this problem. Engine is a Titan 0-360. It was a kit built engine. 500 hours on the Hobbs and it hasn't missed a beat.

Engine is stock, except for a oil filter adapter. So here is where the leak is: On the baffel behind cylinder #3 there is a fine mist of oil. I thought it was coming from the oil pressure relief valve, so I replaced it. But that wasn't it.

Pulled the cowl today after a 1.8 hour flight and the fine mist was on the rear baffel like before. I have had a few other guys look and it and they shake their head like I do. Is it possible or common for the push rod tubes to leak?

Any words of wisdom are appreciated.

Thanks
Pat
RV7 KHAF
 
It is not impossible for pushrod tubes to leak - sometimes they get dented by a mechanic putting in or removing spark plugs, and those dents can become cracks. If its an older tube, it might have gotten turned so that you cant see the dent/crack.

Uncommon, but I have seen it.

It is also possible to not get the pushrod seated fully in the seals, or for the seals to start leaking.
 
I have confirmed, or eliminated, suspect areas with a thick wrap of white paper towel held on with zip ties.

Aeroshell is efflorescent with UV which might be helpful in origination zone location.

Good luck with the investigation. If you have multiple sources it can take a while, so don't give up.

My new Lyc factory engine had the accessory plate installed w/o a gasket. This took a while to find.
 
Flare

I had a oil leak on the factory engine flare. The rigid tubing on the factory engine is stiff stainless. If there is any misalignment, the flair will seep. I added a voshan to seal my flair.
 
Black light

Buy a 50 bulb black light from Amazon and then with the hangar lights off and dark, use the black light to see everywhere there is oil. Pull the dip stick and shine the light on the oil so you can see what color you will be looking for. Used this many time to find hard to see leaks. Just remember oil blows all over so look upstream for the leak.
 
If u haven’t replaced the 4 oil drain hoses beneath the cylinders just do it. Use constant compression hose clamps on both ends. This will remove them from being a possibility for cheap $$$$.
 

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The one thing I have learned from chasing oil leaks is they are never where the leak seems to be. Airflow under the cowl moves oil in very mysterious ways. Check everything!
 
Titan Service Bulletin

Several years back ECI issued a service bulletin for cracked retainer clips for the push rod tubes. All four of mine were cracked and subsequently replaced.

This might be something to check. After 800 hours I can envision a clip losing clamping force and allowing a tube to move and leak.

Don
 
I searched for 10+ years to find a leak. I used paint thinner to thoroughly clean the engine, used UV etc. I also hired an A&P who said he specialized in leak detection (to no avail). Ultimately wrapping suspected areas with thin diapers zip tied in place determined that the source was a ruptured diaphragm on the fuel pump (pumps have two) and replacing the pump solved the problem.
 
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