Removing oil cap after flight.
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Removing oil cap after flight.
.....read this (couple places) if done immediately for 15-30 minutes may allow boiled off water to escape as steam. Reduction in sitting corrosion.
True or false?
True or false?
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
That is why there is a breather and you get belly oil on your plane. The engine vents over board.
"I need a time machine"
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
Per Mike Busch (I'm paraphrasing): Not a bad idea. Anything that helps that moisture escape is good for the engine.
I usually pop it open after a flight while I refuel and tie down. Just make sure you don't leave the plane like that.
I usually pop it open after a flight while I refuel and tie down. Just make sure you don't leave the plane like that.
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
Some enterprising person could invent a thing that twists onto the oil filler and gently blows in dessicated air, exhausting via the breather.
EDIT: like this: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/e ... gsaver.php
I suspect this and opening the oil filler will remove some of the water vapour from the engine voids and prevent condensation but without data I'd guess the water dissolved in the oil would have too long an equilibrium time with the air surrounding it for 20 mins with the cap off to do much good there.
EDIT: like this: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/e ... gsaver.php
I suspect this and opening the oil filler will remove some of the water vapour from the engine voids and prevent condensation but without data I'd guess the water dissolved in the oil would have too long an equilibrium time with the air surrounding it for 20 mins with the cap off to do much good there.
Last edited by photofly on Wed Apr 20, 2016 5:47 am, edited 2 times in total.
DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
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Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
I leave a piece of paper towel or something hanging out of the oil fill door as a reminder the cap is off. Seen guys put something on the yoke to remind them too.Chris M wrote:Just make sure you don't leave the plane like that.
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
Isn't the chance of damage to the engine due to dust/dirt particles entering the oil/engine while doing this bigger than the possible gains you could get from having some moisture exit the system ?Broken Slinky wrote:I leave a piece of paper towel or something hanging out of the oil fill door as a reminder the cap is off. Seen guys put something on the yoke to remind them too.Chris M wrote:Just make sure you don't leave the plane like that.
As an AvCanada discussion grows longer:
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
Seeing as some engines run for decades with chunks of metal turning up in the oil filter I don't think a tiny bit of lint will do much. Just don't push a whole rag inside and leave it there
DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
I'm not sure I'd do it outside. Only in my hangar.digits_ wrote:Isn't the chance of damage to the engine due to dust/dirt particles entering the oil/engine while doing this bigger than the possible gains you could get from having some moisture exit the system ?Broken Slinky wrote:I leave a piece of paper towel or something hanging out of the oil fill door as a reminder the cap is off. Seen guys put something on the yoke to remind them too.Chris M wrote:Just make sure you don't leave the plane like that.
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Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
ASAS item is a good idea but in Canada we need to remember to block off the hole in the breather above the exit
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
Probably, but will the small amount of moisture in the oil do more or less bad stuff to the engine ?photofly wrote:Seeing as some engines run for decades with chunks of metal turning up in the oil filter I don't think a tiny bit of lint will do much. Just don't push a whole rag inside and leave it there
As an AvCanada discussion grows longer:
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
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- Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 10:47 am
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
I wrap the paper towel around the stick to allow it to vent and block some of the possibility of dirt. I also put the cowl plugs in. Haven't seen any weird spikes on the oil analysis to say excessive dirt is getting in.digits_ wrote:Isn't the chance of damage to the engine due to dust/dirt particles entering the oil/engine while doing this bigger than the possible gains you could get from having some moisture exit the system ?Broken Slinky wrote:I leave a piece of paper towel or something hanging out of the oil fill door as a reminder the cap is off. Seen guys put something on the yoke to remind them too.Chris M wrote:Just make sure you don't leave the plane like that.
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Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
The possibility of inadvertently leaving the cap off negates any positive results from the minuscule amount of moisture. Besides don't you think that the engine manufacture has taken this into account?
A very experienced AME once told me never leave anything undone that can be done up. Its just a recipe for disaster.
In over 23,000 hrs of flying, this is one of the dumbest "Myths" that I have ever heard of.
A very experienced AME once told me never leave anything undone that can be done up. Its just a recipe for disaster.
In over 23,000 hrs of flying, this is one of the dumbest "Myths" that I have ever heard of.
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
+1 for Therewewere. Risk vs reward simply doesn't compute favourably. Sometimes what seems to make "common sense", just doesn't.
Being stupid around airplanes is a capital offence and nature is a hanging judge!
“It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.”
Mark Twain
“It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.”
Mark Twain
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
[quote]That is why there is a breather and you get belly oil on your plane. The engine vents over board. [/quote]
The breather is not there to vent water vapour, its there to vent combustion blow by gasses otherwise you'd blow out the oil seals as the crankcase pressure built up. Of course some water vapour does get vented but not much once the engine stops.
Its very common to leave the dipstick out in the homebuilt/acro crowds but I've never been very convinced as to how useful it is. I think it would be more useful to remove the dipstick and then put air through the breather to force an exchange of air in the crankcase but if the air you put in is humid you may not be doing much good. An exchange of dry air through the engine is probably not a bad idea though.
However by far the BEST thing is to fly a lot ;) ... and drain and replace the oil regularly.
The breather is not there to vent water vapour, its there to vent combustion blow by gasses otherwise you'd blow out the oil seals as the crankcase pressure built up. Of course some water vapour does get vented but not much once the engine stops.
Its very common to leave the dipstick out in the homebuilt/acro crowds but I've never been very convinced as to how useful it is. I think it would be more useful to remove the dipstick and then put air through the breather to force an exchange of air in the crankcase but if the air you put in is humid you may not be doing much good. An exchange of dry air through the engine is probably not a bad idea though.
However by far the BEST thing is to fly a lot ;) ... and drain and replace the oil regularly.
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
+2. Fly your plane often, and you don't have to worry about moisture. You've already got a breather tube.5x5 wrote:+1 for Therewewere. Risk vs reward simply doesn't compute favourably. Sometimes what seems to make "common sense", just doesn't.
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
This oil cap gets opened to check and add oil. That's it.
I would even suggest that you will draw more moisture in as it cools.
I would even suggest that you will draw more moisture in as it cools.
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
Or blow helium into the case, displace oxygen around the lifters etc. Wonder how quickly it would leak out..
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
Nitrogen is about 100th the price and just as good.
DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
... and won't cause a weight and balance change either!Nitrogen is about 100th the price and just as good.[as helium]]
I agree with just fly the plane often, or, preserving oil and desiccant plugs.
Re: Removing oil cap after flight.
I find it difficult to imagine that in the age of human factors and all we have seen on this matter. Poor habits and practices as this exist.
Shame on the the AME that knowingly creates a chance for a inflight engine failure, I can not imagine that would be defined in an MPM or MCM and would create personal liability if an event occurred.
Shame on the the AME that knowingly creates a chance for a inflight engine failure, I can not imagine that would be defined in an MPM or MCM and would create personal liability if an event occurred.