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-   -   Oil on ground under your aircraft (https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=129264)

flyboykelly 09-03-2015 01:11 PM

Well, for me it's a radial. If there's no oil then that means it's out of oil :o

ijustwannafly 09-03-2015 01:48 PM

I see most folks would pull the cowl to investigate.
One thing to consider, you are not at your home airport. You have no tools and no proper place to do a genuine inspection. A puddle this size is going to probably be something serious. IMHO there is no point pulling the cowl with no tool and no proper working environment to tackle a problem that is most likely large scale. I noticed I'm the only one that (so far) that said find an AP
I still stand by my decision because an AP will have suitable tools and a suitable location to do a proper inspection and I'm sure will not mind you watching / helping

Then once you find the issue you can tackle it properly. No point in pulling the cowl only to say to yourself "Yep that sucks guess I'm going nowhere"

flyboy1963 09-03-2015 02:15 PM

you're right, but hey, we're guys eh?
 
Rob is right, just like the folks who pull their car to the side of the road, and open the hood! ( 'check engine light' TOLD them to!!!!...yup, engine is STILL there!!)...what ARE you really expecting to find?

Well I guess there's no HARM in popping off the cowl.
Let's say you just added oil before the flight, and you can see that the oil you spilled has just now, with heat & slipstream, found it's way to the rear outlet of the cowl. (deduction; yes, I'm a slob.)

OP: but with the loss of 3/4 qt. obviously this is something else....unlikely, but not impossible, to rectify with an adjustable crescent and Phillips screwdriver, tie wire, duct tape, hose clamp, etc.
Some of the mechanics out there might say this is exactly what happens when you split the o-ring on the dipstick, or overfill the oil, or do a few rolls causing massive blow-by.

Mike S 09-03-2015 02:23 PM

"Do the Math"
 
3" x 5" puddle is a really small amount of oil---------in the tablespoon ish realm.

Was there a big streak of oil on the belly also??? If you actually lost 24oz of oil, it went somewhere other than on the ground.

You lost 24 oz in 1.1 hours, or apx 22 oz per hour.

You are 17 miles from home-----------6 min?? taxi time another 9 or 10??? total of 15--16 min???? Call it a quarter hour.

At the rate you used the oil when you noticed the issue, you would only use another half pint or so.

Fly it home.

John RV8 09-03-2015 02:36 PM

Oil puddle...
 
I agree with Mike S. that is a fairly small puddle, but for a short time frame that is a LOT of oil. I would look for oil elsewhere on the plane (belly, side of fuselage) then pull the cowl and investigate. But I am an A&P, and built my plane. Plus I never fly without enough tools to pull the cowl or make other minor repairs. However depending on the cause of the leak, you may have big decisions to make. Like The cracked crankcase in this event, I would not fly it home either.

beav 09-03-2015 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike S (Post 1011328)
3" x 5" puddle is a really small amount of oil---------in the tablespoon ish realm.

Was there a big streak of oil on the belly also??? If you actually lost 24oz of oil, it went somewhere other than on the ground.

You lost 24 oz in 1.1 hours, or apx 22 oz per hour.

You are 17 miles from home-----------6 min?? taxi time another 9 or 10??? total of 15--16 min???? Call it a quarter hour.

At the rate you used the oil when you noticed the issue, you would only use another half pint or so.

Fly it home.

You're assuming the problem was present at the start of the flight and the oil was lost gradually over the 1.1 hours. The problem could have occurred just before the end of the flight and the oil could be lost rapidly in the flight home.

Mike S 09-03-2015 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beav (Post 1011338)
You're assuming the problem was present at the start of the flight and the oil was lost gradually over the 1.1 hours.

Yes, I am.

That is why I italicized the words "At the rate"

scard 09-03-2015 03:53 PM

You guys do realize that this is a trick question and that there will be a dramatic ending soon. Condor just wants to see you squirm a little longer :).

Mike S 09-03-2015 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scard (Post 1011356)
You guys do realize that this is a trick question and that there will be a dramatic ending soon. Condor just wants to see you squirm a little longer :).

Yep, that is why I took the devils advocate stance

AndyRV7 09-03-2015 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beav (Post 1011338)
You're assuming the problem was present at the start of the flight and the oil was lost gradually over the 1.1 hours. The problem could have occurred just before the end of the flight and the oil could be lost rapidly in the flight home.

I would never fly a plane that had a known oil leak. Why would anyone that's not behind enemy lines risk a smallish problem becoming a critical problem in the air!?


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