Oil change through the filler neck?

[Ironflight]

Hey Nick - I like your signature line that starts "Flying is dangerous...." And the truth is, a LOT can happen under the cowl based on hours used - not calendar time. Vibration can wear holes, chafe wires, break baffles - no matter if you do fifty hours in a month or a year.

Pullign the cowling is a great way to make flying safer....

Paul

[Neal@F14]

I really like to have a look at everything under the cowl every oil change, especially the exhaust system since it endures so much vibration. It only takes a few minutes to remove both halves of the cowl on my plane and a few minutes more to reinstall it when I'm done. Cheap insurance for the peace of mind and I have found a broken exhaust hanger during an oil change that if left alone would've resulted in the tailpipe rubbing into the exit area of my lower cowl.

[flightlogic]

All the votes appear to be in....
I am giving up my lunch recess time each oil change to drop that lower cowl.
If I don't, and something comes loose... I will never hear the end of it.
Good thoughts offered by all. great forum and lots to learn.

[Lan Vinh Do]

I agree with all the above. I like to do inspection frequently and SEE too BUT.
Since last year with the 3rd boy.... i don'T fly as often as i wish and i don'T have a lot of free time to do frequent oil change.

I am meticulous in my inspection. but i don't want to pass 3 month when the plane don't fly often without an oil change because of the humidity in the oil. ( canada , maritime)

With the 3 blade prop, the cowling don'T come off so easy when i am alone.
and if it's too much trouble i may not do the oil change. Somethime there is only 10 hre in the 3 month.

So i bought the MITYVAC 2.3 gal 7201. I will try it for the first time soon ( a am doing my annual) I will empty it with the vac and see how much oil it remain to drain after. If it's good, i may use it to do oil change more frequently but still take the cowling off each 25 to 50 hre. It's just for bonus oil change that may not happend otherwise

[Mel]

I have to agree with the crowd here. Removing the entire cowling is just as important and possibly more so than doing the oil change itself.

[Toobuilder]

Originally Posted by flightlogic

...No screen on mine...

You don't have a suction screen?

Every Lycoming I've put my hands on has one- and I inspect it every oil change.

[Jesse]

I often just remove the top cowl. I can reach the quick drain to hook a hose on from there, sometimes removing the side hinge pin of he lower cowl to give myself a little extra room. I do agree, however, that removing the lower cowl is much better to get a look around.

[Pat Stewart]

Originally Posted by flightlogic

I like to change my oil pretty frequently... but not a fan of complete cowl removal. Have tried to reach the quick drain... but it is a stretch and hot down in the cowling.
Has anyone pumped the warm oil up out of the filler neck? It is SOP for my boat, since you can't get to the bottom of the engine anyway.
Thanks for any input.

Wow, I would consider it an opportunity to take the cowl off. I probably de cowl an average of very 5 hours.

I sleep better.

[rockwoodrv9]

Originally Posted by flightlogic

All the votes appear to be in....
I am giving up my lunch recess time each oil change to drop that lower cowl.
If I don't, and something comes loose... I will never hear the end of it.
Good thoughts offered by all. great forum and lots to learn.

That could be more true than you think. I remember the old Cherokee we had and how the whole side of the cowl flipped open to look in. That made inspections at each pre-flight easy.

Im still building and hate taking the cowl on and off and I don't even have my propeller on yet! I am considering making a much bigger oil check door so I could see in better. There were photos and instructions one builder did to split his cowl down the vertical axis that looked like a great way to make removing and reinstalling easier. If I hadn't already put the hinges on mine, I would do that modification.

[912ry]

For me it gets easier and quicker the more often I do it. Plus, I got into this hobby because I like messing with airplanes!