G

gmpaul

Active Member
After just finishing my annual and thinking about all the cleaning of the firewall and belly, there has to be a better way. I asked around the airport if there was anyone familiar with oil separators and did they really help. I found one fellow that had one on his 172 and he is a firm believer in his. Has anyone used one on their RV? I was thinking about trying to make one because the price of the Airwolf is so expensive. It would be great if you could put in 8 quarts, go fly and come back with 8 quarts in the crankcase, instead of oil all over the belly and firewall. Has anyone tried an oil separator or found a better way?

Thanks,

GP
 
I have installed it on my engine and very happy with it. I fly with 8 qt. and have yet to see any oil on the belly. Just some residue from the exhaust, that's it. I bought mine from Vans which I thought was rather pricy, but now I am happy I did.

Good luck
 
debate on whether oil seperator is good

Many oil separators are designed to allow drain-back of the collected oil mist back into the engine. Some have argued that this process puts back a bunch of bad stuff - at a minimum, it puts water back - and may have other blow-by components that are better blown out than returned to the crankcase.

Some oil separators store the collected oil/water/stuff, and you have to empty the tank periodically.

Most of us have found that if you keep your crankcase filled just to 6 quarts, and you direct the oil vent onto one of the exhaust pipes, the belly stays pretty clean without any oil separator.
 
scsmith said:
Many oil separators are designed to allow drain-back of the collected oil mist back into the engine. Some have argued that this process puts back a bunch of bad stuff - at a minimum, it puts water back - and may have other blow-by components that are better blown out than returned to the crankcase.

Some oil separators store the collected oil/water/stuff, and you have to empty the tank periodically.

Most of us have found that if you keep your crankcase filled just to 6 quarts, and you direct the oil vent onto one of the exhaust pipes, the belly stays pretty clean without any oil separator.
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What Steve said....

There is really no reason to fly with 8 qts in the crankcase (unless you are flying from HI to CA like John J has done a few times). It is pretty common knowledge that the four cyl Lyc seem to spit very little oil if you keep the level around 6 qts.
 
I know every one agrees with the idea of having only 6 qts in the engine (with CS prop) is sufficient, but I wonder why Lycoming insist of 8 qts and indicates 6 qts is the minimum? I keep at max most of the times, first to make sure I am following the engine manufacturer recommended guild lines, if for no other reason but to keep my warranty in check. Another reason is what if you start with six qts and you have a bit of leak or burn or some thing in between trips then you surely would run out oil sooner, right?
With the oil-air separator I have had about zero of oil under the belly, so I think it is a good insurance for how little it cost compare to other things we spend on the AC.

Just my 2 cents
 
Minimum for IO360 is 2 quarts

In the engine manual of our M20J Lycoming states that the minimum oil level for lubrication is 2 quarts. Everything above that might be needed for cooling, depending on OAT.

Regards
 
Here's the answer, instead of separating and still allowing a lower percentage to hit the belly, this eliminates it. You just drain the oil residue at each oil change. I had this on my Velocity and had zero oil on the prop. The RV6 I just bought (and have only flown once) has the Vans oil separator on it and I'm swapping it out to this as soon as the order arrives from a/c spruce.
If anyone wants a used Vans separator for half price let me know.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/enginecrank.php
 
I built an oil separator this summer, using a couple of soup cans. It worked well but I was concerned about returning the collected oil back to the engine as I had heard all the stories about contamination,water, etc. I ran a plastic line below the cowling and tied it off. On regular intervals I drained the oil to see what it contained. It was absolutely clear and clean, and my next project is to add a return line to the engine.
 
Bavafa said:
I know every one agrees with the idea of having only 6 qts in the engine (with CS prop) is sufficient, but I wonder why Lycoming insist of 8 qts and indicates 6 qts is the minimum? I keep at max most of the times, first to make sure I am following the engine manufacturer recommended guild lines, if for no other reason but to keep my warranty in check. Another reason is what if you start with six qts and you have a bit of leak or burn or some thing in between trips then you surely would run out oil sooner, right?
With the oil-air separator I have had about zero of oil under the belly, so I think it is a good insurance for how little it cost compare to other things we spend on the AC.

Just my 2 cents
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Wow! The minimum listed for my IO-360-B1B is two quarts. I can't imagine running it that low, but it's very happy between 5 and 6 quarts.
 
Flybuddy2 said:
Here's the answer, instead of separating and still allowing a lower percentage to hit the belly, this eliminates it. You just drain the oil residue at each oil change. I had this on my Velocity and had zero oil on the prop. The RV6 I just bought (and have only flown once) has the Vans oil separator on it and I'm swapping it out to this as soon as the order arrives from a/c spruce.
If anyone wants a used Vans separator for half price let me know.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/enginecrank.php
Click to expand...

Looks like its made out of a pint paint can with some screened holes and a hose barb in the lid...?
 
rocketbob said:
Looks like its made out of a pint paint can with some screened holes and a hose barb in the lid...?
Click to expand...

That's about right, add in a curtis drain for the bottom and a hole in the side in case you forget to empty it for several months and you've got it. Thing is, it works! Allows breather to breathe while capturing ALL oil that would normally wind up on belly.
 
I use a rag

I have found that it takes about 2 minutes to lay on the creeper (which I keep under the right wing) and clean off the belly after every flight. For an hour flight the oil is just on the belly in the first couple feet around the exit. Cheeper and lighter then a seperator; my way to go.

What takes time is cleaning the bugs (especially after an evening flight). Has anyone invented a bug seperator to trap all the bugs in a can and then emptied at oil change?
 
You could put some screen door screen on the leading edge of the wings. Then after every flight remove the screen and shake it off and then replace for the next flight.
 
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