[N355DW]

I did a search but am curious to know if anyone has run their oil vent tube to the tail as in most aerobatic planes. I plan on having an inverted system in mine, and though I won't be flying as much negative G in this plane, every time you flip the system, it loses a little oil.

 

[Ironflight]

The RV-1 had one when we found it....I never did get a clear answer from Van on if he did it that way, or if it was added later. Haven't seen one on other RV's, but I'd bet they are out there.

 

[Danny King]

Breather tube to tail

I installed a Christen inverted system in my 8 and I considered running the breather tube to the tail but decided against it because the carry though spar was in the way.

My Pitts S1S, and my Christen Eagle II had the tubes exiting just forward of the tailwheel, and I wanted to do the same on the Doll. Instead, I made the breather tube exit the oil/air separator, and aim at a Y in the Vetterman exhaust system. This turns some of the oil into smoke, but a small amount of it still runs down the belly.

 

[N355DW]

Thanks for the picture, Danny!

Yes, I don't think I'll be drilling extra holes in the spar area either, I'll look things over more and figure it out. I like the idea of venting it at the stack. Rolling turns seemed to lose the most amount of oil in my other planes, and I won't be doing many of those in the RV, so it may be that it may not be worth doing for Sportsman type sequences. However the reason I ask is I've been instructing some basic aerobatics with a neighbor in his Starduster lately, with a Christen system but it does not have the breather going to the tail, and the left side of his plane is a mess after about 1/2 hr! So it may be a problem.

 

[DanBaier]

Up north, when the temps drop you could easily get some freezing in the breather tube and that might very well blow the front seal and you'd have as much or more oil loss.

Dan

 

[mike in phx]

Heres how mine is the tube with the cap op is just in case it frezes it can blow the cap of and breathe that way

This white tube goes in my arm rest classic aerodesign

And going tru bulk heads to the tail if you want more info let me know works like a champ

 

[N355DW]

Up north, when the temps drop you could easily get some freezing in the breather tube and that might very well blow the front seal and you'd have as much or more oil loss.

Dan

Yes, I am very aware of this. We usually drill a small hole in the aluminum breather tube up in the engine area, and in warm weather slide the hole part of the tube into a flexible sleeve. In the winter you slide it back to vent in the engine compartment so the tube won't freeze up. I learned about this when I used to ferry Pitts' to and from the factory in Afton WY. One winter I was bringing one to the factory, and the high that day was 20 below in Jackson Hole. I was unaware then of the freezing breather tube issue and did not know to pull the tube out of the sleeve to uncover the hole. When I landed in Afton, the plane was quite a mess! And I had been flying over some very cold mountains!

 

[N355DW]

Heres how mine is the tube with the cap op is just in case it frezes it can blow the cap of and breathe that way.

awesome Mike, thanks very much!