Oil Pressure Hose

[Jim P]

We'll, I'm now into the engine so there's lots of questions.

Here's the first: I have an IO-360-M1 from AeroSport. The oil pressure fitting came already installed in the side-facing port (there's two on this engine). I angled the fitting slightly aft and the hose barely fits but there's a tight bend. I'm tempted to cap the fitting with an AN929-2D cap and install a straight fitting on the rear-facing port.

Any guidance on this one?

Here's the current pic:

 

[Radomir]

Jim, I installed the fitting on the other port and it is a much better fit. Your plan sounds good to me.

 

[frankh]

Sounds good

A couple of options...

First off the fitting should really be steel (local hydraulics shoppe stock these fittings they call AN fittings JIC but its exactly the same 37 degree angle and thread)

You can either use a cap (guess where you buy those from?...Yup same place) or you can pull out the fitting and install a 1/8th pipe plug whatver is easiest.

The fitting "should" be a restrictor fitting...I say should cus I personally don't buy it...The restrictor fitting is supposed to provide signal dampening...Ya ok..And also if the hose burst is supposed to lose oil pressure slowly enough to allow you to get back to the ground safely...You can choose to believe this if you want.

So if you REALLY want a restrictor fitting you can braze the end of the hydraulic fitting closed and drill a #50 hole in it...Or not bother, which is what I did.

The angled fitting that Vans supplies is a pain to fit on the other port...But if you use a straight fitting you can easily install it with a 1/2" deep socket.

Have fun, but either way I personally would avoid using an aluminum fitting as its very small and I would be nervous that it might break in time and that would be BAD!

Cheers

Frank

 

[Jim P]

Thanks

Actually, the fittings are steel. No problem with that. Looks like I might jsut cap the existing 45-degree and install a straight fitting into the aft-facing port.

 

[frankh]

Yup

That will work.

Frank

 

[N131RV]

That restrictor saved my bacon.

2.5 hours into my test period, I noticed my oil pressure dropping into the yellow and made a precautionary landing. My oil pressure hose had failed. I lost about three quarts of oil in about 15-20 minutes. Without that restrictor, I probably would have dumped the entire sump, probably resulting in engine failure within minutes.

Just a data point.
JP

A couple of options...

The fitting "should" be a restrictor fitting...I say should cus I personally don't buy it...The restrictor fitting is supposed to provide signal dampening...Ya ok..And also if the hose burst is supposed to lose oil pressure slowly enough to allow you to get back to the ground safely...You can choose to believe this if you want.

So if you REALLY want a restrictor fitting you can braze the end of the hydraulic fitting closed and drill a #50 hole in it...Or not bother, which is what I did.


Cheers

Frank

 

[trib]

Instead of capping an unused fitting, it seems the better alternative would be to remove the fitting and install a plug. That way, you only have one joint which could potentially leak, instead of two, and that would be a pipe thread.

 

[kcameron]

I ran across this today. I want to do the same thing: move the oil pressure pickup to a different place on my RV-4. At least I'd like to pull it out and replace it with one of Van's restrictors. However, the current pickup near the upper-right engine is very tight. I've tried several times to remove it with an open-end 7/16 wrench but (despite a lot of grunting and cussing) it won't budge. I've been considering using a length of pipe as a cheater but I'm afraid I'll break off the fitting. Anyone know a good way to loosen it?

Thanks,

 

[Jim P]

Kevin, for me, I capped the existing fitting. It was in pretty good and the mount had to come off to pull the fitting. If that cap leaks on me, I'll pull the mount and replace with a plug.