X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:50:42 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from smtp.perigee.net ([173.188.254.45] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.4c3j) with ESMTPS id 5000343 for lml@lancaironline.net; Wed, 01 Jun 2011 09:38:17 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=173.188.254.45; envelope-from=jschroeder@perigee.net Received: from john-study-2.perigee.net (dsl-208-26-41-156.perigee.net [208.26.41.156]) (authenticated bits=0) by smtp.perigee.net (8.14.1/8.14.1) with ESMTP id p51DbeI4031083 for ; Wed, 1 Jun 2011 09:37:43 -0400 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=----------JLbTOmrY0FXzBslX4fT8cc X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" Subject: Re: [LML] Re: Optimum IO-550 oil level - zero oil pressure event References: X-Original-Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2011 09:37:38 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 From: "John Schroeder" X-Original-Message-ID: In-Reply-To: User-Agent: Opera Mail/11.10 (Win32) ------------JLbTOmrY0FXzBslX4fT8cc Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15; format=flowed; delsp=yes Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Oooops I re-read my posting and the figure of 3 quarts quoted should have been 3.5 quarts. I believe Mike's article/video said this figure is published in the IO-550 documentation. I apologize for the bad proof reading. John Schroeder On Wed, 01 Jun 2011 07:42:37 -0400, John Schroeder wrote: > Mike Busch, the maintenance guru, in his webinar on oil, says that > Continental had to prove the IO-550 could >run on as low as 3 quarts > before the FAA certified the engine. We keep ours between 5 and 6 quarts > on the >dip stick to keep the belly reasonably clean. We also have a > light, run by a pressure switch set to 30 psi. This >is in addition to > the oil pressure sensor for the electronic engine monitor. > > John Schroeder > Lancair ES > > > On Tue, 31 May 2011 09:33:27 -0400, Jay Phillips > wrote: > >> >> I aim for 6 quarts. As you mention, anything more tends to end up on >> the belly. >> >> Jay Phillips >> >> Legacy N92SX >> >> From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of >> Frederick Moreno >> Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 5:17 AM >> To: lml@lancaironline.net >> Subject: [LML] Optimum IO-550 oil level - zero oil pressure event >> >> >>>> We have been over this issue in the past, and I have reviewed the >>>> archives, but with a lot of new Legacies flying, it is time to ask >>>> the question: what is the optimum oil level for the IO-550? >> >> >> The reason I ask is that I had an incident during final when my MVP 50 >> engine monitor lit up the red Master Warning light on a two mile final >> and I got voice alerts from the Chelton and the >>engine monitor: >> "Check Engine" and "Check oil pressure." A check of the oil pressure >> on the engine monitor showed a big red zero. This went on for a few >> seconds, then the alarm went off, >>then it went on and off several >> times. >> >> Taxiing back on the runway I twice hit the brakes, first while moving >> fairly slowly and second while moving faster, but holding engine RPM >> constant (about 900 RM according to the data). Both >>times the oil >> pressure sagged momentarily (but not low enough to trigger an alarm). >> >> >> I downloaded the engine monitor data and sure enough the oil pressure >> dropped to zero for several seconds, then went up and down to zero >> several times, total elapsed time of 37 seconds. I >>downloaded and >> studied the data for the entire flight and found an oil pressure sag >> while taxiing out for take off when I braked before the U turn at the >> end of the runway, but not low enough for >>an alarm. I also found an >> oil pressure sag (not low enough to trip the alarm) during deceleration >> during landing roll out. >> >> I had another engineer in the right seat who watched all of this. We >> examined the data traces. None of it looked like an electrical >> intermittent on the oil pressure sensor which is mounted on the >>fire >> wall. Our conclusion: we had sucked air. >> >> We check oil pressure at every stop. During a multi-stop long cross >> country in March, we landed with as little as 5 quarts after some long >> legs. The engine has about 30 hours on it since >>overhaul, and is >> still breaking in, but we have never seen an oil alarm even with some >> severe test flying (steep departures and descents as well as hard >> braking during short field practice). >> >> >> Sump capacity is 8 quarts although the dip stick goes up to 12. We >> normally run at 6 quarts since prior experience is that more than 6 >> quarts blows oil out the breather an on to the belly. After >>shutdown >> we measured approximately 5 quarts on the dip stick. A day later it >> still read 5 quarts. (For reference, I found that Lycoming says the >> absolute minimum is 2 quarts, but Cirrus >>recommends a minimum of 6 >> on the IO-550N, same engine. Presumably there is allowance for oil >> loss during flight with the Cirrus numbers.) I put a piece of welding >> rod down the dipstick >>hole, and found the oil to be just shy of 2 >> inches deep in the pan. The dipstick comes to within about 0.4 inches >> of the bottom of the pan. We measured the oil pan and then calculated >> the oil >>volume based on the area and depth of oil, and came up with >> about 5.5 quarts. We had also checked the dipstick at the last oil >> change, and while not perfect, it checked reasonably well with the >> >>oil as we added it quart by quart. >> >> Since the oil pressure alarm was on and off for 37 seconds, we pulled >> the engine for a full inspection. Current guess work suggests something >> wrong in the oil pump pick up area. The engine is >>under warranty, >> so I am driving it up to the shop and we will disassemble it while we >> are all present and watching. >> >> So, again, what are you IO-550 guys using for normal oil level, and >> when do you add oil? What oil stories can others tell? >> >> >> Curious Fred >> >> >> > > > > -- > Cheers, > > John -- Cheers, John ------------JLbTOmrY0FXzBslX4fT8cc Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary=----------JLbTOmrY0FXzBsBNasodA6 ------------JLbTOmrY0FXzBsBNasodA6 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-15 Content-ID: Content-Transfer-Encoding: Quoted-Printable