Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #42075
From: Tracy Crook <tracy@rotaryaviation.com>
Sender: <rwstracy@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Oil Change Interval
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:17:50 -0400
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
No sweat, I'm just paranoid about weight Mark.   Even the thought of putting an extra couple of bolts on the engine to plug those oil injection holes bothers me <G>
 
I do appreciate your concern for the gearbox since I worry about each and every one that goes out.  I had to cringe when I saw that setup at the last Rotary Roundup fly-in with the 275 HP V6 outboard engine & RD-1C.  He used the engine oiling system to lube the drive but that engine had only 15 psi and it was 2-stroke oil.  
 
I liked the basic idea (I flew an 135 HP OMC in another life) but a separate oiling system is needed.
Tracy
On Tue, Mar 25, 2008 at 1:01 PM, Mark Steitle <msteitle@gmail.com> wrote:
Tracy,
 
I just don't want to destroy the gearbox because I didn't change the oil often enough.  Sounds like a plan. 
 
Mark S.

 
On 3/25/08, Tracy Crook <tracy@rotaryaviation.com> wrote:
Lynn's got it right in my view.  If your're looking for a number, I change between 50 and 70 hours using Synthetic.  I go for the 15W - 50 Mobile 1 cause it has more Zinc for the gears & bearings than the lighter weights.  Straight 40W  Redline would be even better but I can't get it at Walmart and I'm cheap.
 
BTW, I use a 4 qt sump even on the 20B.  I don't understand the appeal of great big oil pans.  Why carry all that extra weight?    Even if it means changing oil more often, I'd go for a smaller pan.   On a related subject, I get asked all the time about G-forces affecting oil pickup in the pan in an airplane and the need for a deeper, bigger pan.  My standard answer is that your grandmothers station wagon experiences more lateral G than your airplane ever will (unless you happen to be Sean Tucker). 
 
Sorry for the sermon, I just got asked that again <G>.
 
Tracy
Subscribe (FEED) Subscribe (DIGEST) Subscribe (INDEX) Unsubscribe Mail to Listmaster