Aircraft engine oil demystified
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- In our Inside the Hangar feature, we talk about the confusing range of aircraft engine oil options available and how they differ.
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An excellent learning session. Been flying 40 years and no-one has explained this in such clarity before. Thanks Jon and Aiden.
Thanks for watching Phil
Good timing with this video - we are currently using the mineral 80 on an overhauled PA-28 engine, normally use W15W-50 the rest of the year (Norway). In the deep of the winter it still gets pretty thick though, so we use engine oil pre-heaters. Without the pre-heat the engine still starts, but it's probably putting a lot of extra strain on the oil pump, etc.
I have your checklist on my wall at home and run through it normally the day before flying, as well as the same day. I only added two items to it - one is to send an sms to the engine pre-heater (winter ops), the other is to file a flight plan (maybe not so common in UK for VFR flights but I always use one when landing away, and also they are mandatory for night VFR when away from the local aerodrome - so good to have on the checklist).
Cheers!
Another informative and entertaining video. Nice work and thanks to all the chaps at aero anglia.
What a treat of an explanation. Good on chaps!
There's a huge amount of time and effort goes into molecular engineering of oils so they can maintain their properties, film strength and protect the engine under all operating conditions. Then we can throw all that knowledge away and use oils with a specification from 75 years ago. Because even a shiny new cirrus has an engine whose lines were first drawn before any of us were born. Here we are 2023 still chuffing out huge amounts of lead, altering the mixture and using magnetos like its 1923! I love the simplicity of it all.
I have just one comment - ULPower Engines! Designed for unleaded fuels, has Dual ECUs, Fuel Injection, Electronic Ignition and uses modern motor oils. The choice is yours.
There are advantages to multigrade oils even if not in freezing conditions. They protect the engine better at start up due to lower initial viscosity. Good for if you do regular frequent cold starts, also good if in an emergency you need to apply a lot of power right after start up.
Interesting demonstration!
When I lived in suburban Vancouver (with a climate identical to southern England) I ran W80+ all year. Here in Kamloops some people run 15W-50 all year. Others run W80+ in the winter (down to -5C) and W100+ in the summer (up to 40C). Now that my new engine's break-in is complete I'm leaning toward the latter, limited flying hours and all that.
I’ll be going onto plus at the next 50 I suspect. Makes sense to me.
Great video, thanks to all involved
A most excellent and informative piece. Looking forward to the next one.
Thanks Darby.
Love this series Jon. Really enjoyed it. Look forward to the next one 😊
Thanks - glad you enjoyed this.
Super, super. Thank you so much for this interesting video. I follow your channel quite a long time and I like it. Your are heartly welcome in Berlin and I would be surprised to meet you. I wish you luck and very nice and healthy flights
Excellent explanation, Jon.
Excellent information Jon, thank you. Keep them coming 👌👍
Thanks Kevin.
Interesting, thanks, we use W15W-50 in the Condor's 0-200, in fact I think all the aircraft I have flown, bar two; the A-65 engined D112 and the O-200 engine in the C120 I flew which used W80, have had some variation of the 15-50.
Every day's a learning day! Great idea for a feature. Aidan always does a great job of explaining technical stuff too.
He says it in ways that I can understand, and I like that!
Brilliant keep them coming :) 👍
Pleased you enjoyed the episode Ross.
Love these episodes Jon please carry on.
wilco.
Great video and happy birthday Aidan!😆
Interesting Jon
A great video Jon and really informative. Interesting to know the differences and great content. Look forward to more and hope that all is well. Andy T
Appreciate the comment Andy - many thanks. Hope you're well too.
nice Aeroshell ad. Phillips 20w50 and Camguard. No synthetics. Scavenges the contaminates better than semi-synthetic.
Great idea for a series of video's Jon, all I need to do now is remember one of those burning questions 🙂
Well, let me know when you have!
A great mechanic once said to me, oil is the blood of an engine
Brilliant - especially if this is going to be a regular feature.
Hoping so. Will see how it goes down with everyone.
W80 is actually an SAE 40 oil and W100 is an SAE 50. 80 and 100 are just names.
It’s a pitty there doesn’t seem to be an outlet for Phillips 20W50 here in the UK.
I don’t see why you wouldn’t want the 15-50 always. Lean properly and don’t worry about lead in the oil. It’s that simple. Fly full rich always then maybe have an issue over time but I don’t see why everyone wouldn’t just use the guaranteed flow/lube of the 15-50
On the whole a very good explanation of the various oil options however I disagree with the opinion given in multi grade oil. Most engine wear happens at start up especially as highly loaded items like the camshaft so getting oil to these parts is critical , overly thick oil prevents this happening and because cold oil is thick and so slow to move it is slow to reach the parts it should be lubricating. For those of us who travel in out aircraft what is good for the U.K. temperatures most of the year ( 80 ) is not good by the time you get halfway down France, so I don’t want to be changing my oil every time err indoors wants a bit of sunshine and a trip to the beach. The largest Lycoming operator in the U.K. usually makes TBO with their engines without anything but routine maintenance, they are using Shell multigrade oil. Regular oil changes are essential especially with those who use 100LL as the mineral oil keeps the lead particles that blow by the piston rings in suspension ( if lead is not heals this way it centrifuges out of the oil and blocks the oilways in the crankshaft) it is the mineral oil part of the multi grade mix that suspends the lead so as the Shell mulitgrade is about 50/50 mineral and synthetic it is vital to change the oil at not over 50 hours flying. If the Philips oil is fully synthetic I am not sure how they keep the lead in suspension but I am sure that they must have found a way following the debacle of Mobil 1 use as an aviation oil.
I would like to inquire.. LOM Engine ..we have been flying with olomentes fuel for almost 30 years..SEA 50 /60 We fly W100 aero shell ! I check the oil dipstick after the flight ..The oil will have a viscosity of about SEA 30 or 40.. Mineral oil does not retain its viscosity Aero Shell 100w Mineral oil does not retain its viscosity.. viscosity index 96 ! The problem is that there is a lot of coke deposited on the pistons oil mud sludge ! You should move in the direction of synthetic oil ..it is much more stable, there is no deposition, it withstands large temperature differences and maintains its viscosity .....for example Motul 15w-50 competition 300v and 10w-60 Le Mans 20w-60 300v Le Mans.. viscosity index 170 !! Motul oil is recommended for aircraft engines by UL power engie... I would like to inquire about your vision for moving in this direction? and his opinion on synthetic oil in aircraft engines operated with Olomentes gasoline.. Thank you
Did u give him a blue Peter star?
It’s a blue Peter Badge, a gold one I reckon