Burning oil

[teethdoc]

How much oil do you burn? The trainers we would add a quart after a loop around the pattern it seemed. I've put almost 40h on my 201 and added 2qts. It still looks the color it did when I out it in.

[Bob_Belville]

700 SFRM IO360A1A - averaging 1 qt per 7 hours or so. Probably less in cooler weather when I won't lose as much "off the top" keeping a little extra in for cooling.

[Hank]

After an oil change, there's shorter time between adding each quart. I just added half a quart (because I had one in the hangar) at 13.5 hours after a new filter and 7 quarts. We'll see when I have to add the next quart.

[jetdriven]

I hear 6-10 hours per quart is normal for a Lycoming 4 banger, when kept around 6 quarts.  That's what our 250 hour SMOH engine uses, and the 1300 hour engine before that.  Some Continentals go 30-40 hours per quart but perhaps thats related to early top overhauls and cylinder wear.

[CDF219]

Im seeing 1 qt per 10 hours on mine with 319hrs sfrm I also heard to keep it at 6qts that anything over it will just push out , is that what everyone else is doing?

[carusoam]

My high time O360 used 1 qt each eight to ten hours...it would also get very dark after a few hours.

My high time IO 550 was like Byron said. Significantly lower oil usage . But no need for top...

Best regards,

-a-

[N201MKTurbo]

I have an air oil seperator. I use about a quart every 25 hours.

It still leaks a lot. It must make oil out of thin air.

[jlunseth]

I had Bolduc do a field OH oN my engine ( not 0 time). I change the oil about every 50 hours (frequent flyer) and will add one quart somewhere towards the end of the fifty.

[Shadrach]

I had Bolduc do a field OH oN my engine ( not 0 time). I change the oil about every 50 hours (frequent flyer) and will add one quart somewhere towards the end of the fifty.

That's really very little in the way of oil burn... Mike Busch claims to have data that demonstrates that engines with oil consumption rates of less than 1 qt every 20hrs are more likely to need mid time overhauls. How he applies that number to engines of differing displacements is beyond me. But I do know that all air cooled, flat engines should use oil.

[N201MKTurbo]

That's really very little in the way of oil burn... Mike Busch claims to have data that demonstrates that engines with oil consumption rates of less than 1 qt every 20hrs are more likely to need mid time overhauls. How he applies that number to engines of differing displacements is beyond me. But I do know that all air cooled, flat engines should use oil.

 

 

So, if your engine is burning too little oil, what are you supposed to do about it?

[Bob_Belville]

So, if your engine is burning too little oil, what are you supposed to do about it?

Be afraid, be very afraid.

[AlanA]

in my 201 anything over 6 qts just gets blown out, however if I am going to fly for more than 90 mins I always fill it to 7 qts. I like the idea of having at least some fresh oil in every time I fly. I think of it as a mini oil change for every flight. Then because I have been continually adding fresh oil I extend my oil change to 50 hrs instead of 25 hrs.

I have no data to prove it extends my engine life but it makes sense to me. The downside is I have to clean the belly more often, and it is harder to monitor actual oil burn.

[Jsavage3]

~120 SMOH on my J and burning a quart every 7-10 hrs -- use 6 qts as a min and always fill to 7 for a 3+ hr flight.  Anything more than 7 and I find it on the belly...

[rbridges]

After installing a new filter I usually fill with 7 quarts plus 5% Camguard, and then add a quart when it gets down to 5 1/2. 2 quarts of fill oil are usually required between 30 hour oil changes, so that works out to a total burn/leak of around 4 quarts every 30 hours for an average rate of 7 1/2 hours per quart. I notice that the rate increases as the oil gets dirtier, though.

1720 hours and 27 years since factory reman.

Jim

I think you posted this before because I started using a similar approach, including camguard. I start at 7. I try to keep it at 6 and add when it gets around 5.5-5.75 qts. I read somewhere that you're fine as long as engine temps are good.

My oil burn is good , but it gets dark somewhat quick IMO.

[Seth]

In my 1967 F 200 HP Lycoming - It was about 1 QT every 7-12 hours depending on how I ran it and how full it was.

 

In my current aircraft, the 1983 M20J Missile 300, the 300 HP Continental which I overhauled at purchase, has about 220 hours on it including 120 hours since the Top (partial warrenty repair on cracked cylinders) is running wtih knock on wood amazingly low oil burn.  Probably 1 QT every 15-25 hours.  I tend to put in a half QT in depending on how I run it once it hits between 15 and 25 hours, and then it's oil change time before I put anything else in. I try to change the oil every 30-35 hours as I OH this engine and want it to last.

 

-Seth

[Earl]

In my 86 252 with about 600 SMOH I lose a quart every 7-10 hours depending on the type of flying.  Like many others, any oil over 6.5 qts just blows out on the belly so I usually wait until I get to 5.5 to add one unless I am looking at a longer leg in which case I'll add up to 7.

[flyboy]

How much do I burn? Very little, based on how white the inside of my exhaust pipe stays. How much do I leak? A LOT