How Much Should An Oil Change Cost?

[HopePilot]

Okay, so I bought my first plane and I have no idea.  I got a bid today for 3hrs at $80 plus oil/filter, etc.  What is reasonable?  No, I can't do it myself.  I'm at KBUR and they won't even let you blow your nose without an environmental report.  Thanks everyone!

[ray]

I thought a pilot could do simple mait. such as oil changes brakes etc. If that was the case I would find another

place for my plane.

[Cruiser]

my last two oil changes by an MSC charged 1.25 hrs. labor. Both of these were oil & filter change only. No other work was done. 

[HopePilot]

1.25 seems reasonable to me.

[aschardt]

Can be done in one hour, no problem.  Mine usually run $50-60 plus oil and filter.

[Bob]

I am charge one hour from local MSC.  Total of $147.03 with 2 extra quarts of oil.

[scottfromiowa]

I have a quick drain on my plane.  One minute to remove lower side cowl panel.  Thirty seconds to put hose on quick drain put in bucket and push...Oil drains in an hour while I am cleaning bugs and/or cleaning belly...Remove hose/close quick drain 30 seconds.  Put six quarts of Phillips X/C & Camgard in engine and re-cowl (5 minutes).   Put lid on bucket and drop off oil at Advance Auto Parts...5 minutes.  12 minutes of time and about $50 for oil and Camgard.  I don't mind changing my own oil in fact I enjoy being around the plane so my answer is: $50 bucks...and I get a clean plane and a little work out getting the bugs off

[HopePilot]

Hmm, maybe I'll make a friend at the next Vintage Mooney fly-in who will let me change the oil at his hanger.  Seems like something I might be able to figure out how to do.

[Ned Gravel]

Quote: scottfromiowa

I have a quick drain on my plane.  One minute to remove lower side cowl panel.  Thirty seconds to put hose on quick drain put in bucket and push...Oil drains in an hour while I am cleaning bugs and/or cleaning belly...Remove hose/close quick drain 30 seconds.  Put six quarts of Phillips X/C & Camgard in engine and re-cowl (5 minutes).   Put lid on bucket and drop off oil at Advance Auto Parts...5 minutes.  12 minutes of time and about $50 for oil and Camgard.  I don't mind changing my own oil in fact I enjoy being around the plane so my answer is: $50 bucks...and I get a clean plane and a little work out getting the bugs off

[Kwixdraw]

I'd say the $147 is realistic.  I really don't like the slam it out the door in an hour mentality. It also depends on the model. On my J I like to take the cowl off and spend some time to clean things up after looking it over for problems. If you run across any minor repairs you will want to clean things again and run it to check for leaks prior to buttoning it up. If you are not turning your own wrenches this is where you are paying your mechanic to be on the lookout to head off problems.

 

[Jeff_S]

My guy charges 2 hours at $60/per. I usually supply the oil myself, so the total is about $160. And I used to question that 2 hours but I helped him do one recently and with the time to pull the top cowl, do all the normal tasks, complete a brief overall engine inspection, and put it all back together, that really seemed right. I'm sure you could do it in less time than that but I don't mind paying the extra time to have his eyes give it a good once-over.

[jmills]

Just had mine done yesterday. $139 which included 8 qts of Aeroshell 100+, a new filter, and cutting the old filter to inspect it for defects/debris.

[Alan Fox]

Three hours is more than fair ,(if it is a lycoming) what everybody is forgetting is the fingerscreen , There is a screen at the bottom of the oil pan that nobody ever checks and it is a total bitch to get to because it faces the firewall.. they are always neglected , and usually are full of gunk and crap...   You usually get what you pay for , and if 3 hrs is too much you need to find a new hobby !!! 

[skyking]

I have paid anywhere from $150 bucks to $300 bucks!

It takes forever to take off my cowl etc.

The $300 bucks was at a Mooney dealers place and the $150 I pay now is at my regular mechanics place and that includes oil, filter and oil/filter examination for particulites.

[Alan Fox]

Russ does it involve the finger screen , There two filters on lycomings , the spin on and the finger screen at the bottom...

[Parker_Woodruff]

generally costs me about $120 with oil analysis plus I provide oil and filter.  That includes them looking over anything I think might need attention while the cowl is off...

[M016576]

I'm with Parker- mine normally tops out at about $200 once all's said and done (that's without providing my own oil/filter) which seems consistant with what most are saying here.

-Job

[skyking]

N74795

Yes. It includes the screens.