Oil Level

[Releew]

Where does your oil level settle cold in an IO-360?  My operating level is slightly below 6 quarts.  The engine will literally blow out anything above that.  POM states 6 quarts to be a minimal operating level and my engine will not hold anything more than 6 quarts.  I recently changed the fill tube gasket and could see the oil at the base of the case so I know the case is full. Even considering the surface area of the sump another quart would have pushed the base level above the bottom of the fill tube.

 

Thanks for any feedback!!

 

Rick 

[kmyfm20s]

You got it! I used to add a quart when it hits 5 on my J. 6 on the stick is 7 in the system.

[aaronk25]

Yep..lots of threads on this...lot of people who say it will blow out any amount over 6.5 all over the belly. So here is the deal. When it gets closer to 5 than 6 on the dip stick add a qt. if it ends up at 6.2 qts no big deal.

The only reason Lycoming has a 8qt. Capacity is it has to hold twice the oil that the engine requires to operate, which is 4qts.

If you have a engine that is burning more than normal such as 1qt in 3 hours and you have a long cross country then fill to 7qt mark.

Carrying any more than 6qts in the sump is spewing your money all over the belly. Plus you have to clean up your expensive mess off the belly.

Remember after shut down there is 1/2 a at of oil up coating the engine parts, that will take a few days to drain down.

[RobertGary1]

pretty common for a high/mid time engine. Extra blow by increases case pressure and blows oil out the breather. An oil separator will fix the symptom.

Car motors use a PCV set up to maintain negative pressure in the case to prevent the same.