Oil Change Question

[N9405V]

I had my oil changed in December and have flown about 25 hours since then. My M20E has an oil screen that is supposed to be cleaned every 50 hours. Here is my question, since I don't have a hangar to do the oil change in and my mechanic is booked solid, and it's 120 degrees on the ramp, would there be any harm in just pulling the cowling, daring the oil through the quick drain, and putting new oil in?

I'd prefer to do a full oil change, but the airport gets cranky about mx on the ramp, plus pulling the oil screen has the potential to make a huge mess.

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[N231BN]

It would be better than not changing it at all.

[Mark89114]

Change it on Sunday evening.

[carl]

I am starting the habit of changing oil every 10 hour. filter every 30. 

[Bob_Belville]

I am starting the habit of changing oil every 10 hour. filter every 30. 

why?

[Hank]

I am starting the habit of changing oil every 10 hour. filter every 30. 

I agree. This sounds wasteful of expensive clean oil. Putting new oil into a dirty flter that has > 1/2 qt. of dirty oil in it only gets your new oil dirty as son as you crank the engine.

imchange oil and filter every 50 hours. If you don't have a filter, just a screen, then every 25 hours is good.

[jrwilson]

I thought filter was50 hours and screen was 25 hour change intervals...

[N2124V]

I thought filter was50 hours and screen was 25 hour change intervals...

I call it a screen, it's actually an ADC-Oberg oil filter.

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[carl]

New oil is a beautiful thing . 

1)When it gets dirty there are damaging partical present, these are smaller then the filter material and they continue to circulate . The filter catches the big stuff ,say bigger then 30 microns, but damage is being done by the small stuff. This is the stuff I want to get out before it builds up.

This video is for a different  application but it presents my belief well;dirty oil damages engines.

2)Calendar time; oil sitting will change, especially with contaminates in it., varnishes will be produced, and sludge, etc, changing at 10 hours prevents this.

So an oil drain and replace is fast and easy and fun . Yes it may be wasteful , but you could put it in you car and use it there.

Filter changes are harder,more time and more mess, so I'll go 30 hours on the filter.  I hope that will be twice a year. I like the tempest filter (artical attached).

I am the first to say , I don't know what I am talking about and welcome your views.

carl

Amazing Filter Demonstration - Save Your Engine    ,youtube  FS2500 oil filter

https://youtu.be/klcBRnyCSvo

Spin+On+Oil+Filters+Champion+or+Tempest+Aviation+Consumer+03130001.pdf

[carl]

 

 

 I was trying to qoute hank ,,   "If you dont have a filter just a screen . "

  I thought everyone had both. Filter and Screen .

  Yes, not changing the filter with the oil change presents dirt back into the new oil, but the load(ppm) is dramaticlly less

 

[carl]

Also in the OP statement .

His last oil change was in December ,9 months ago. He has 25 hours on the oil .

I think that is too long of a calendar time , good oil goes bad.

He should go to 10 and 30 also.  

[Shadrach]

Carl, that is serious over kill. Most filter media is in the neighborhood of ~40 microns but it still catches a lot of the smaller stuff. Most filters have a magnet for the rest. Are you doing a lot of full rich pattern work? My oil evne looks pretty clean at 10 hrs.

[bonal]

As for me I have the screen and Oil gets changed every 25 with the screen getting inspected and cleaned each time. As for calendar time that equals about 3 a year. I've an older F250 that only gets driven maybe a hundred miles a year and I haven't changed the oil in that for at least 7 years and it runs great. 

[carl]

I am flying some pattern work and some cross country .

 

Yes my oil looks clean , and it is overkill , agreed.

 

I almost made it to Hagertown the other day. 

 

When are you around?

?

[bonal]

If your Mech is booked solid take it to someone else. Removing the screen will spill some but can be contained with a shop towel underneath. I would recommend someone that has done this before there are some that have only changed spin off filters.

And you will need a new gasket for the housing 

Edited September 7, 2015 by bonal

[Shadrach]

I am flying some pattern work and some cross country .

 

Yes my oil looks clean , and it is overkill , agreed.

 

I almost made it to Hagertown the other day. 

 

When are you around?

?

Often! I just wrapped up annual lat week. Need to do some paint touch up on the center instrument panel cover. Shop guy chipped the paint.

Shoot me a PM with a few days notice. We've a good restaurant on field open from 700am to 9:00pm.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Shadrach

[carl]

ok , will do

[Shadrach]

I had my oil changed in December and have flown about 25 hours since then. My M20E has an oil screen that is supposed to be cleaned every 50 hours. Here is my question, since I don't have a hangar to do the oil change in and my mechanic is booked solid, and it's 120 degrees on the ramp, would there be any harm in just pulling the cowling, daring the oil through the quick drain, and putting new oil in?

 

I'd prefer to do a full oil change, but the airport gets cranky about mx on the ramp, plus pulling the oil screen has the potential to make a huge mess.

 

 

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I'd just change the oil and schedule a change for 2 months out (unless you fly a lot). Look into a filter mod, it really makes good sense to do it.

Do all of you that are running unfiltered oil systems pull the screen at every change?  

[bonal]

I'd just change the oil and schedule a change for 2 months out (unless you fly a lot). Look into a filter mod, it really makes good sense to do it.

Do all of you that are running unfiltered oil systems pull the screen at every change?  

every 25 

[Shadrach]

every 25 

Have you ever found anything?

[bonal]

Every time the screen has been clean as a whistle nothin notta zip zero. Now I am knocking on some wood

[StinkBug]

With how much I fly I sure am glad that I have a filter and 50hr interval. If I did 10/30 I'd be changing the oil once a week, and would have done it 6 times during my 2 week trip! My oil still looks clean at 40 hours, It's like brand new at 25.

[bonal]

I'm at 18 hours and oil looks fresh changed and at 25 looks barely used my Cessna had a remote spin off and I still changed at 25 . For that grand trip you just took I would likely had it changed but if on a journey for say 30 to 35 hours I would not sweat the extra hours and add the oil as needed about 3 quarts as mine would use for that duration of flying. I did not like the idea of the screen until I saw its design I think it does a good job. If you've not seen the inside its not like a screen door it's a very very fine mesh.

[DXB]

I'm curious how many ordinary owners with lycoming O-360s and filters actually also check their screens with any frequency at oil changes.  I'm guessing near zero?  I've thought about doing this, but I can barely see the dang thing at the rear of  the oil sump.  And I understand it requires a safety wire, a crush washer, and a torque setting.  I clearly need some instruction from an A&P on doing it, but even then it looks like a total PITA.  I can barely do my filter without making a mess and cutting up my hands, though I'm getting better with practice.  Is it reasonable to do the screen at annual only, unless there's something clearly wrong with the engine or unexpected stuff found in the filter or the oil analysis?

[Raptor05121]

As a new owner, I plan on changing every 4 months or 50 hours, but I doubt I'll get to the 50 hours. That's 3 per year. That means I'll do two, and on the third, I'll have the IA pull the screen when he does the third. I plan on using Aeroshell 100 w/ CamGuard and a Tempest filter.