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How Many Hours Between Oil Changes?


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Astra,

A fair number of us are all ears for deep technical discussions...

Thanks for sharing your details on oil analysis.

Too bad we don't have a sensor to connect to an iPhone for measuring TANs and TBNs... that would make an interesting way to check our oil along with its level...

Best regards,

-a-

Edited by carusoam
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Astra,
A fair number of us are all ears for deep technical discussions...
Thanks for sharing your details on oil analysis.
Too bad we don't have a sensor to connect to an iPhone for measuring TANs and TBNs... that would make an interesting way to check our oil along with its level...
Best regards,
-a-


I'd like this for my boat and RV too on all the engines which combined equals 5. Run amsoil marine 15-40w with a tan of 12 and the main concern on that is exactly as you stated being the TAN measurement particularly in equipment that sits for long periods and then when used gets operated at a high % of load.




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Below is a link to a company page for the device you seek (On-line oil quality monitoring). I have used these unit on large mobile mining equipment engines with great results. The cost is reasonable (compared to other units attempting to do the same thing). it has a small-ish form factor, stores data which can be dumped and analyzed. And in full disclosure, the President of the company is a friend of mine (unfortunately using my name won't get you a discount).

Take a look, then lets talk. We can go a far down the rabbit hole as you are willing to go.

http://www.vsi-oil.com/Advantage/Advantage.htm

Cheers

 

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  • 3 years later...
On 5/22/2017 at 8:51 AM, astravierso said:

Below is a link to a company page for the device you seek (On-line oil quality monitoring). I have used these unit on large mobile mining equipment engines with great results. The cost is reasonable (compared to other units attempting to do the same thing). it has a small-ish form factor, stores data which can be dumped and analyzed. And in full disclosure, the President of the company is a friend of mine (unfortunately using my name won't get you a discount).

Take a look, then lets talk. We can go a far down the rabbit hole as you are willing to go.

http://www.vsi-oil.com/Advantage/Advantage.htm

Cheers

 

Wholly cats has anybody done this? It seems fascinating to me that you could get feedback after every flight and updated on just how well your oil is doing like the oil life readings on some new cars now that take into account how hard and frequently you drive your car. Couldn’t this be applied under that NOSEE reg as it would definitely enhance safety? 

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Adding a decent oil level sensor would be a good idea... a step up.

Would have helped at least two people around here...

 

oil quality in real time?

I don’t think you will find too many people willing to pay to develop the STC for that...

I can’t think of anyone that has ended a flight to find out their oil has gone bad...

maybe I missed something... :)

Best regards,

-a-

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39 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Adding a decent oil level sensor would be a good idea... a step up.

Would have helped at least two people around here...

 

oil quality in real time?

I don’t think you will find too many people willing to pay to develop the STC for that...

I can’t think of anyone that has ended a flight to find out their oil has gone bad...

maybe I missed something... :)

Best regards,

-a-

No probably not but if you knew your TAN and TBN was already at half the level after a certain known time you could make a better informed decision to change the oil early or the converse is true if you were coming up on your normal 25 hours and you were showing plenty of TAN and TBN left you could goto 30, 40 or 50 if the TAN and TBN were holding up and realize the savings. I know i could get a trend by testing for these with my oil analysis but that only holds up if i make the same kind of flights. I. E. How much do short pattern flights effect oil compared to long cross country flights. Summer compared to winter. Low alt compared to high altitude phillips 20w-50 compared to AS 15w-50 or w100. With and without camgard. LOP vs ROP 75% vs 60% 2500 vs 2200. You get it alot of variables that i would like to know what effect they have on degrading the oil and how fast it happens. Just look at all the interesting knowledge we got when they put detonation sensors on an engine and tried different settings and mixtures.  

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From Lycoming..... "

It has often been said that regular doses of clean, fresh oil provide the least expensive maintenance an owner can give an engine. Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 480 makes these specific recommendations for oil changes under normal operating conditions:

A. 50-hour interval oil change and filter replacement for all engines using a full-flow oil filtration system.

B. 25-hour interval oil change and screen cleaning for all engines employing a pressure-screen system.

C. Even if the aircraft is flown only a few hours, a total of four months maximum between changes for both systems listed under “A” and “B.”

I have oil filter and 90hrs SMOH, I still do oil filter and analysis every 25-30hrs.  Partially because the doghouse an minimal sight access under the cowl I like opening up a bit and see/check things.  Always nice to NOT see oil leaks.  Occasionally I will find a few screws out of the doghouse or something like that.  #3 CHT up a bit is usually an indicator that something has loosened on the doghouse.  

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Except maybe for some kind of exotic there are no actual oil sensors in automobiles.

GM developed the concept that has been copied by many decades ago, it’s called GMOLS or GM Oil Life System. It’s pretty  simple actually, you start with a number say 1000, each cold start decrements it x numbers. each hour operation at full temp x numbers, each below temp x numbers etc. etc until the number reaches something close to zero, then the change oil light comes on.

Oil analysis is outstanding for determining exactly what’s going on with the oil, not so much of an engine analysis though and that’s what it’s marketed as, but if you want to know about the oil, you can’t beat analysis.

‘Anyway oil analysis is the best way to determine TAN (total acid number) and TBN or (total base number) 50 hours is nothing, we change our oil because it’s full of contaminants, not because it’s worn out, or it times out, over time the contaminants will degrade the oil

I would be astonished if either is even close to being bad in 50 hours of operation, but analysis will tell you.

‘If you are even remotely concerned, shorten your oil change interval, you cannot change your oil too frequently, save the money spent on gadgets, laboratories  etc and spend it on oil instead.

Edited by A64Pilot
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  • 2 months later...
On 4/26/2021 at 6:59 AM, Tcraft938 said:

From Lycoming..... "

It has often been said that regular doses of clean, fresh oil provide the least expensive maintenance an owner can give an engine. Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 480 makes these specific recommendations for oil changes under normal operating conditions:

A. 50-hour interval oil change and filter replacement for all engines using a full-flow oil filtration system.

B. 25-hour interval oil change and screen cleaning for all engines employing a pressure-screen system.

C. Even if the aircraft is flown only a few hours, a total of four months maximum between changes for both systems listed under “A” and “B.”

I have oil filter and 90hrs SMOH, I still do oil filter and analysis every 25-30hrs.  Partially because the doghouse an minimal sight access under the cowl I like opening up a bit and see/check things.  Always nice to NOT see oil leaks.  Occasionally I will find a few screws out of the doghouse or something like that.  #3 CHT up a bit is usually an indicator that something has loosened on the doghouse.  

On the Lycoming TIO-540-AF1B engine used in the Bravo, even though it has an oil filter, they recommend 25 hour oil changes.

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On 4/26/2021 at 5:36 PM, A64Pilot said:

If you are even remotely concerned, shorten your oil change interval, you cannot change your oil too frequently, save the money spent on gadgets, laboratories  etc and spend it on oil instead.

^this

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