TKS fluid in engine bay

[milotron]

Hey, I came back today from flying through some icy clouds. TKS did what it was supposed to do. 

After shutdown I always open the oil breather for 20 minutes or so to let the water vapour vent and noticed quite a bit of TKS fluid around the engine and items on top of the engine.

How bad is this for the engine? Is the fluid corrosive? Do I have an issue with my prop slinger causing the engine to inhale so much fluid?

 

Thanks, Iain

[jlunseth]

Bruce Jaeger says he asked the manufacturer that question, not with respect to the engine, but the airframe parts, and never got an answer.  I have never seen a definitive answer either.

[Cruiser]

check the nozzle for the prop slinger. These have been know to break off from vibration and/or need re-positioning.

Also, the slinger ring on the backplate can get clogged. To thoroughly clean it some disassembly may be required.

[milotron]

24 minutes ago, Cruiser said:

check the nozzle for the prop slinger. These have been know to break off from vibration and/or need re-positioning.

Also, the slinger ring on the backplate can get clogged. To thoroughly clean it some disassembly may be required.

Thanks. I will check that.

 

38 minutes ago, jlunseth said:

Bruce Jaeger says he asked the manufacturer that question, not with respect to the engine, but the airframe parts, and never got an answer.  I have never seen a definitive answer either.

(knock on wood ) the airframe seems pretty good and TKS has been there since 1995. It is messy though!

[FoxMike]

I was concerned about TKS fluid causing corrosion back in the first years I owned the Bravo.  Years ago several well known shops said that they were finding corrosion is some odd places on TKS equiped airplanes.   These shops just suggested the fluid might be corrosive. That idea has been pretty well debunked over the years although I have not seen any scientific data on the subject. I remember at a Mooney convention we had a pretty good discussion about it at the Saturday Banquet. I have not noticed any corrosion problems anywhere on the airframe and the plane was built in 99.  What I have found from operating TKS for the over 16 years is the heim bearing on the rudder and elevator in the tail of the aircraft need replacement every decade or so because the fluid runs down the rudder and into the tail and washes the lube off the heim bearing.  Not a real big problem but something you need to watch.

[milotron]

I know those were replaced just before I bought this aircraft. Likely that was the cause too.

 

Thanks for your comments.

[Mark89114]

My understanding is TKS isnt corrosive,  but the problem is that it traps moisture which accelerates any corrosion process.  Cant verify that but they have been using TKS for 50 years and doesnt seem to be a problem.  Just another data point.  I dont worry about it.