TLS\Bravo - oil out of breather tubes

[TLSDriver]

There are two black tubes that come out of the cowling on the right side of the engine.  It looks like one tube is slightly larger in diamter than the other.

If I a fly from point A to point B and let the aircraft sit for several hours there is no oil on the ground out of these tubes. However, when I go back to point A (home) and then come back to the airplane the next day there is a sizable amount of oil on the ground.  

I can see that the oil is clealy coming out of one the tubes.

My local AP insists this is normal.  He says that when the engine cools the 'mist' that is in the lines turns more solid and all I am seeing is the result of that process.  When we did the last oil change we looked over the entire engine and it is indeed bone dry.

I flew this weekend after not flying it for a few weeks.  There was a streak of oil about 3 feet long under the plane.  When I moved it out of the hanger I added a quart.  Within minutes there was oil on the ground from the tube.   The A\P says that was from me moving the plane and that oil had been sitting in the lines.

So my quesiton is is this indeed 'normal.'  Withough sounding like a goofball the planes in the hanges around me dont seem to have any oil on the ground.

Thanks,

 

David

 

 

[Piloto]

Check which tube the oil is coming from. You may have a clogged air/oil separator drain line. Typically one tube is the crankcase vent at the top. The other is the intake drain at the bottom of the cranckcase. This one is used to drain fuel from the injectors when the engine is off. This fuel will carry some oil with it when is drain.

José

  

[Awful_Charlie]

I've got five tubes coming from the bottom of my Bravo cowling!

There are three metal ones, two of a smaller diameter than the other one.  The small metal tubes are the vac pump outlets, and the large metal tube is from the engine breather.  Forward of these are two rubber tubes.  One of these is the drain from the intercooler, the other is a combined drain from the engine driven pump and the joint between the injector assembly and the sump.

I get a few oliy drips from one of the rubber tubes, but it is fuel rich - I've not looked to see which one it is though as it is just enough to make a 1 or 2" diameter spot on the tarmac after leaving it parked, even after a month.  I've never had more than one or two drips from the engine breather, although the bottom of the aircraft does get a slimy residue after several hours of flying.  If you've got oil coming out of the vac pump outlets, there is something very wrong!

Ben

[richardheitzman]

first off, dont overfill your engine as it will dump overboard. Next off, change in temp, pressure will cause some oil to come out the breather and a little bit goes a LONG way.

If you are over filling your engine oil, check with your mechanic to see what is the recommended level, you will dump ( i have seen up to a full quart in one flight) overboard. It makes a hell of a mess.

 

[TLSDriver]

Quote: richardheitzman

first off, dont overfill your engine as it will dump overboard. Next off, change in temp, pressure will cause some oil to come out the breather and a little bit goes a LONG way.

If you are over filling your engine oil, check with your mechanic to see what is the recommended level, you will dump ( i have seen up to a full quart in one flight) overboard. It makes a hell of a mess.