Oil Leak Nose Wheel

[KenJ5761]

I recently noticed an oil leak hitting the nose wheel.  A location noticed was the oil filler tube which was tighten a bit in the 0-360A.  Any idea of where the other sources could be? N6710N

Edited November 13, 2021 by KenJ5761

[neilpilot]

Confirm that both mags aren’t loose.

[ArtVandelay]

Check oil return hoses, oil filter, oil pickup screen and there’s always a chance of a cracked case.
Given the turbulence of cooling air, it’s sometimes hard to pin down the source…every oil leak drains to the nose wheel.

[Jim Peace]

I had this happen after my oil cooler was worked on......oil on the nose tire and gear all the time.  The MSC told me that it must just be residual oil from an oil change.  I told them no way, I have never seen this in, at that time, over 500 hours of flying.  They did not want to go any further with it so I took the left cheek off and found that the oil cooler line was not secure.  It was hand tighten only and they also forgot to use an adel clamp in a critical spot that caused some chafing.  

I suggest taking your cowl off and get to work......

[201Steve]

Very common location since the firewall essentially drains into a little funnel, right on top of nose wheel by way of the bottom cowl attach flanges. 
 

ive tracked down 2. 
 

easiest way is to clean the engine are very well back there. Harbor freight sells an attachment for an air compresssor that’ll let you blast solvent on it. Get it nice and clean. Then ground run it and look for the spurt. 
 

in my case one time was the oil pressure gauge hose. Another was prop governor coming loose. Could be anything on the accessory case. 

[DXB]

Agree oil on the nose wheel after it sits post flying is NEVER normal and worthy of immediate attention. Some good possible sources are mentioned above.  In my case it was a loose mag.  If you can’t find the issue clearly, then clean everything up really well, add a little uv dye to the oil, run up on the ground, look with UV flashlight carefully. Still don’t see it? Fly exactly one lap in the pattern (the oil blows everywhere so a prolonged flight will make it hard to find). Look again with UV flashlight. 

BTW there is not a good approved low cost dye choice I don’t think, but adding a little of this stuff is pretty safe in my estimate.  The oil itself has a bit of fluorescent dye in it already so it might work even without adding something.

https://www.toolsource.com/leak-detectors-c-1321_1_4/mini-12-led-true-uv-flashlight-and-dye-kit-p-150875.html

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-10-5045-Multi-Purpose-Fluorescent-Detection/dp/B008I2VPC4/ref=asc_df_B008I2VPC4/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312061979255&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7587869341174403223&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010328&hvtargid=pla-570750857018&psc=1

https://www.harborfreight.com/uv-blacklight-flashlight-63931.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiOTQ2NTQxNTciLCJza3UiOiI2MzkzMSIsImlzIjoiNi43NDI1In0%3D&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=15142691993&campaignid=15142691993&utm_content=127879545743&adsetid=127879545743&product=63931&store=223&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8p2MBhCiARIsADDUFVESIAqm-wEAIPLVjAww_sinrGIH150QK5Q5w1LCtt8VdT0mRQee58EaAkUAEALw_wcB

[201Steve]

[Yetti]

It's how Lycomigs mark their spot.

[Greg Ellis]

On 11/7/2021 at 6:39 AM, Jim Peace said:

I had this happen after my oil cooler was worked on......oil on the nose tire and gear all the time.  The MSC told me that it must just be residual oil from an oil change.  I told them no way, I have never seen this in, at that time, over 500 hours of flying.  They did not want to go any further with it so I took the left cheek off and found that the oil cooler line was not secure.  It was hand tighten only and they also forgot to use an adel clamp in a critical spot that caused some chafing.  

I suggest taking your cowl off and get to work......

IMG_3031.MOV

Almost this exact thing happened to me as well.  I would notice a drop or two of oil on the nose gear after pushing the plane back into the hangar.  Turns out, the oil lines coming out of the oil cooler were chafing, there was a very small hole in one.  Coupled with this was a loss of a lot of oil during flight.  I supposed that with the oil under pressure in and out of the cooler it was coming out a quite a quick rate (loss of about 1 quart/hour of flying).  On the ground with the engine off it only dripped.

[Jim Peace]

42 minutes ago, Greg Ellis said:

Almost this exact thing happened to me as well. 

Just not from a MSC....right?

[Greg Ellis]

36 minutes ago, Jim Peace said:

Just not from a MSC....right?

Right.

[JamesMooney]

Mine has a bit of oil that comes out of the breather tube every flight. It lands on the left side of the nose wheel. A tiny streak appears on the left side gear door too. I am keeping an eye on it, but research here on MS suggests thats normal. Its a few drops (and its amazing how one or two drops of oil can look like a lot!). 

[Marauder]

Mine has a bit of oil that comes out of the breather tube every flight. It lands on the left side of the nose wheel. A tiny streak appears on the left side gear door too. I am keeping an eye on it, but research here on MS suggests thats normal. Its a few drops (and its amazing how one or two drops of oil can look like a lot!). 

Mine is a bit worse.




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[JamesMooney]

8 hours ago, Marauder said:

Mine is a bit worse.




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Ya, mine is a bit less - maybe half that. I wipe it down every flight and watch it. Looks like about 3-4 drips that subsequently streak back on the gear door. And then 2-3 drips on the nose tire. 
Keeping an eye on it… Fortunately so far seems to be no change in last 60-75 hours/5 months. 

[JWJR]

In the last 7 years my mechanics have repaired the following leaks on my O-360-A1D. The tach seal leaked the most and was the one that took time to determine/find.


Rocker gaskets - replaced the cork

Tach cable seal on acc case. Not difficult to replace if you have the proper tool.

Push rod tubes O rings - oil runs down between cylinders

Oil fill tube gasket - replace the gasket but don’t over tighten

Oil return lines

Lower case half’s

Oil quick drain (slow drip)

Crank seal

Those are the ones we’ve fixed. There are many other oil leak possibilities such as magnetos and dare I say case cracks to list a few.

I have flown with a minor oil leak or two between annuals however I always determined the source as soon as possible after the leak appeared.

Best of luck!


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[N201MKTurbo]

I found this Mooney on the ramp.

You guys got nothing to worry about!

[MMsuper21]

On 11/9/2021 at 12:29 AM, Marauder said:

Mine is a bit worse.




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I thought this was a Mooney trademark feature. Mine looks like this. We checked for leaks and replaced cork gaskets which were off center... with orange ones and the oil drain tubes. Cleaned engine and did oil change. AP put little over 8 qts, so I expect some fallout till I reach my happy 6 qts. 

 

[BDPetersen]

While waiting for a solution, a section from a 5 gallon bucket makes a good shield for the tire.

[mike20papa]

Yes, that's a disconcerting amount of oil to be leaking down on the nosewheel gear door.  You might think about removing the cowling side panels, degreasing the engine with either a portable steam cleaner https://www.harborfreight.com/1500-watt-steam-cleaner-kit-63042.html  or use this cleaner available at Dollar General or Walmarthttps://www.walmart.com/ip/LA-s-Totally-Awesome-All-Purpose-Concentrated-Cleaner-32-oz/495984517?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101053180&adid=22222222222277225132&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=74560735309272&wl4=pla-4578160305721582&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=495984517_10001072556&wl14=yellow colored cleaner dollar general&veh=sem&gclsrc=ds 

then fly the airplane and chase the leak(s) down.  Is not the whole belly of the AC oily as well?  Check to make sure the hose from the crankcase is not covering up the little vacuum relief hole (about a #10 hole) causing excess draw from the crankcase vent. 

You may have a leak at the sump to case interface or one of the rocker box oil return lines.  Hopefully not the case halves.  Best of luck.

[EricJ]

2 hours ago, mike20papa said:

Yes, that's a disconcerting amount of oil to be leaking down on the nosewheel gear door.  You might think about removing the cowling side panels, degreasing the engine with either a portable steam cleaner https://www.harborfreight.com/1500-watt-steam-cleaner-kit-63042.html  or use this cleaner available at Dollar General or Walmarthttps://www.walmart.com/ip/LA-s-Totally-Awesome-All-Purpose-Concentrated-Cleaner-32-oz/495984517?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101053180&adid=22222222222277225132&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=74560735309272&wl4=pla-4578160305721582&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=495984517_10001072556&wl14=yellow colored cleaner dollar general&veh=sem&gclsrc=ds 

then fly the airplane and chase the leak(s) down.  Is not the whole belly of the AC oily as well?  Check to make sure the hose from the crankcase is not covering up the little vacuum relief hole (about a #10 hole) causing excess draw from the crankcase vent. 

You may have a leak at the sump to case interface or one of the rocker box oil return lines.  Hopefully not the case halves.  Best of luck.

FWIW, the "approved" way to clean an engine is with a sprayer and mineral spirits.   The FAA docs and many manufacturer docs say to use "Varsol", which is a brand name for mineral spirits used for dry cleaning.   Finding a good sprayer that won't come apart or leak due to the mineral spirits can be tricky.   The metal sprayers that many shops use are kinda pricey.   I got some of these recently but haven't tried them yet:

https://www.amazon.com/Harris-Chemically-Resistant-Professional-Bottles/dp/B074PTQZRP

[BDPetersen]

So after several flights without oil drips on nose wheel I was pretty smug. Then the morning after a 30 minute flight I found this.  Washed down and gave it a ground run to find new oil at base of firewall. Checked all the usual sources but can’t find source. May have to try the dye trick.

[chriscalandro]

5 hours ago, BDPetersen said:

So after several flights without oil drips on nose wheel I was pretty smug. Then the morning after a 30 minute flight I found this.  Washed down and gave it a ground run to find new oil at base of firewall. Checked all the usual sources but can’t find source. May have to try the dye trick.

I don’t understand how it’s possible to have that much oil and not be able to find the leak. 

[BDPetersen]

Exactly. 3 pairs of eyes haven’t found it. Scope and mirror, nothing. If the dye doesn’t show anything I suppose pulling bottom cowl would be in order. Not a pleasant project. I would blame myself for a sloppy job of adding oil, but I am confident that’s not it.  The rapid onset has my attention. If I am forced to dig too deep it may be a trip to the overhaul shop. 2300+ SMOH but otherwise strong. Whatever . . .

[chriscalandro]

25 minutes ago, BDPetersen said:

Exactly. 3 pairs of eyes haven’t found it. Scope and mirror, nothing. If the dye doesn’t show anything I suppose pulling bottom cowl would be in order. Not a pleasant project. I would blame myself for a sloppy job of adding oil, but I am confident that’s not it.  The rapid onset has my attention. If I am forced to dig too deep it may be a trip to the overhaul shop. 2300+ SMOH but otherwise strong. Whatever . . .

Check the crank case area and the oil sump area. That much oil shouldn’t be a mystery. 

[Ragsf15e]

Or the quick drain…