Whats needed for an oil change?

[M20E-1964]

Finally got a hangar for the M20E and am looking forward to doing my first oil change (on my own).

 

I'm going to get some help from a local A&P, but before I do, I want to make sure I have everything I need.

 

From what I understand, I will need:

 

tie wire

a tire wire tool

filter cutter

filter wrench

 

What do you recommend?  Any particular products you like?

 

Thanks!

[jetdriven]

AN900-16 crush washer for the oil sump screen. Split side goes to case. Torque hand-tight plus 135 degrees.

duckbill pliers to safety the oil sump screen plug

Dow DC-4 silicone grease for filter gasket

tons of rags and towels (bag the nose wheel with a plastic sack to prevent it from being doused in oil

quart ziplock bag to slip over the filter to catch the oil

 

might as well do the spark plugs

extra deep well socket for spark plugs. Torque to 35 FTLB

wrenches for plug leads.

Champion graphite anti-sieze for plugs

new or re-annealed M674 gaskets for the plugs

to re-anneal them, heat them cherry with a MAPP torch and cool

[TTaylor]

Awl to punch the end of the oil filter to let it drain before you remove it.

[BigTex]

Don't forget a section of right angle aluminum extrusion for the oil drain down from under the oil filter.  Also need a peanuts can (minus the peanuts) attached to the end to catch the oil.

[OR75]

i use a 3 feet long 1inch diameter vinyl tube and connect it to the quick drain and let the oil drain in a bucket.

if you let the oil drain overnight, you will find out that the filter will have drained pactically totally and it will be a breeze to remove it. also, the filter will be cold so you can spin it very fast by hand and will get no spill.

i am still struggling with the oil screen and could not access it.

Jetdriven suggested it is easy to access by "looking at it" from behind the engine but that did not work.

appreciate any idea on that ( what it the right 7/8 wrench ???)

[jetdriven]

To remove the safety wire, go in from the RH side of the plane while sitting on a stool.  You can usually loosen it and get it out from that vantage point as well.  Disconnecting the cabin heat hose gives more room.

 

To reinstall it, you hav to sit on the ground with your back to the firewall or perhaps turn some to the right and reach up along the firewall to get it.  When it aligns with th screen, it spins in. To tighten it ee used a Matco stubby wrench. Turn it 1/16 of a turn, then flip the wrench, repeat.  Safety with duckbill pliers.  It takes 30 mins.

[AmigOne]

A safety wire twisting plier. $25 here   http://www.northerntool.com  No need to spend in the hundreds for a tool you'll only use a few times a year.  Never tried the overnight drain but my experience is that after a couple of hours very little comes out of the quick drain tube and yet a lot still does when I start to unscrew the oil filter.  Somebody here had an interesting idea using a 2" PVC tube cut in half to catch the oil filter drain but I haven't tried it yet.  I haven't tried punching a hole in the filter.  Best results so far a lot of the blue heavy duty paper towel stuff.

[Hank]

I use vinyl tubing from Home Depot to slip onto the quick drain. Buy a double-ended tubing connector with barbs on both ends; sand one end for a loose fit, shove the other end into the tubing. The heavy brass will hold the tube down in a bucket/bottle while it drains [i use empty laundry detergent bottles]. Then wipe the ends of the tube clean and push the looser-fitting end into the tubing making a leak-free loop and lean it against the hangar wall. Next time, just pull it apart [that's why one end of the fitting is sanded down] and it's ready to go, just make sure the little bit of residual oil inside doesn't drip on the floor when you start.

[fantom]

A safety wire twisting plier. $25 here http://www.northerntool.com No need to spend in the hundreds for a tool you'll only use a few times a year. Never tried the overnight drain but my experience is that after a couple of hours very little comes out of the quick drain tube and yet a lot still does when I start to unscrew the oil filter. Somebody here had an interesting idea using a 2" PVC tube cut in half to catch the oil filter drain but I haven't tried it yet. I haven't tried punching a hole in the filter. Best results so far a lot of the blue heavy duty paper towel stuff.

Thanks Hank. That would saved me more than one mess when my tube worked loose.

[N201MKTurbo]

On my plane the overnight drain works like a charm.

 

I always start the drain with a hot engine. I hook the drain hose up to the quick drain and open her up. Sometimes it is a couple of days before I get back to the hanger to change the filter and fill her back up, but the filter is always empty and no mess.

[Bkingnorth]

And don't forget, Oil.

[fantom]

A pair of dirty shoes you can leave at the hanger.

[FloridaMan]

Get yourself a set of Milbar safety wire pliers. They're not terribly expensive, and, as my A&P friend says, "everything else sucks." 

 

Shopping list for oil/filter change:

Milbar safety wire pliers

Diagonal cutters -- good enough ones to cut stainless steel safety wire

0.032 safety wire

1" wrench (for your oil filter)

Sharpie so you can write the date and tach time on your filter. 

A bunch of rags -- 2-3 to stuff under the filter when you remove it

3 feet of 1/2" tubing (to connect to your quick drain -- I think it's 1/2" and not 5/8")

Philips head screwdriver with Apex bits for your cowling. 

Blanket to set your cowling on once you've removed it.

 

If you're going to pull your plugs (you need to keep these tools in your plane):

7/8" deep 6-point socket. It does not have to be designated as a spark plug socket, just needs to be 7/8" and deep. 

3/4" open end wrench for the ignition cables. 

I used a torque beam to torque mine so I could feel how it felt on the wrench. 

 

Set your box of new oil on your wing in front of your door. I recently talked to a young Mooney owner at an airport who relayed a story that he walked up and caught the shop he had changing the oil running the plane with no oil in it -- they forgot to put it in. He got a set of new cylinders and bearings out of it, but I'd still worry about the oil pump and anything else that needs lubrication. I don't see how you could possibly make a mistake like running a plane without oil. I obsessively check the oil, fuel quantity and quality every time I get in the airplane. 

 

Where are you located?

[danb35]

Get yourself a set of Milbar safety wire pliers. They're not terribly expensive, and, as my A&P friend says, "everything else sucks." 

[snip]

3 feet of 1/2" tubing (to connect to your quick drain -- I think it's 1/2" and not 5/8")

I have a set of cheap safety wire pliers, and a set of Milbar--the latter are much better.  For the drain hose, seems there's quite a bit of variety there--my quick drain valve takes 3/8" ID hose.  Moral is check before buying.

[fantom]

Needle nosed pliers will also come in very handy.

[M20E-1964]

  Where are you located?

KXFL - Flagler Beach Florida Thanks everyone for all the great advice!

[Bkingnorth]

KXFL - Flagler Beach Florida Thanks everyone for all the great advice!

KXFL will be home to mine for a week in april. I'll meet you at HyJackers!

[AmigOne]

If you get fancy you can buy one of these, I just did...

 

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/draintool.php?clickkey=30995

[fantom]

If you get fancy you can buy one of these, I just did...

 

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/draintool.php?clickkey=30995

 

I've got one of those, but never used it.

 

Anyone can have it for $30.

[M20E-1964]

KXFL will be home to mine for a week in april. I'll meet you at HyJackers!

 

Sounds good.  They have a beer there "Jet Fuel" - not sure where they get it from or if it's a rebranded bud, but it's pretty good. 

 

AV Gas is $ 4.50 / gal now at the field.