How often do you change your oil?

[NotarPilot]

This question is more geared towards the people who fly less than 100 hours a year but if you don't hit 35-40 hours in 4 months, do you still change the oil?  I understand you should change it every 4 months regardless if you hit 35-40 hours.  I think I'm closer to 80 hours per year so I would probably hit 40 hours every 6 months or so.

[Fly By Night]

I change my oil every 30 hours or 4 months, cheap insurance and you probably should be visually inspecting the engine with the cowl removed at least that often. Oil analysis every other oil change. Open and inspect filter every oil change.

[PTK]

I change the oil q 35 hours or 4 months whichever comes first. Like a clock. It's also consistent with Lycoming's recommendations. (q 50 hours or 4 months.)

[jetdriven]

Lycoming specifies every 50 hours for every engine with an oil filter.

[Hank]

I change mine every 50 hours. Just finished adding up hours for insurance renewal, I hit 94.2 hours in the last 11 months. Tach time on the engine is somewhat less. I'm just about to change the oil, the first evening we are storm-free, as I'm at about 46-48 tach hours.

[OR75]

i fly about 80 hours a year.

i change oil and filter at annuals and once in between. so every 6 months.

[N9453V]

I target every 50 hours, but since the plane flies about 250 hours a year, often 25 hours between departure and return to home base, it varies from about 40-60 hours. Every oil change, I send a sample to AVLAB in New Orleans.

 

-Andrew

[pirate]

25 hrs or 3-4 months regardless

[NotarPilot]

What's the harm in not changing the oil for 6 months if you are under 40-50 hours?

[stevesm20b]

I change my oil every 25 hours. Which is about every 3 or 4 months.

[OR75]

What's the harm in not changing the oil for 6 months if you are under 40-50 hours?

 

no harm from my experience.

 

however, it is good to keep in mind that engines can be different. Is your engine very dry (ie very low oil consumption) ? 

[fantom]

What's the harm in not changing the oil for 6 months if you are under 40-50 hours?

OPEC will take a hit

[DonMuncy]

I have my doubts there is any real downside to extending the time limit if you are not flying, but the gurus say that exposure to the atmosphere will degrade the additives whether it is flying or not.

[Lood]

50 hrs or 6 months.

[NotarPilot]

I burn about 1 qt every 8 hours.

[Sabremech]

Every 40-50 hours with not as much concern on the number of months.

[scottfromiowa]

Every 35 Hours.  Don't worry about the time.  Plane flys about 100 hours/year so works out to every four months...or so.

[NotarPilot]

no harm from my experience.

 

however, it is good to keep in mind that engines can be different. Is your engine very dry (ie very low oil consumption) ?

Yes, about 1 qt every 8 hrs

[Bartman]

Oil change every 35 hours and at each annual.

Filter change every other oil change.

No oil analysis.

[RobertE]

Every 25 hours oil only, filter every 50. I fly about 120-140 hours per year. I don't bother with oil Analysis (don't know anyone who has done more than "keep an eye on it" in response to an odd reading) but do inspect the filter element.

[hoot777]

My m20G has no filter.  So is 25 to 30 hours about right ??   I use Blackstone for an analysis

[GeeBee]

50 hours or 90 days, whichever occurs first.

 

[pwnel]

Oil change and oil analysis every 25 hours.  Filter change every 50.  Plane flies about 100hrs a year.  (all hours are tach). M20K 231

[ArtVandelay]

As oil has more hours in service it accumulates various byproducts of the combustion process, so will change it at 25 hours if the plane is idle, but will postpone it if on a cross country trip without hesitation.

[RobertGary1]

Every 6 months. Filter every 12. 
 

-Robert