Upper cowl rubbing on something

[Jamie]

Took the cowl off yesterday to have a look around. It's been 6 months since purchase and I'm getting ready for an old change. Anyway, I noticed the following (pics). See the wear mark? I think the photograph of the inside of the upper cowl is what's wearing on it. I checked the pictures I took from the pre-purchase inspection back in february and it's there, and looks about the same, so either the wear has stopped or isn't going very fast.

 

Is this something that needs to be taken care of right away, or can it wait until the next annual?

 

Also, is that the thing that separates the oil and air? If so, I wonder if the vibration accounts for the oil that's leaking out of the tubing.

 

[kerry]

Looks like you need to move your air/oil separator down a bit.  Nice looking engine, that 390 must make that J move.

[captainglen]

Yes that is your air oil separator and if oil is comong down the vent line the usual cause is excessive blow by. When cylinders are new you really do not need a separator but as they age blow by increases and the air oil separator begins it's work. As cylinders pass middle age the flow increases to the point that small beads of oil will flow past the seeparator and become visible on the breather line eventually showing up on the belly. As compression decreases blow by increases. By the time your lowest cylinder fails a compression test you are already having significant bypass to the separator.

[Jamie]

Thanks, guys. I'll have it moved down. This, at least, doesn't sound like an expensive fix.