Broken Plane : (

galvestonaggie

Well-Known Member
So ever since I got back from Oshkosh I have noticed that my plane (Aero Commander 100 with Lycoming O-320 150hp) has been consistently overheating on climb out and burning about 1 quart of oil every 2 hours. I immediately checked the baffling which was in good condition so I decided to take it into my local AMP. Turns out the thing is completely missing 2 exhaust gasket (a 3rd one is cracked), has 4 bad spark plugs, needs something called an oil air separator and an oil filter adaptor ( it currently only has a screen). Anyways I told the AMP to go ahead and change all of the gaskets and replace all of the spark plugs (500 USD!) but to hold off on the filter adaptor and oil air separator as my rear end is already sore enough! Anyways the question I have for my fellow JC brethren is this:

1. Do I really need this oil/air separator or can I just keep adding oil to the old girl
2. what benefit will I see from an oil filter conversion (i.e. will just having the screen cost me more in the long run in terms of oil change frequency and engine longevity)

***For all of you thinking of buying an airplane take note because this is the kind of stuff you can expect! Now I'm not saying don't do it just understand what your getting yourself into and keep a good cash reserve. You don't end up like me and have a nice pretty plane just sitting on the ramp that you can't even afford to put gas into!
 
Damn Shanon! Sorry to hear that. Hopefully thus is the last of that stuff

Yeah it sucks being broke but I'm learning all kinds of new and interesting things like I can buy top Ramon for 9 cents and if I really want to splurge I can get a McDouble, small fry's and a water for 2.17 USD. Who knows I could end up becoming the first homeless aircraft owner, oh wait I forgot about family airlines! Can someone please post that picture again!
 
Yeah it sucks being broke but I'm learning all kinds of new and interesting things like I can buy top Ramon for 9 cents and if I really want to splurge I can get a McDouble, small fry's and a water for 2.17 USD. Who knows I could end up becoming the first homeless aircraft owner, oh wait I forgot about family airlines! Can someone please post that picture again!
drphil.png
 
From your other thread before you purchased the airplane. I won't say "I told you so."

Rule #1 of purchasing an airplane:
Never ever ever EVER let the seller do the annual/pre-purchase inspection. What if they have an under-the-table agreement with their buddy that happens to be an A&P/IA.
"Hey Earl, I got this guy that wants to buy my airplane. How bout you help me out a little and make it look like he's gettin a good deal. I'll make it worth your while."

A month later, you end up in a corn field after your engine decides to take the rest of the day off.

Put a deposit down on the airplane, have him fly it to you, and then you do the pre-purchase on YOUR terms at YOUR shop. Negotiate the final sale price after YOUR mechanic tells YOU what needs to be fixed.

Regarding the engine:
1230 hours in 42 years. That's a lot of sitting around collecting rust. If an engine doesn't get up to operating temperature every so often, you end up with condensation in the oil. Guess where that condensation ends up. That's right. Rings, pistons, crank, etc etc. You're not going to be pleased when it comes time for an overhaul.
 
God bless Barry Michaels! If only we had such a visionary in the White House than this health care business would be a non issue since we would have Barry's famous "Mini-Care" which for those of you in Rio-Linda is the family airlines of healthcare meaning non existent! God I love this man pinky ring and all….oh and has anyone noticed that he advertises on his congressional campaign page-ha-ha! Who the hell runs for congress and puts scrolling banner ads for shamwows and snuggies everywhere! Lastly please tell me that someone on here has paid the 50USD to apply, hell I'm thinking about doing it just so I can chronicle the story and see how close I can get to the man and his blinding fake gold 747 pinky ring.
Now back to the OP, does anyone have any experience with the oil filter adaptor on the 0-320's? Thanks again guys!
 
Really, was that necessary???? Couldn't a hey, sorry buddy suffice???

No. He asked for opinions on his purchase in the other thread. I, as well as others, told him what to look out for. He went ahead and did it his way, and now those things we told him are coming to fruition. Now, here's a thread looking for sympathy because the airplane is broken.

Sorry, you won't get any from me.

PS, you're getting screwed on the spark plugs. Buy them yourself from Aircraft Spruce, borrow a torque wrench and put em in yourself. Its all part of approved preventative maintenance. $300 bucks max.
 
Now back to the OP, does anyone have any experience with the oil filter adaptor on the 0-320's? Thanks again guys!

Not on the O-320, but I have an Airwolf oil filter adapter on my O-235.

In short, I love it. Makes oil changes much easier than dealing with the screen. Drain oil, change filter, add oil... plus the filter is a lot easier to get to than the cover for the screen was.
 
No. He asked for opinions on his purchase in the other thread. I, as well as others, told him what to look out for. He went ahead and did it his way, and now those things we told him are coming to fruition. Now, here's a thread looking for sympathy because the airplane is broken.

Sorry, you won't get any from me.

PS, you're getting screwed on the spark plugs. Buy them yourself from Aircraft Spruce, borrow a torque wrench and put em in yourself. Its all part of approved preventative maintenance. $300 bucks max.

Didn't expect you to have any sympathy man, but what I am reading was a whoop out the tool and prove whose bigger non-constructive comment. Nothing worse than somebody who feels the need to remind everybody who was right kinda like the bully who gives ya the titty twister after the nuclear wedgie.

Just sayin from a lurker even I am getting tired of reading this stuff.
 
One of the other advantages that has not been talked about for doing the filter adapter is that you have longer periods between oil changes. Will the full flow cartridge filter you can wait 50 hours between filter changes. With just a screen you are supposed to do it every 25 hours. Also it is much easier but you have to purchase a new filter every time where with the screen you can re-use it as long as it is not damaged. As far as the spark plugs go.. Some of the fine wire plugs are close to $100 a piece.
Seth
 
One of the other advantages that has not been talked about for doing the filter adapter is that you have longer periods between oil changes. Will the full flow cartridge filter you can wait 50 hours between filter changes. With just a screen you are supposed to do it every 25 hours. Also it is much easier but you have to purchase a new filter every time where with the screen you can re-use it as long as it is not damaged. As far as the spark plugs go.. Some of the fine wire plugs are close to $100 a piece.
Seth

Thanks alot guys, I always appreciate the feedback on this forum be it good, bad or I told you so (which is anoying)!

Shannon
 
So ever since I got back from Oshkosh I have noticed that my plane (Aero Commander 100 with Lycoming O-320 150hp) has been consistently overheating on climb out and burning about 1 quart of oil every 2 hours. I immediately checked the baffling which was in good condition so I decided to take it into my local AMP. Turns out the thing is completely missing 2 exhaust gasket (a 3rd one is cracked), has 4 bad spark plugs, needs something called an oil air separator and an oil filter adaptor ( it currently only has a screen). Anyways I told the AMP to go ahead and change all of the gaskets and replace all of the spark plugs (500 USD!) but to hold off on the filter adaptor and oil air separator as my rear end is already sore enough! Anyways the question I have for my fellow JC brethren is this:

1. Do I really need this oil/air separator or can I just keep adding oil to the old girl
2. what benefit will I see from an oil filter conversion (i.e. will just having the screen cost me more in the long run in terms of oil change frequency and engine longevity)

***For all of you thinking of buying an airplane take note because this is the kind of stuff you can expect! Now I'm not saying don't do it just understand what your getting yourself into and keep a good cash reserve. You don't end up like me and have a nice pretty plane just sitting on the ramp that you can't even afford to put gas into!


The air/oil separator and the Spin on oil filter adapter are not necessary, but they are a good idea. The spin on filter increases your oil change interval from 25 to 50 hours so eventually you'll make the cost of it back.

The separator will keep the belly clean if it's blowing oil out the breather... if the belly is already clean then you don't need the separator, but at this point you'd better hope there's oil all over the belly! If you've been topping the oil off every flight then you might be losing it that way, let me give you an example: An airplane I regularly fly will lose 1/2 quart per hour if I top it off to 8 quarts, if I leave it at 6 1/2 quarts it takes the next 3 hours to burn the next 1/2 quart. So, when it gets to 6 quarts I add a quart. Always check the oil before the flight, or if it's after the flight wait a couple hours to check it. When you've just shut down there's still a quart or so up inside the engine.

Neither of those things will fix an oil consumption problem. IF the engine is burning the oil rather than blowing it overboard, then it's a sign of engine wear. Lycoming's published limit for oil consumption for that engine says 1/2 quart every hour. You are at this value now. That's bad news, you are probably going to need an engine soon, and they aren't cheap. Plan $20,000 for that overhaul and you might have a little left over.

Lycoming says, I believe, TBO or 12 years whichever comes sooner. IIRC you are wayyyy over the 12 years. Now, for part 91 none of that is regulatory, but I've always found it to be prudent.
 
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