Oil filler neck

[Icaro]

I noticed on a plane I was preflighting that the safety wire connecting the oil filler neck to the engine was broken. Actually the hole drilled into the filler neck was ripped so the wire had nothing to hold on to.

Turning the dipstick cap loosens the filler neck and vice-versa.

So my question is: provided the filler neck (and dipstick) are both secure, is it a safety issue that there is no safety wire in place? Does the wire keep the neck connected to the engine or is it simply there to prevent the filler neck from moving when you access the dipstick?

 

[mtsu_av8er]

I'd ask a mechanic. In the community that I grew up in, that would be a downer. If something is required to have safety wire and it doesn't, then it's no good.

 

[cime_sp]

They don't just randomly decide to safety-wire things. If it is there on every other airplane you fly it must be required...If the engine/prop vibrations cause it to come lose the engine will begin to lose oil pretty rapidly in flight. I used to work as a mechanic (non-aviation related) and you would be surprised by what vibrations could do. I've watched 1" thick steel bolts loosten (spelling?) themselves and walk right out of their holes!!!

Prop airplanes are notorious for vibrations. That is one of the reasons why all hardware on them must be aviation grade and all nuts/bolts must be either self-locking, castellated (the nut that looks like the top of a castle with the cotter pin through it), or be safety-wired to keep them from coming lose.