Why don't people get this...

PGT

PGT

Well-Known Member
you DO NOT have to tighten the oil dipstick hard because it WILL EXPAND!! what's so hard to understand?

yes I couldn't go flying today because some idiot tightened the dip stick so hard the whole thing was coming loose. I had the same thing happen in a piper but it's easier to reach than the cessna.
 
This used to happen to me when I instructed all the time...

Start the engine and let it warm up, once the oil temp is showing some life shut it off and try again. The heat will have expanded the shroud and it should come right off. I know gas is expensive but it is worth saving a flight. I know someone is gonna say it is irresponsible but it works like a charm!
:nana2:
 
So annoying. I don't understand why they do it. Do they think it is going to pop out? I have had the extension come out in my hand a few times. I feel like I am going to break my thumb trying to get it off.
 
"I have had the extension come out in my hand a few times."

Then you're breaking the safety wire on the extension. Hold the extension with one hand and twist the dipstick with the other. If you can't get it. Get a pair of pliars and repeat. I've never seen one I couldn't get with a pair of pliars.
 
A brightly colored placard inside the access panel will stop a few people who pay attention to those sorts of things. Or carry vice grips.
 
DE727UPS said:
Hold the extension with one hand and twist the dipstick with the other. If you can't get it. Get a pair of pliars and repeat. I've never seen one I couldn't get with a pair of pliars.
Click to expand...


That is the best way to get them once they are too tight. I used to carry a multi-tool in my flight back at all times. Used it more times than the flashlight! :D
 
PGT said:
you DO NOT have to tighten the oil dipstick hard because it WILL EXPAND!! what's so hard to understand?
Click to expand...

I'm not convinced that people are doing this. I've gone to remove one that I've tightened and had a hard time removing it. I think there's some other physical process going on (other than heat expansion) that causes it to bind, because it stays bound long after the engine is cool.

BTW, I've found a consistent way to remove it without pliers. Rather than having palm down, I use palm up (right hand rotated counterclockwise as far as possible), which forces my upper body to turn away from the airplane and lean forward a little. This gives me an enormous increase in leverage.
 
yeah I remember the 1st walk around I did with one of the CFIs she was telling us that. since hen I never tightened all the way.
 
Wow I agree, I don't understand why I should have to go get pliers or a vice grip to get the dipstick off, but I find myself doing it once a week. I generally find that it happens more on the 152s/old 172s that the new privates fly, and it happens alot less on the new 172s and the stuff the instrument and commercial students fly, but yes it's the ultimate annoyance before a flight.
 
DE727UPS said:
"I have had the extension come out in my hand a few times."

Then you're breaking the safety wire on the extension. Hold the extension with one hand and twist the dipstick with the other. If you can't get it. Get a pair of pliars and repeat. I've never seen one I couldn't get with a pair of pliars.
Click to expand...

The hole in the top of a 172 is only big enough to get one hand in. I did not even know it had a safety wire attached to it. The first time it happened I was not paying attention. I loosened it and went to pull it out and there was the cap attached to a blue extension with the dip stick sticking out the bottom of it. I just screwed the extension back in.
 
What's a dipstick? I just look at the sight glass :p.

It's kind of the same concept as the oil filter on your car. You shouldn't need to buy one of those oil filter removers if you only tighten it hand tight. But most people don't even change their own oil anymore so I guess it's a moot point. :)
 
tgrayson said:
I'm not convinced that people are doing this. I've gone to remove one that I've tightened and had a hard time removing it. I think there's some other physical process going on (other than heat expansion) that causes it to bind, because it stays bound long after the engine is cool.

BTW, I've found a consistent way to remove it without pliers. Rather than having palm down, I use palm up (right hand rotated counterclockwise as far as possible), which forces my upper body to turn away from the airplane and lean forward a little. This gives me an enormous increase in leverage.
Click to expand...

They are... I had a SIC that overtightened the dipsticks one night. Needless to say, there was a lesson taught then and there about over tightening dipsticks. I even went as far as to open the cowls and show him the safety wire and explain what could happen if he over tightened and broke the safety wire.

That being said, I have had nights where I was the only one who had touched the airplane in several nights where the dipsticks were extremely tight (had to use pliers). Knowing that I didn't tighten them that tight initially, I started looking for a pattern. Most of the time it seemed that they would be tight after a noticeable change in temperature(15-10 degrees), generally from colder to warmer.
 
That is about as annoying as line guys who don't leave room for expansion when fueling, and fuel just goes to the concrete after I open the cap.
 
ctab5060X said:
That being said, I have had nights where I was the only one who had touched the airplane in several nights where the dipsticks were extremely tight (had to use pliers). Knowing that I didn't tighten them that tight initially,
Click to expand...

Exactly my point. I'm sure there are some people who are over tightening, but not on such a frequent basis as we encounter bound dipsticks. Could the temp change do it? I dunno; pretty small change.

Maybe congealed oil?
 
The extension is safety wired at the end where it connects to the case. You couldn't possibly know about it, or see it, without the entire cowling off.
 
Matt13C said:
The hole in the top of a 172 is only big enough to get one hand in. I did not even know it had a safety wire attached to it. The first time it happened I was not paying attention. I loosened it and went to pull it out and there was the cap attached to a blue extension with the dip stick sticking out the bottom of it. I just screwed the extension back in.
Click to expand...

DE727UPS said:
The extension is safety wired at the end where it connects to the case. You couldn't possibly know about it, or see it, without the entire cowling off.
Click to expand...

What happened to taking students into a maintenance facility to show them an engine with no cowling? Even though I grew up around aviation, that was one of the first things we did when learning to fly. How else are you going to learn how an aircraft engine works without actually seeing it?



tgrayson said:
Exactly my point. I'm sure there are some people who are over tightening, but not on such a frequent basis as we encounter bound dipsticks. Could the temp change do it? I dunno; pretty small change.

Maybe congealed oil?
Click to expand...

Most of the time I noticed them being overly tight was generally when I would pick up and airplane in KC where temps were in the high 30s to low 40s and bring it back to MEM and preflight the next night with temps in the high 60s to low 70s.

Not sure of the congealed oil...I think this topic needs further investigation...
 
SoCalAprch said:
This used to happen to me when I instructed all the time...

Start the engine and let it warm up, once the oil temp is showing some life shut it off and try again. The heat will have expanded the shroud and it should come right off. I know gas is expensive but it is worth saving a flight. I know someone is gonna say it is irresponsible but it works like a charm!
:nana2:
Click to expand...

Erm....doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose of checking the oil anyway?
 
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