Engine cover oil drip

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Mtns2Skies

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Mtns2Skies
My Continental O-470 very, very slowly drips oil out of the crankcase breather tube, at maybe a drop every few hours. I just got a Bruce's insulated engine cover which goes pretty far back on the cowling and goes 6-8" past the end of the breather tube. Is there a good method to keep the cover from getting oily? Or should I just not worry about it?

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Could you just slip a bit of hose on it and out through the cowl flap to drain it behind the cover?

I wouldn't think you'd want a oil soaked cowl cover. Sounds eventually messy.
 
GRG55 said:
Could you just slip a bit of hose on it and out through the cowl flap to drain t behind the cover?
Click to expand...
I sure could! I was also thinking about sewing an additional plastic-like material over the area it would drip onto. Just curious if there were any other solutions.
 
What oil are you using?

Big Continentals tend to drool a little. Is your crankcase vent insulated? On that topic, make sure your balance tube in insulated, too..
 
Stewartb said:
Big Continentals tend to drool a little. Is your crankcase vent insulated? On that topic, make sure your balance tube in insulated, too..
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Hmm I'd have to check. What does an insulated vent do for you?
 
Mtns2Skies said:
I sure could! I was also thinking about sewing an additional plastic-like material over the area it would drip onto. Just curious if there were any other solutions.
Click to expand...
A breather catch-can is a solution. I don't know the repercussions of fitting one, regulation-wise.
 
If it bothers you tuck an oil absorber pad under the cover after you put it on. Cub guys cut the breather short and put a baby bottle over the end. It stays there in flight, too. Empty as needed.
 
The last thing I want is to put that condensed spooge back into my engine. Several years ago a guy on Supercub.org talked about building a condenser box with a drain. I've attached his drawing. I made one that's similar but never installed it. I may put it on my Cub it it drools. So far it hasn't. My box is approx 6" tall, 4" wide, and 1-1/2" deep.

Does your breather have a whistle hole? If you're fying in winter it should. Save a nose seal.







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Stewartb said:
If it bothers you tuck an oil absorber pad under the cover after you put it on. Cub guys cut the breather short and put a baby bottle over the end. It stays there in flight, too. Empty as needed.
Click to expand...

Sooo.... you are saying his plane needs a maxi pad? o_O
 
I cobbled up a separator for a worn out Ford Escort to reduce the amount of oil that ended up in the air cleaner. Worked OK. Then one really cold evening, I get a call from the wife "The good news is I made it to work. The bad news is that the engine is making loud knocking noises and it won't go over 30 mph." I drive over to see the car sitting in a puddle of oil. I assumed it tossed a rod. Next day (when it's light out) I go back, look around, don't see any holes in the block. So, I add a few quarts of oil, and fire it up - what do I have to lose? Clatters for a couple seconds and settles down and runs. Sheeeeeit. I can get this thing home. Had to stop and add a couple quarts on the way, but I made it.
Turns out that (apparently) the oil separator must have frozen because the camshaft seal had been blown out of the head. Removed the separator, Put in a new seal, drove it for several more years.

Last time I tried to put a homemade separator on a breather line.
 
My 520 drips a little too, but only after it is recently flown. After a few hours the condensation and oil residue stops. I haven't cleaned the hangar floor in months, total oil on the floor isn't enough to have any concern. I run it with 10 quarts in the pan.
Now, my radial, that will eventually leave a quart on the floor! It gets a bucket under each exhaust.
 
GRG55 said:
Could you just slip a bit of hose on it and out through the cowl flap to drain it behind the cover?

I wouldn't think you'd want a oil soaked cowl cover. Sounds eventually messy.
Click to expand...

Best and easiest solution, IMO.
 
Sure wish @GRG55 was still with us he always had good information and was willing to see your point of view. RIP my friend
 
My engine cover is black on the outside and International Orange on the inside. The thinking is that in an emergency I’ll wrap up in the cover to stay warm with the grimy orange side out. ;)
 
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