markw
Filing Flight Plan
My partners and I own a Cessna 182s w/ a Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 engine (complied w/ crankshaft AD) & 1000 hours based at KSQL - San Carlos. The oil consumption changed significantly, so we had a our local mechanic do a compression check. The results were - Completed BDC compression test. Engine Temps were up and in green, see pic. Numbers are seen as, Cylinder #-TDC/BDC. All testing completed with 80 psi into cylinder. 1-75/63, 2-76/74, 3-74/72, 4-75/64, 5-72/63, 6-76/54. The mechanic also made the following observation prior to the compression check - "I looked at it today. High oil consumption is usually caused by either cylinder wall/ring wear or excessive crank case pressure. And excessive crank case pressure is caused by cylinder wall/ring wear or a leak at the crankshaft seal, that allows air into case. I pulled the lower spark plugs, they were nice and dry, #4 (LH center), plug was a little wet, but appeared to be fuel, not oil, certainly didn't seem wet enough to suspect an issue. Did compression check, all good. There is some oil around the crack seal, that could be the culprit. In looking at the plane, it doesn't look like it's using oil, belly quite clean. And the stains on the ground, by the breather are not excessive. It's possible is being burned out the exhaust, but doesn't seem like it. Not sure what to say, nothing jumping out as obvious. If I was forced to attack something, I would say the crank seal. My questions are: How to address this issue? What shop in the Bay Area should we have look into the problem & repair? Has anyone had experience with the shop in Santa Maria that is close to the Cessna Association?