Changing the oil - O-320

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I can use some advice on changing oil.

To date I've assisted with oil changes on an IO-360 and we've always started by running the engine to get the oil warmed up before draining.

My 0-320 has a pre-heater. Would it be an acceptable process to plug in the pre-heater instead of running the engine? My thinking is that this will keep things like the exhaust stack and manifolds cooler so there's less chance of burning off arm hair while I'm working around in there.

I'm thinking - plug it in while I'm removing top and bottom cowl covers, drain and refill, put the bottom cowl back on, run the engine up to check for leaks, put the top cowl back on, go flying :)

This is for an RV-6A and putting the bottom cowl on requires replacing a plate and some piano wires that I haven't been able to do without touching the exhaust, so not starting the engine will save me many hours of cooling time.

Thanks!

Rob
 
Yeah, if the engine oil is above 70° you won't have any issues at all.
 
Not. Fly it to warm it. Land and change oil. Exhausts cool quickly. Oil doesn't. Draining the sump will be faster and better if you fly it first.
 
Fly it to warm the oil to temp. Then start to drain the oil,walk away while engine drains. Let the engine cool down then continue with the filter . Should be cool enough to finish the job.
 
We always fly before oil change. It is a great excuse.
"Honey, it is a gorgeous morning and I need to change the oil so I'm going flying for an hour or two. I'll be back before midnight." :D
 
It will drain OK warm or not. Running and getting it warmed up will stir up at least some of the "stuff" so it will drain with the oil. Pre-heat will not.
 
Do you guys subscribe to oil analysis? That makes it simple.

Here's a simple demo that most of us have seen many times. Drain hot motor oil into a drain pan and within an hour or two drain it into a waste barrel. The pan remains fairly clean. Drain that same oil into the pan and let it sit for a few days, then pour it off into the barrel. Any questions?
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
It will drain OK warm or not. Running and getting it warmed up will stir up at least some of the "stuff" so it will drain with the oil. Pre-heat will not.
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Well, there's positive and negative there as well. Personally I think alternating oil changes between 'just ran' and 'nice and settled' conditions will provide the optimum long term results in minimizing sludge and scum build up in the engine, and is basically how I go about it. It's simple enough for me, If I just landed and am ready to do the oil change, I do it then. If I am going to do the oil change and then go flying, then I drain it settled. It works out close enough to even that it would create no difference. It really isn't that bloody critical especially with spin on filters and AD oil.
 
Stewartb said:
Do you guys subscribe to oil analysis? That makes it simple.

Here's a simple demo that most of us have seen many times. Drain hot motor oil into a drain pan and within an hour or two drain it into a waste barrel. The pan remains fairly clean. Drain that same oil into the pan and let it sit for a few days, then pour it off into the barrel. Any questions?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have been a solid user of oil analysis on most all the machines I operate for a few decades now. I worked for a tug company that never changed the oil between 100,000 hr overhauls. We just topped up consumption and added fresh additives as directed by the lab along with weekly filter changes.

Oil analysis can save you a heck of a lot of oil money if you are changing oil every 20 hrs.
 
Well if you want good oil samples your sometimes running-sometimes cold oil change advice makes no sense. If you want good oil analysis the engine should have been flown prior to draining. And we're not talking about full bypass filters and synthetic oils in marine vessels. This is specific to airplanes.
 
Stewartb said:
Well if you want good oil samples your sometimes running-sometimes cold oil change advice makes no sense. If you want good oil analysis the engine should have been flown prior to draining. And we're not talking about full bypass filters and synthetic oils in marine vessels. This is specific to airplanes.
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I tap samples independent of oil changes. I change oil around 200 hrs, but I tap an analysis every 50, and I do that just after shut down from a minimum of a 1 hr flight.

Oil is oil is oil, I do not use synthetics typically unless the manufacturer requires it.
 
Stewartb said:
Well if you want good oil samples your sometimes running-sometimes cold oil change advice makes no sense. If you want good oil analysis the engine should have been flown prior to draining. And we're not talking about full bypass filters and synthetic oils in marine vessels. This is specific to airplanes.
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In 40 years of flying I've never heard of " just draining it". Most people I know fly it first, including myself. Your too sensible.
 
Kiddo's Driver said:
Don't forget to pull the screen tube on the side of the sump. Order the asbestos filled brass gaskets before hand. They are one time use only.
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That oil pickup screen is a pain to get out and back in, and lockwired, in too many O-320 installations. It also has big holes in it, designed to keep big pieces out of the pump. If the filter or screen has metal in it, then it's worth puilling the pickup screen to see what's in the sump, but if the filters are clean I see no reason.

Dan
 
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