Continental IO-360K 43yr old oil dipstick replaced under warranty

[422Phil]

Have owned a 1977 R172K with a Continental IO-360k for a little over a year. Consistently noted a lot of oil on the belly and excessive draining from the overflow tube after each flight. I thought i was doing the right thing keeping the oil level in the middle between the 6qt and 8qt marking on the factory dipstick. Recently helped the AP do an oil change for me and after 6 qts we couldn’t get a reading on the disptick anywhere close to the 6qt line. Same for 7qts. With 8qts it showed under the 6qt line but somewhat close. Pic attached. I called Continental Motors and they were were very helpful, explained they had a service bulletin about the issue, and arrange for the dipstick it to be replaced as warranty claim.

 

[A1Topgun]

A belly full of oil is exactly what I have with my TSIO360. I think I need to check into this.
Do you have the Service Bulletin number?
Thanks for the tip.

 

[Stewartb]

I’ve never trusted a factory dipstick. My Cessna’s dipstick markings are 2 qts off from actual. Change oil and filter, add 8 qts oil, run it up and let it settle for a while, scribe the dipstick at 7 qts. Add a quart at a time and scribe additional lines. It’s the only way to trust what the dipstick tells you.

 

[422Phil]

A belly full of oil is exactly what I have with my TSIO360. I think I need to check into this.
Do you have the Service Bulletin number?
Thanks for the tip.

Im sorry I didn’t ask for it. It only took one call to the main # for customer service at Continental Motors and I gave them the serial # off the engine plate.

 

[422Phil]

I’ve never trusted a factory dipstick. My Cessna’s dipstick markings are 2 qts off from actual. Change oil and filter, add 8 qts oil, run it up and let it settle for a while, scribe the dipstick at 7 qts. Add a quart at a time and scribe additional lines. It’s the only way to trust what the dipstick tells you.

Sounds like you’ve run into the same issues. Next oil change after the new dipstick from Continental will post an update to this thread.

 

[NavAir]

In 2016, Lycoming came out with an MSB for the dipstick on IO360-M series engines (I have one). Apparently, at indications of 5 quarts and less, the dipstick over-reported the amount of oil in the engine. It was replaced under warranty (the engine was 15 years old at the time).

 

[AeroLudite]

I’ve never trusted a factory dipstick. My Cessna’s dipstick markings are 2 qts off from actual. Change oil and filter, add 8 qts oil, run it up and let it settle for a while, scribe the dipstick at 7 qts. Add a quart at a time and scribe additional lines. It’s the only way to trust what the dipstick tells you.

Does engine have oil filter?