ID Bits from Oil Screen

Pinecone

Pinecone

Final Approach
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Pinecone
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Lycoming AEIO-360 180HP.

These bits were found in the oil screen. Filter was cut open and nothing there.

There seem to be letters on some pieces. C P and U

Any ideas?
 

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What's the scale? Trying to gauge their size.

Maybe someone forgot a blanking plug in the oil cooler and crushed it to bits when installing the hoses?
 
Dixiebluesky said:
Carbon deposits
Click to expand...
I thought so for a second, but the letters seem to be embossed and in the correct orientation, which means they're not bits of carbon deposited around something with a stamped part number.

Pinecone said:
There seem to be letters on some pieces. C P and U
Click to expand...
It's probably bits from the aircraft's Chemtrail Processing Unit. You need to notify the government to have a replacement unit sent ASAP.
 
You are right, I did not zoom in. So is it hardened rubber or plastic?
 
How hard are they? Can you easily crush or crumble one?

How old are your oil hoses?
 
Pinecone said:
Nope
Not many hours in the past two years.
Click to expand...
Do you have a spin on or cartridge oil filter?
Is this the 1st oil change in the past 2 years?
Was any work requiring a seal change performed in the year prior to those two years?

It doesn't look recent from the pics.
 
Spin on. these were in the oil screen.
No, about 12 months on oil change.
No
 
Pinecone said:
Spin on. these were in the oil screen.
No, about 12 months on oil change.
No
Click to expand...
Sump screen?
If so it has to be from something with a direct clear path to the sump. Rocker cover seal? Pan gasket?
 
Pinecone said:
Spin on. these were in the oil screen.
No, about 12 months on oil change.
No
Click to expand...
Did you flush the oil sump or any other difference with this last oil change?
Short of that, it sounds like you had some debris from previous mx that finally made to the screen.
Whether you want to borescope the sump or drop it to see what else might be in there, may want to increase your oil change schedule to make sure its been cleared.
 
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Was thinking maybe pieces from a broken vacuum pump vane, but I don't know how that would get into the oil sump with a dry pump.
 
Cases of Phillips XC 20w50 come with a plastic filler tube. If someone has one, check to see if there is writing on it. A piece could have broken off, though unlikely.
 
Domenick said:
Cases of Phillips XC 20w50 come with a plastic filler tube. If someone has one, check to see if there is writing on it. A piece could have broken off, though unlikely.
Click to expand...
You mean the blue fill tube ?
 
8 gazillion cheapo funnels and filler tubes out there. Sure looks like black plastic to me.

I would definitely make it a habit to check the suction screen at every oil change for a while.
 
Google says:
"The black pieces shown in the image are fragments of a shattered oil bottle cap that fell into the oil fill neck during servicing.
The textured finish, distinct curvature, and the visible letters "C", "U", and "P" (typically spelling out part of "PUSH DOWN & TURN" or "CLOSE TIGHTLY") match the internal safety threading or outer rim of plastic caps from standard aviation oil bottles (such as Phillips 66 or AeroShell)."

I adjusted the exposure on the image (as a whole) to try to intensify the letters. It's not a "P" but likely a lower case "b".AA-Pilots-of-america-oil-bits - Copy.jpg
 
Spring Ford said:
Google says:
Click to expand...

Spring Ford said:
(typically spelling out part of "PUSH DOWN & TURN" or "CLOSE TIGHTLY"
Click to expand...

Spring Ford said:
match the internal safety threading or outer rim of plastic caps from standard aviation oil bottles (such as Phillips 66 or AeroShell).
Click to expand...

I think the data center is hallucinating (shocker!!).

While I'll admit that I don't pay that much attention to my oil bottle caps, they're too small for that kind of text, which is most likely a wire crossed in HAL's brain connecting to a pill bottle cap.

1790766127449.png
 
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My oil bottles have no writing on the caps. I think it's expected you know how to unscrew one by the time you've been trained to add oil. Nice image enhancement though!
 
Roller bearing dust seal/cover? Maybe on something that didn’t require it and facing inboard, or on the sump side of the crankcase.

Do vacuum pump rubber isolators have any lettering on them? I had an A&P who was fixing a vac pump gasket leak on mine. Someone turned the prop while he was gone and he needed to fish it out of the accessory case with a borescope and those flexible jaw thingies.
 
Ed Haywood said:
Yes absolutely, but my observation is that it often is not done.
Click to expand...
I have always inspected the sump screen every oil change as well. For some Lycoming engines, this is now mandated by AD (AD 2026-04-11). Luckily, performance and documentation of the inspection requirement of this AD is permitted by the owner, so for me, all that it requires is modifying the text on my oil change sticker:

Date: N12345 S/N: XXXXX

TTAF: XXXX.X TTSR: XXX.X

1) Drained and replenished engine oil: 6.5 qts Aeroshell
15W-50. Changed engine oil filter: Champion CH48110-1.
Removed filter media inspected, suction screen inspected
IAW Lycoming MSB 480F, dated 5-25-2017.
No particulates found.

2) Complied with AD 2026-04-11.

3) Engine run, post-maintenance leak check OK.


_______________________________
 
NavAir said:
I have always inspected the sump screen every oil change as well.
Click to expand...

100% agree. But you don't have to look too far to find owners who are unaware the suction screen exists, think they don't have one because they have a filter, or have been told once a year is enough.

It is a bit of a PITA on the AEIO, especially if the hose from the ball valve is stiff. Since I changed to integral fire sleeve hoses, I am about 50/50 on crush gasket leaks.

The AEIO's have a lot of oil hoses. I have not seen a mandatory procedure for draining them, but I like to disconnect the low points every other oil change to get any residue out which might be accumulating. I also like to open up the ball valve, since there are reports of water accumulating there.
 
Spring Ford said:
Google says:
"The black pieces shown in the image are fragments of a shattered oil bottle cap that fell into the oil fill neck during servicing.
The textured finish, distinct curvature, and the visible letters "C", "U", and "P" (typically spelling out part of "PUSH DOWN & TURN" or "CLOSE TIGHTLY") match the internal safety threading or outer rim of plastic caps from standard aviation oil bottles (such as Phillips 66 or AeroShell)."
Click to expand...
Well, let's see.... "PUSH DOWN & TURN" has no 'C'. And "CLOSE TIGHTLY" has no 'P' or 'U'. Not to mention the rest of the explanation is nonsensical. The great thing about AI is that while it freely makes stuff up, at least it feels no need to be coherent or consistent.
 
I buy the 1" crush gaskets for my O-320 by the dozen.
Here's the note from my Warrior's personal info file.

• Oil Sump Crush Washer AN900-16
o 1" ID, folded copper/asbestos, MS35769-21
 do not reuse nor anneal
 Install crush gasket w/ unbroken surface against plug.
• Oil Sump Plug - 20 threads/per inch.
o Turn the plug until the sealing surfaces are in contact
o Basically, finger tight - then tighten another 180 degrees.
 
Do the shear couplings for vacuum pumps have letters stamped in them like this? I wonder if it's possible that this could have been somewhere in the engine for a long time and just finally worked it's way into the screen.
 
Domenick said:
I buy the 1" crush gaskets for my O-320 by the dozen.
Here's the note from my Warrior's personal info file.

• Oil Sump Crush Washer AN900-16
o 1" ID, folded copper/asbestos, MS35769-21
 do not reuse nor anneal
 Install crush gasket w/ unbroken surface against plug.
• Oil Sump Plug - 20 threads/per inch.
o Turn the plug until the sealing surfaces are in contact
o Basically, finger tight - then tighten another 180 degrees.
Click to expand...

AEIO engines have a coupling, not a plug. The other side of the fitting is an AN flare for an oil hose. It's tricky to tighten the hose flare nut without wiggling the coupling a bit or imparting a twist to the hose. Big hoses with molded sleeves are really stiff, and will back off the fitting a tiny bit if there is any slack in the safety wire. About half the time, I get it all tightened and wired, and then the $6/#)& thing seeps after 10 hours.
 
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