REFLECTOR:Oil Leak Detective

Chuck Jensen reflector@tvbf.org
Sun, 28 Sep 2003 20:40:39 -0400


Chris,

Good stuff.  As soon as you get that done, you'll be so good taht you'll
probably want to do another just to show off how much you've learned,
right??

It's good to hear that the UV trick works well.  I think I'll try it.
Fortunately, my leak is much more limited.  No pooling or anything.  I
probably loose a couple oz. every couple weeks or more. Just enough to soil
the lower cowling and a light mist on the prop.  Just to let me know there
is oil in the engine.  Lycomings must be like old BMW motorcyles (or
anything British for that matter).  You could always tell where one parked.

I'll wear the Buck Rogers goggles and dress out in nuclear PCs (protective
clothing--white suit, booties, the works).  I'll find out right shortly if
airport security really has improved!!

Chuck Jensen


-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]On
Behalf Of Chris Martin
Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2003 2:18 PM
To: reflector@tvbf.org; reflector@tvbf.org
Subject: RE: REFLECTOR:Oil Leak Detective


Chuck,

This is the text of a follow up I wrote in December of 2002. While I was
able to greatly reduce the leaks following the procedure that I described
here in, the leaks came back after 100 hours. I've come to live with the
leaks. As one person said, "If your Lycoming leaks, it means it has oil in
it."



[reprint from December 2002]
About a month ago we had a thread about oil leaks and how to find them and
repair them. In that I was one of the many caught up in the Lycoming AD for
the crank shaft gear retaining bolt, I knew I was elected by fate to take
my engine out. Might as well fix the leaks while I'm at it. 
 
I choose to try the oil dye with the ultraviolet lamp approach. The dye and
lamp are available at most auto supply stores. Pep Boys here in the LA area
had it on the shelf for 19.00. The kit includes Yellow goggles and a 12
volt lamp. I purchased two small bottles of dye for 4.95. The process I
used was this. I added one small bottle of the dye to the engine and flew
for about 15 minutes to distribute the oil. The next day, I removed the
cowlings and the plenum and thoroughly washed the engine and dried it with
compressed air. I then went around with a rag and removed any trace of oil
on the engine. It was clean, spotless to say the least. I then started the
engine and ran it at 1800 RPM for 1 minute, shut it down and moved it into
the hanger, shut the doors and turned off all but one small light in the
corner of the hanger.
 
Now, donning my cool looking Buck Rogers orange goggles and the even cooler
looking purple flashlight, I turned the black light onto the engine. Ah
ha.... green glowing phosphorescent alien cracks began to appear in the
most unusual places. The oil glowed like green night crawlers wiggling up
out of the hidden leaks. The engine gurgled quietly as the oil in the
galleys slowly leaked back down into the sump and the glowing leaks grew.
Within 30 minutes the oil had dribbled down the sides of the case and
around all convenient edges. Effectively disguising their origins. But, I
had carefully marked out the origins on a engine diagram at the start of
the process. Mystery solved.
 
In all there were 10 leaks most minor and 2 major. Prior to this I had been
convinced that I had a leak at the barrel seal to the case on the number 3
cylinder but, it turned out to be a leak from one of the case bolts wicking
into the joint of the barrel and case. Two of the push rod tube seals were
leaking, 3 of the 1/4" case bolts and 2 of the large case bolts. The worst
leak which contributed more than all the rest put together was the large
top case bolt that is only accessible after removing the prop and fly
wheel. All 6 of the rubber drain hoses from the rocker cover to the sump
showed signs of minor leaks.
 
Now, with the leaks thoroughly mapped out. I preceded to pull the engine
and get on with the process of changing out the crank shaft gear retaining
bolt. Hopefully, I can get it back together this next weekend.
 
Chris Martin
Velocity XL RG 265 hours


> [Original Message]
> From: Chuck Jensen <cjensen@dts9000.com>
> To: reflector@tvbf.org <reflector@tvbf.org>
> Date: 9/28/2003 9:22:39 AM
> Subject: REFLECTOR:Oil Leak Detective
>
> I've had a chronic, if small, oil leak for the last few dozen hours of op.
> Two mechanics have looked at it and haven't spotted anything.  The leak is
> small, just barely enough to mark the lower cowling and form an occasional
> oil droplet where the lower cowl meets the body.  
>
> I consistantly operate at "9" on the dipstick and doesn't seem to be blow
> over.  The leakage is small enough that it doesn't makes any difference in
> oil consumption for the engine.  The general area of the leakage seems to
be
> in the middle, back of the engine, but given the squirrelly air flows, et
> al, it's always a little difficult to say with certainty.  I keep
suspecting
> the oil filter area but that hasn't been productive so far.  Naturally,
the
> suspect area(s) are also the hardest to get to, look at and are the most
> congested.  Background: IO-540.
>
> From time to time, a whitish spray-on material has been mentioned for
> tracking down oil leaks. Can any one expound on the materials, where to
buy,
> how it's used and the pros/cons of different detection techniques?
>
> In checking the web, Tracerline UV/dye system seems to have a lot of buzz,
> but adding anything to the oil, no matter how innocuous that it's alleged
to
> be, always gives pause.  Anyone ever use it?
>
> Chuck Jensen, in East Tennessee looking for a "0" leak engine.
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