REFLECTOR:Oil Leak Detective

[Mike Pollock]

Hello Chuck,

We chased a small oil leak on our velocity for about a year until we had to
remove the engine for an oil pump replacement.  We found our little oil leak
to be a gasket between the assessory case and the left magneto extension.
The leak was exactly in the same location that you describe, but we simply
could not find it with the engine on the plane.

Regards,

Michael Pollock
Built, flew, then sold Velocity N173DT
Building Cozy MKIV #643
EAA #411862
EAA Chapter #1246
Technical Counselor #4357
Based at TKI / NE Dallas Metroplex


-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]On
Behalf Of Chuck Jensen
Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2003 11:23 AM
To: 'reflector@tvbf.org'
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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