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Quick Test Flight

gmascelli

gmascelli

Active member
Supporting Member
Ocean City, MD
Aircraft Year
1976
Aircraft Type
112/A
Reg Number
N453TC
Serial Number
453
After our return to Ocean City from Savannah I needed to do a run up and high speed taxi for some testing. The Saturday following our return I knocked out the run up and the high speed taxi. I also did a clean up to be ready for my next flight.

Today was the test flight. Why all this testing you may ask, because I saw my oil pressure drop below its normal setting and my oil temp ran about ten to twelve degrees warmer than normal, all within five minutes of the airport. What I found was my oil level had dropped to four quarts (I typically run at 6 qts). I know my plane and recognized the gauge reading change. I added two and a half quarts and was now comfortable at six and a half on the dipstick. There were no leaks to be found and the only thing I can figure is the prop may have leaked some despite my windscreen only showing the bug carnage. Today I did find some grime on the nose gear ...... more on the blog post.

Blog and Video
 
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Gary, I can’t seem to download the video or the blog…
 
gmascelli said:
After our return to Ocean City from Savannah I needed to do a run up and high speed taxi for some testing. The Saturday following our return I knocked out the run up and the high speed taxi. I also did a clean up to be ready for my next flight.

Today was the test flight. Why all this testing you may ask, because I saw my oil pressure drop below its normal setting and my oil temp ran about ten to twelve degrees warmer than normal, all within five minutes of the airport. What I found was my oil level had dropped to four quarts (I typically run at 6 qts). I know my plane and recognized the gauge reading change. I added two and a half quarts and was now comfortable at six and a half on the dipstick. There were no leaks to be found and the only thing I can figure is the prop may have leaked some despite my windscreen only showing the bug carnage. Today I did find some grime on the nose gear ...... more on the blog post.

Blog and Video
Click to expand...

"grime on the nose gear" could be an engine case quick drain that isn't fully seated (or the sealing o-ring is in need of replacement) Pretty straight forward repair at oil change. If this is happening, should be a few drops on the nose wheel after she has been sitting for a few days. ...or a crank nose seal that is weeping. (if so, there should be a trail down the front of the case.) This is less likely.

Expect the best course is to monitor oil consumption over the next few hours to see if anything more than nominal rate.
 
Gary I had similar event on my way to Jim Richards for Annual in November.
I had a cylinder worked on locally and the subject rocker cover had never been retorqued after install (didn't know that was a thing)
Anyway I had leaked out and burned off two quarts of oil in my 2 hour flight to Jim's shop.
Most of the evidence had literally gone up in smoke but thankfully no fire.
 
I’m sure at annual it will get a more detailed inspection. I looked everywhere and only found the residue on my nose gear. At least my annul flight is short, ocean city to new garden N57.

ill dig in to the issue with the shop and take pictures of my findings. Maybe I just read the dipstick wrong when I left Savannah.

Owning a plane is so much fun….. and now the shop pushed my annual back one week. The new plan is June 4th.
 
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Top your tanks off at New Garden..cheapest around!:cool:
 
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