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Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Sadie was due for an oil change, so I got that done.  Not too bad.

I like to work from checklists, so I made a super detailed one for doing the oil change:

  • Remove upper cowl
  • Warm up the engine to operating temperature (120F) (remove keys after that!)
  • Detach air intake from NACA duct
  • Remove lower cowl
  • Burp engine
  • Put on gloves (there's lead in that oil!)
  • Remove oil tank drain plug (using 17mm and 19mm wrenches (the 19 is used to hold the tank nut so you're not twisting the tank))
  • Drain oil - Take a sample from mid-stream of oil draining for oil analysis (I use Blackstone Labs)
  • Reinstall drain valve with new crush washer to 25Nm (18.5 ft-lb)
  • Prepare new filter by spreading clean oil on the contact surface
  • Remove oil filter, protecting components underneath with paper towels/towel since oil will leak
  • Put on new filter until fully touching
  • 3/4 more turn
  • If inspecting magnetic plug:
    • Remove safety wire
    • Use 16 mm socket to loosen (may need long-armed wrench) (Use paper towels underneath for dripping oil)
    • No whiskers longer than 3mm in length
    • Should feel like a fine metallic paste
    • Clean plug and re-install to 25Nm (18.5 ft-lb) (I found that coming from above to torque worked best)
    • Safety wire
  • Remove dipstick (so you’re not covering it in oil)
  • Add 2.5 L Aeroshell Oil Sport Plus 4 
  • Turn prop 20+ times (very tiring!)
  • Put lower cowl on
  • Reattach air intake to NACA duct
  • Run engine to operating temp making sure oil pressure immediately rises (remove keys after this!)
  • Check for leaks
  • Burp engine
  • Check level before adding the final .5 L (Should be in the upper half of the min/max range (max if you're going on a long flight))
  • Put upper cowl on
  • Note Engine Time & Total Time in Engine Logbook
  • Cut open oil filter to inspect
Is that detailed enough? 😁

Dirty oil out...

Paper towels to keep the dripping oil away from the other parts

New filter ready with a coating of clean oil

Magnetic Plug coming out.  Oil comes out when taking that out, so more paper towels are in place.

Relieved to see very little accumulation on the plug.  They say to rub some between your fingers to check for any chips/shards, so I did that and it was just pasty as they say it should be.

Plug cleaned and safety-wired back in place.

2.5L in (will fill after a run and burp of the engine) and the air intake back in place.

My beautiful airport at twilight.

A random picture taken over the weekend at Walden Pond in Concord, MA.


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