oil consumption 0-320
- Thread starter JoeSF
- Start date
wjwilson2000
New member
Joe,
If it's like the majority of O320's , there are exceptions, but most if it is full 8qts it's going to lower that rather quickley to around 6qts then it seems as though it just stops and will remain at that point. If it continues to lower at the same rate after 6 then you probably have a problem.
Woodie
N29763
If it's like the majority of O320's , there are exceptions, but most if it is full 8qts it's going to lower that rather quickley to around 6qts then it seems as though it just stops and will remain at that point. If it continues to lower at the same rate after 6 then you probably have a problem.
Woodie
N29763
I guess I should be counting my blessings. I spent a year fooling with oil leaks of one kind of another and finally found the cracked push rod tube. Every since life has been wonderful. Maybe the spec is that high, but I sure wouldn't want to run mine that way. One a positive note at .37/hr maybe you could find work spraying for mosquitos.
Jay that's the maximum allowable oil consumption number. According to lycoming 5 or 6 hours to a quart is ok provided you have decent compression, its stable, you check your screen etc.
I have never flown an airplane wi th a lycoming that got 15 hours to a quart. Actually 8 hours is about the best. How is your oil pressure?
In any case lycoming techs will answer any of your questions if you ever have them, just dont call when is is lunch in Pennsylvania.
Just wondering what others are getting?
For me its been about 6 hours a quart 75 % power.
I have never flown an airplane wi th a lycoming that got 15 hours to a quart. Actually 8 hours is about the best. How is your oil pressure?
In any case lycoming techs will answer any of your questions if you ever have them, just dont call when is is lunch in Pennsylvania.
Just wondering what others are getting?
For me its been about 6 hours a quart 75 % power.
mikeberg/wi
New member
If you keep the oil level between 6 and 7 quarts, I'd say a quart every 6-8 hours isn't unusual. Most will throw that first quart out pretty fast. My experience anyway. I guess some get 10-12 hours per quart; but I never did with my 0320/140 Cherokee.
My oil pressure always ran 80-85 psi and compression was in the low to mid 70's over 80. Engine had around 1200 hours on it when I sold the plane.
My oil pressure always ran 80-85 psi and compression was in the low to mid 70's over 80. Engine had around 1200 hours on it when I sold the plane.
As has been said, if you keep topping it off you'll definitely go through more oil. How much of it leaks from rocker cover gaskets and drain tube hoses or goes out through the breather as opposed to how much doesn't get scraped by the oil ring and gets burned in the combustion chamber is presumably the question that's really being asked here. It's normally not that easy to answer. If you have no leaks and no oil on the belly then (aside from being blessed by the Almighty) you would then know exactly how much oil your engine is burning. Even if you were to arrive at that definitive number it would be meaningless. Unless your engine is unhappy, fouling plugs and low on power or unless this oil usage trend makes a radical change there's little need to worry about it.
Address all leaks and find that 'sweet spot' where your engine stops blowing oil overboard. The absolute minimum oil quantity (which you will find buried deep in the manuals) is rediculously low so it's easy to determine this by simply noting at what level the usage rate stabilizes.
Address all leaks and find that 'sweet spot' where your engine stops blowing oil overboard. The absolute minimum oil quantity (which you will find buried deep in the manuals) is rediculously low so it's easy to determine this by simply noting at what level the usage rate stabilizes.