Oil Change

Just like my car last week, my RV-3 was due for an oil change.

Not exactly my favorite job but it isn’t the worst either.  Out came the old milk jugs and off came the cowling.

I have one of those handy-dandy quick drain fittings on my Lycoming O-320 so draining the oil is about the easiest part of the job.

Cleaning the oil screen is about the worst… 🙁

The screen mounts in a little enclosure on the accessory case (back of the engine).  When you pull the four bolts out of this enclosure, some oil always runs down the backside of the engine. There is no escaping it.

I was advised that the easiest approach is to give the engine a good cleaning with solvent after the oil change.  If this is not done, the oil streaks and runs and you start worrying and looking for leaks.  So, this is what I did.  In fact, I gave the whole airplane, including the belly, a good scrubbing.

Every time I drop a couple of gallons of used oil at Autozone, I wonder what they know that I do not.  Nothing is free these days and I feel like I am getting the raw end of the deal by handing them $35-$45 worth of used oil.  I suppose they turn around and sell it or something…