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Ariel Canedo

HELP: huge oil leaking thru the oil vent PA-20 Piper Pacer

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by
Ariel Canedo
, 12-28-2019 at 07:16 AM (3972 Views)
Hello.. I've experienced a huge oil leak thru the vent in my PA-20 (engine: O-290 D2) lately and still don't know the reason and the mechanics i've talked to have all of them different reasonable opinions, but none of them are revealing. Is also important to notice that i dont trust very much on my temperature indicator, it marks 140F once it gets hot and it doesnt move from there at any time during flight, so it may be wrong data (I should check that too, i know)
During Flight I notice that I may be having this leak when i see my oil pressure indicator going down, it goes from green arc to yellow arc at less than 60psi. (thats usually when i decide to land and my flight ends)
This plane throws out almost 1 quarter for every 1hour of flight when it is filled with 5 or 6 quarts before flight and ends up with less than 4 sometimes, which is a lot and means something isnt going right. The oil capacity is 8, but the ideal oil level is 6, the manual says that you shouldn't be flying with less that 2, but 2 or above it's ok.
-The oil isn't burned, it goes away from the vent like new oil, it is not black or anything.
- I thought it could be a refrigeration problem so i've changed all the baffles and the metal plates (i dont know how is its name in english) around the engine that gives it a better refrigeration to the cylinders.. but still having the same result.
-I've elonged the oil vent tube a little bit because i thought it may be too short and the pressure difference under the plane and the refrigeration air that goes out of the engine could be "sucking" the oil thru the vent. But nothing changed.
My next step is to see if the radiator is working as it should and maybe replace it with a new one that i got. My guess is that it may be a Temperature problem.
If the new radiator doesn't solve the problem maybe i will do a compression check to the engine to finally reveal what is going on.. maybe a hoop.. i don't know.
If someone have any other guess, is having the same problem, had the same problem or want to ask something please comment. Thank you very much.
PA-20 CX-AOH
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  1. Pacerfgoe's Avatar
    If it's a problem that has suddenly appeared, I would say it's something to do with the piston rings or cylinder wall if it's chrome. Your compression check should give you the information you need to isolate the problem to a particular cylinder.
    Best of luck ....keep us posted
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  2. Ariel Canedo's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Pacerfgoe
    If it's a problem that has suddenly appeared, I would say it's something to do with the piston rings or cylinder wall if it's chrome. Your compression check should give you the information you need to isolate the problem to a particular cylinder.
    Best of luck ....keep us posted
    Thank you. I ve done it but the compression is 75/80 in all cylinders.. still can't figure it out. The temperature is 215F, I.ve checked it lately with a better instrument, assuming that it is summer down here where I live the parameters are fine. But It could work a little but better, I will try with a higher viscosity oil and if that doesn't work I will install another radiator.
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  3. flymorrow's Avatar
    I had the same engine same problem in a Tri-Pacer. Turned out to be the seal on the front of the crankshaft was blown out, pressurizing the crankcase in flight blowing all the oil out thru the breather. Hope it is this, a cheap fix!
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  4. avspecguy's Avatar
    It's been a while since the last post so I don't know if you're still fighting the same problem but I think a simple thing to check is to see that the end of your breather tube is cut at an angle so that it puts a little positive pressure into the tube. Usually they are cut with a downward slant toward the tail. If it's cut off at the wrong angle or the tube is angled toward the tail it could be creating suction and pulling oil out of the crankcase. You mentioned that you had changed the length of tube so maybe you've already thought of this. It's just a thought, I hope it might help. Good luck and happy flying!
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