A few years back, I complained to anybody who would listen that my engine dripped oil. Always. It wasn’t a bunch, but enough it always had a sheen, and that the cowling was always grimy, and there was a little tablespoon sized puddle under the fuselage-to-cowling join line in the hangar after sitting for a few days after a flight. I once asked Scott Swing about it, and he told “the only time you worry about a Lycoming leaking oil, is when it stops“. I’ve taken that to heart, but I don’t like it.
I’d love to report that that is now gone, but I can’t. What I can say is I’m making slow, steady progress to it getting better. One step along the way was the installation of the Antisplat air/oil separator. I hope this will be another good step in that direction. I know the valve covers seep. I don’t know how much. My shop was a firm believer in cork gaskets, so that’s what I got, but they are such that you have to continuously re-torque them to have any chance of them not leaking. And even then they probably will. Soo….. my buddy Andy gave me the recommendation to try these “Real” silicone gaskets (08-01314 at Spruce). They weren’t too expensive, so I’m giving them a try. Along the way, I bought this set of socket drivers below, because these things are meant to be torque to like 20 in-lbs, which is tough with a standard screw driver.
TEKTON 1361 3/8-Inch Drive Hex Bit Socket Set for inserting into my torque wrench |
08-01314 at Spruce, “Real” silicone valve cover gasket |
Posted By: Brett FerrellSaturday August 1st, 2015 at 7:38 PM