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January 10, 2022

Engine oil leaks are fairly common in small aircrafts that come with piston engines. Aircrafts such as the Piper, Diamond, Cirrus, Beechcraft, Cessna or Mooney are small aircraft that usually face engine oil leaks.

These oil leaks are a very common problem that can cause a lot of damage to your aircraft if not dealt with properly. They are known as a silent killer since they slowly and gradually weaken the other parts of the plane and reduce the lifespan of your aircraft.

Also Read: Factors That Affect The Lifespan Of An Aircraft

You should keep a close eye on the oil levels of your aircraft and if you see the level decreasing you should quickly take your aircraft to a professional aviation welding technician because if delayed it will cause major engine damage.

You can use a UV dye kit or a UV flashlight to quickly detect oil leaks in your small aircraft. The ultraviolet light reveals the leaks as a bright fluorescent green or yellow glow which will make it easier for you to detect the oil leaks and fix them.

By doing routine inspections, troubleshooting procedures or quality control of all the external surfaces, joints, coils and pipework using a UV light you will have an increased probability to detect oil leaks in your aircraft.

In this blog post, we will talk in detail about how you can detect oil leaks in your aircraft.

Why Is It Important To Detect Oil Leaks?

The oil used in the engine of your aircraft performs different critical functions such as:

  • Reduce noise.
  • Maintains the engine and other components.
  • Protects it from too much heat and corrosion.
  • Helps to lubricate the propellers and other components.

But the oil’s most important function is to lubricate your aircraft's propellers and other components because without it all the moving parts of your aircraft will wear out.

If the engine of your aircraft is considered as the heart of the aircraft then the oil is the blood of your aircraft that helps to keep everything functioning.

But if you see any trickle of it near the wheel pants or cowling then it means that your aircraft is bleeding. Just like you would never ignore a bleeding gash, similarly you shouldn't ignore an oil leak in your plane.

Ways To Detect Oil Leaks

Here are some ways that can help you detect oil leaks in your aircraft.

Using A UV Flashlight

Sometimes in certain lighting conditions, an oil leak may not be easily visible. But luckily the engine oil contains a special UV dye that glows under a UV flashlight, which makes it easier to find the source of the oil leak without even dropping the transmission, removing the engine, or doing any time-consuming tasks.

This simple trick is also a lot easier than emptying and cleaning the entire engine just to detect the source of the oil leak.

In order to detect an oil leak, you will need to first start the engine and run it for a bit, then shut it down and detect where the leak is coming from using a UV flashlight.

There are some people who do this with the engine running but this can be dangerous and is not really advisable unless you are a professional aircraft engine technician.

If you want to get a better view of the source of the oil leak then you can also use an oil additive, the additives will make the oil glow brighter and make it easier for you to detect the oil leak.

But you can identify the oil leak without using any additives because the oil shines bright enough under a UV flashlight.

Using UV Dye Kit

Another easy way to detect an oil leak is by using a UV dye kit. You can easily buy a UV dye kit from an online store. This kit comes with a UV penlight and yellow-tinted protective glasses.

These UV dye kits are not expensive but are really effective and helpful in detecting the main source of an oil leak in your aircraft.

About Acorn Welding

Acorn Welding is a trusted and highly qualified aviation welding company in Edmonton. We have the latest product designs and manufacturing capabilities required for safe aircraft welding. We at Acorn Welding manufacture top-quality aircraft parts and provide you with the best professional services. For more information contact us today.