Changing engine oil and lubrication is a very crucial part in maintaining an engine’s health. With the right oil, friction losses in an engine can be reduced to a minimum. In addition to this, the main purpose of changing the oil is to remove harmful contaminants.
Lubrication can play an important role in the lifespan of an engine. During the maintenance of an aircraft engine, oil changes happen very often. Certain types of lubricants are recommended for this purpose.
A professional aircraft pilot should have a basic understanding of engine oils and lubricants. Unlike vehicles, the oil system in aircraft is very reliable and demands very little maintenance regarding oil changes and filter inspections. Nevertheless, the pilot should always keep an account of the plane's engine health and oil changes.
Also Read: The Significance Of Aircraft Maintenance
Let’s see why an oil change is important to maintain the engine health of an aircraft and can be done to improve oil efficiency.
The Importance Of An Oil Change
Compared with automotive engines, piston aircraft engines permit a large number of combustion byproducts such as carbon, sulfur, and oxides of nitrogen. Oil changes are important for an engine because contamination can lead to premature failure. The engine oil has few very crucial functions and responsibilities.
- Lubrication: It reduces the friction of moving parts by creating a smooth film around the engine parts.
- Cooling: It reduces the heat produced by the moving parts due to the friction and engine combustion and cools off the engine.
- Suspension: Oil suspends the by-products produced by the combustion process and ensures the smooth running of the engine.
- Corrosion protection: The oil also protects the engine from corrosion and rusting.
Engine oil should perform all these functions to perform at its best. While these are the requirements for an aircraft engine to work properly, there are a few recommendations that you should follow to ensure the safe maintenance of your engine while changing its oil.
Recommendations For Changing Oil
Changing engine oil can be a tricky procedure. It is preferred to hire a professional technician to perform the job for engine safety. There are a few recommendations you can follow to ensure a smooth operation.
Drain Out the Old Oil
Old oil can get mixed with other ingredients such as dirt, gasoline, metal particles, and moisture. Because of these particles, It’s recommended to flush out the old oils and lubricants before refilling it with new ones. When an engine has been operating on straight mineral oil, it is often in an excessively dirty condition. Switching to an ashless dispersant oil should be considered to avoid a dirty mess.
Change The Filter
All those harmful substances that get mixed in with the engine's oils get collected at the filter. During the operation, the air filter gets dirt from the atmosphere and pollutes the engine. A filter can only block particles of a certain size, no filter can remove 100% of unwanted substances. It’s a good practice to change the filter every time you change the oil.
Refill The Recommended Oil
After cleaning out the old oil, refill the oil again. To minimize potential problems, the choice of lubricants must be suitable for the engine.
Moreover, keep in mind that there are reserves of additives in new oil which get used once the engine starts running, which have their effects.
Recommended Interval
The primary purpose of an oil change is to get rid of the harmful substances that get mixed with the oil. There are differentn suggested time intervals for an oil change. It’s better to get the information regarding your specific model from an industry professional. However, an interval of 25 hours for an oil change and 50 hours for a filter change is considered standard for most aircraft.
Consequently, engines that operate in dirty or dusty environments and have high oil consumption due to high blow-by should have more frequent oil changes.
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