Still shopping for my first bird. Curious as to how much oil usage is
considered "normal"?

GE wrote:
>
> Still shopping for my first bird. Curious as to how much oil usage is
> considered "normal"?

To some extent, that'll depend on the engine. My O-320 uses about a quart in 10
hours. A radial might use that in 10 minutes.

George Patterson
I childproofed my house, but they *still* get in.

G.R. Patterson III > wrote:
: GE wrote:
:>
:> Still shopping for my first bird. Curious as to how much oil usage is
:> considered "normal"?

: To some extent, that'll depend on the engine. My O-320 uses about a quart in 10
: hours. A radial might use that in 10 minutes.

My O-360 uses about 1qt in 12 hours. It's got about 1000 hours smoh, and
6500 hours TT.
Do keep in mind that too little oil consumption is probably worse than too
much!
--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

"GE" > wrote in message >...
> Still shopping for my first bird. Curious as to how much oil usage is
> considered "normal"?

Also depends on the engine type. The IO360 used in the Piper Arrow
runs through the first 2 quarts (out of 8) pretty quickly (2 quarts in
10 hours), then levels off.

In article >,
G.R. Patterson III > wrote:
>
>To some extent, that'll depend on the engine. My O-320 uses about a quart in 10
>hours. A radial might use that in 10 minutes.

Heck on start it might use that in 10 blades...

--
Ben Jackson
>
http://www.ben.com/

PaulH wrote:
>
> The IO360 used in the Piper Arrow
> runs through the first 2 quarts (out of 8) pretty quickly (2 quarts in
> 10 hours), then levels off.

My Maule will also go through the first quart pretty quickly if I top it off. Which
is why I *never* put more than 7 quarts in the engine. My Cessna 150 also used to
throw the first quart out, and I quit filling it up once I caught on.

George Patterson
I childproofed my house, but they *still* get in.

In my o540 keep it at 9 and it burns about 1qt every 4 hours. Has 300
SMOH in 1989 and it sat for about 3 year with out flying and now I have
been flying it alot so it just gets better and better. We started off
about 2hrs for every qt.

*** Sent via http://www.automationtools.com ***
Add a newsgroup interface to your website today.

Aaron Coolidge > wrote:
>Do keep in mind that too little oil consumption is probably worse than too
>much!


Could you elaborate on this claim? I have never heard of too little
oil consumption being indicative of any problem.

In article >,
Ross Oliver > wrote:
>
>Could you elaborate on this claim? I have never heard of too little
>oil consumption being indicative of any problem.

Oil has to lubricate the piston ring/cylinder point. Some of that gets
left on the walls and burns during the normal combustion event. A quick
web search turns up 1qt/15h as a rough lower bound.

--
Ben Jackson
>
http://www.ben.com/

"GE" wrote:
> Still shopping for my first bird. Curious as to how much
> oil usage is considered "normal"?

My Lyc.O-360 burns a quart every 8 hours. Lycoming says as low as 3.5
hrs/qt would be acceptable. As others do, I refrain from filling it to
the 8-quart maximum.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

The plane I'm looking at has an O-540 that has <300 hrs since overhaul in
1996, so it hasn't been flown a bunch. The owner flew it here in under 2 hrs
and I know that it used at least 1 quart, maybe 1.5. I don't remember how
much he put in to start the trip, so I can't say if any was tossed in
flight. Interesting to hear you say that it gets better over time.
"Tony" > wrote in message
...
> In my o540 keep it at 9 and it burns about 1qt every 4 hours. Has 300
> SMOH in 1989 and it sat for about 3 year with out flying and now I have
> been flying it alot so it just gets better and better. We started off
> about 2hrs for every qt.
>
> *** Sent via http://www.automationtools.com ***
> Add a newsgroup interface to your website today.

This thread has made me feel a bit better about mine. I've got a 180 hp O-360
Lycoming with a fresh top inspection on chrome jugs. I thought that the 1qt in 8-10
hours I was getting was a bit high, but seems to be fairly inline with what some other
folks are getting. Supposedly the chrome jugs just plain burn more oil. My buddy's
250 hp O-540 burns a quart in 15 hours or so on Nitrided jugs.

I don't run more than 7 quarts in it either, or it'll belch it out. The power
useage makes a difference too. At low power settings and low altitudes, the low
manfold pressure seems to suck more oil past the rings (8 hours/qt) from the ambient
crankcase. At higher powers/altitudes, it burns less (10 hours/qt).

-Cory
Dan
Luke
> wrote:
: "GE" wrote:
:> Still shopping for my first bird. Curious as to how much
:> oil usage is considered "normal"?

: My Lyc.O-360 burns a quart every 8 hours. Lycoming says as low as 3.5
: hrs/qt would be acceptable. As others do, I refrain from filling it to
: the 8-quart maximum.
: --
: Dan
: C172RG at BFM



--
************************************************** ***********************
* The prime directive of Linux: *
* - learn what you don't know, *
* - teach what you do. *
* (Just my 20 USm$) *
************************************************** ***********************

Just remember that using/adding oil is good for an engine. Within reason.
It keeps the buildup of impurities in the oil down such as lead and
other by-products of combustion.
Additives in oil tend to wear out after a while and by adding new oil,
your also adding new additives.

It's nice to say that your using a quart in 15-25 hours, but what really
is the state of your oil?

Just a thought.


wrote:

> This thread has made me feel a bit better about mine. I've got a 180 hp O-360
> Lycoming with a fresh top inspection on chrome jugs. I thought that the 1qt in 8-10
> hours I was getting was a bit high, but seems to be fairly inline with what some other
> folks are getting. Supposedly the chrome jugs just plain burn more oil. My buddy's
> 250 hp O-540 burns a quart in 15 hours or so on Nitrided jugs.
>
> I don't run more than 7 quarts in it either, or it'll belch it out. The power
> useage makes a difference too. At low power settings and low altitudes, the low
> manfold pressure seems to suck more oil past the rings (8 hours/qt) from the ambient
> crankcase. At higher powers/altitudes, it burns less (10 hours/qt).
>
> -Cory
> Dan
> Luke
> > wrote:
> : "GE" wrote:
> :> Still shopping for my first bird. Curious as to how much
> :> oil usage is considered "normal"?
>
> : My Lyc.O-360 burns a quart every 8 hours. Lycoming says as low as 3.5
> : hrs/qt would be acceptable. As others do, I refrain from filling it to
> : the 8-quart maximum.
> : --
> : Dan
> : C172RG at BFM
>
>
>

True... In my 8-quart sump (which I normally keep between 6 and 7), I
generally consume irritatingly just a *bit* more than a case per 40-50 hour oil change
intervals. Seems like it always takes more than the 4-5 quarts I've got left after
filling it.

Oh well, I guess when the case is done I should change it at 35 hours, anyway.

-Cory

bubba > wrote:
: Just remember that using/adding oil is good for an engine. Within reason.
: It keeps the buildup of impurities in the oil down such as lead and
: other by-products of combustion.
: Additives in oil tend to wear out after a while and by adding new oil,
: your also adding new additives.

: It's nice to say that your using a quart in 15-25 hours, but what really
: is the state of your oil?

: Just a thought.


: wrote:

:> This thread has made me feel a bit better about mine. I've got a 180 hp O-360
:> Lycoming with a fresh top inspection on chrome jugs. I thought that the 1qt in 8-10
:> hours I was getting was a bit high, but seems to be fairly inline with what some other
:> folks are getting. Supposedly the chrome jugs just plain burn more oil. My buddy's
:> 250 hp O-540 burns a quart in 15 hours or so on Nitrided jugs.
:>
:> I don't run more than 7 quarts in it either, or it'll belch it out. The power
:> useage makes a difference too. At low power settings and low altitudes, the low
:> manfold pressure seems to suck more oil past the rings (8 hours/qt) from the ambient
:> crankcase. At higher powers/altitudes, it burns less (10 hours/qt).
:>
:> -Cory
:> Dan
:> Luke
:> > wrote:
:> : "GE" wrote:
:> :> Still shopping for my first bird. Curious as to how much
:> :> oil usage is considered "normal"?
:>
:> : My Lyc.O-360 burns a quart every 8 hours. Lycoming says as low as 3.5
:> : hrs/qt would be acceptable. As others do, I refrain from filling it to
:> : the 8-quart maximum.
:> : --
:> : Dan
:> : C172RG at BFM
:>
:>
:>


--
************************************************** ***********************
* The prime directive of Linux: *
* - learn what you don't know, *
* - teach what you do. *
* (Just my 20 USm$) *
************************************************** ***********************

On Fri, 14 May 2004 13:01:58 GMT, "GE" > wrote:

>Still shopping for my first bird. Curious as to how much oil usage is
>considered "normal"?

My IO470N isn't down a pint after 25 hours and it's getting within
about 300 hours of reaching TBO.

OTOH the Cherokee 180 I used to fly managed 8 to 10 hours per quart on
the O-360 and that was considered good.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
>