1) Oil does not go in the obvious direction.

Good post. And what you say is true with all fluids -- and all engines.

This summer I had some engine work done on my motorcycle, and immediately
afterward headed out for a 450 mile, three-day ride. (Dumb, dumb, DUMB.)

At our second rest stop, my 10 year old daughter asked what that "green
stuff " was under the motorcycle. Of course, it turned out to be coolant
(this on a Goldwing), and it was coming out at an alarming rate. Being in
the middle of B.F.E., I called Mary, had her hop on-line and find me the
closest Honda dealer -- which turned out to be in Dubuque.

The leak was coming out of the lower left, front portion of the engine. Due
to the extensive cowling on a Goldwing, I couldn't find the exact source of
the leak, and ended up adding water every 15 minutes until we got to the
shop.

After de-cowling the engine, the mechanic found the leak at a hose
connection -- on the TOP RIGHT portion of the engine! I would not have
found that leak in a hundred years -- it was traveling across the engine,
and down the opposite side, before dumping on the ground.

We had a similar problem with a minor leak on the right side of our engine.
It was coming out of the "gills" on the lower right side of the cowling,
just a small line of oil that would stream back after some (but not all)
flights.

The leak turned out to be coming from one of the valve covers on the TOP of
the engine.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"