Short Hops Lately

For the past year or so I've been doing more 30-45 minute flights
rather than cross country pursuits for several usual reasons. I have a
0200 Continental... fellow at the airport was telling me lately that
its better not to fly than such short flights due to water condensation
and premature wear rust etc.. I'm not sure if that is really true. I
live in a dry SW climate. If it is true is there a way to desicant out
the moisture after every flight with some kind of lid over the oil
filler port?? I fly maybe 50-100 hrs per year. I just did a "top end"
so would like to keep her in top running shape. I'd have to talk with
my wife about flying more than 100 hrs/yr. I don't think I want a
partner either at least for now. Appreciate your thoughts.

Larry

There is no shortage of engine (or airplane, or computer, or ...)
experts who will tell you that you're doing it wrong, no matter what
you're doing. Screw that guy and his "advice". Keep flying as you
can. Use an oil with additives in it, plus you might consider using
CamGuard (http://www.aslcamguard.com/) which got a good review in Av
Consumer or Maintenance mag recently.
--
"... one of the main causes of the fall of the Roman Empire was that,
lacking zero, they had no way to indicate successful termination of
their C programs." - Robert Firth

30 minutes is plenty of time to warm up the oil. The "fellow" doesn't have a
clue.

Karl
"Curator"


"Larry" wrote in message
oups.com...
For the past year or so I've been doing more 30-45 minute flights
rather than cross country pursuits for several usual reasons. I have a
0200 Continental... fellow at the airport was telling me lately that
its better not to fly than such short flights due to water condensation
and premature wear rust etc.. I'm not sure if that is really true. I
live in a dry SW climate. If it is true is there a way to desicant out
the moisture after every flight with some kind of lid over the oil
filler port?? I fly maybe 50-100 hrs per year. I just did a "top end"
so would like to keep her in top running shape. I'd have to talk with
my wife about flying more than 100 hrs/yr. I don't think I want a
partner either at least for now. Appreciate your thoughts.

Larry

The oil needs to be heated to the point to "boil" water contaminates out of
the oil.
Normal oil temps to 180F-200F is not the 212F of boiling water, but it is
enough to keep the oil out.

I think AOPA and other magazines have had articles covering this in the last
year or two.

Running it regularly keeps the oils up on the cam, letting it sit for months
is worse than not flying it at all.
I know of no "desicant on a lid" that would work. Be more of a risk to drop
that down the filler tube.

Most people change oil after 50hrs, if you are only flying 50-100hrs per
year, maybe do 3 oil changes a year instead of 2?

BT

"Larry" wrote in message
oups.com...
For the past year or so I've been doing more 30-45 minute flights
rather than cross country pursuits for several usual reasons. I have a
0200 Continental... fellow at the airport was telling me lately that
its better not to fly than such short flights due to water condensation
and premature wear rust etc.. I'm not sure if that is really true. I
live in a dry SW climate. If it is true is there a way to desicant out
the moisture after every flight with some kind of lid over the oil
filler port?? I fly maybe 50-100 hrs per year. I just did a "top end"
so would like to keep her in top running shape. I'd have to talk with
my wife about flying more than 100 hrs/yr. I don't think I want a
partner either at least for now. Appreciate your thoughts.

Larry

From the cost of the engine hour perspective, flying it
is almost free over letting it sit. It makes TBO if flown
a lot; probably doesn't make it if it sits a lot.

Bill Hale

BT wrote:
The oil needs to be heated to the point to "boil" water contaminates out of
the oil.
Normal oil temps to 180F-200F is not the 212F of boiling water, but it is
enough to keep the oil out.

I think AOPA and other magazines have had articles covering this in the last
year or two.

Running it regularly keeps the oils up on the cam, letting it sit for months
is worse than not flying it at all.
I know of no "desicant on a lid" that would work. Be more of a risk to drop
that down the filler tube.

Most people change oil after 50hrs, if you are only flying 50-100hrs per
year, maybe do 3 oil changes a year instead of 2?

BT

"Larry" wrote in message
oups.com...
For the past year or so I've been doing more 30-45 minute flights
rather than cross country pursuits for several usual reasons. I have a
0200 Continental... fellow at the airport was telling me lately that
its better not to fly than such short flights due to water condensation
and premature wear rust etc.. I'm not sure if that is really true. I
live in a dry SW climate. If it is true is there a way to desicant out
the moisture after every flight with some kind of lid over the oil
filler port?? I fly maybe 50-100 hrs per year. I just did a "top end"
so would like to keep her in top running shape. I'd have to talk with
my wife about flying more than 100 hrs/yr. I don't think I want a
partner either at least for now. Appreciate your thoughts.

Larry

180-200 on the gauge is 220-250 in the cylinders.
Oil temp is 40-50 deg F higher in the cylinder than the sump.
(per Ben Vissar, Shell Oil Research, retired)

BT wrote:

The oil needs to be heated to the point to "boil" water contaminates out of
the oil.
Normal oil temps to 180F-200F is not the 212F of boiling water, but it is
enough to keep the oil out.

john smith wrote:

180-200 on the gauge is 220-250 in the cylinders.
Oil temp is 40-50 deg F higher in the cylinder than the sump.
(per Ben Vissar, Shell Oil Research, retired)



Not only that but reemember, the boiling point is lower with increase in
altitude.
What is it? A decrease of 2 degrees C for every thousand feet or so?

John







http://www.csgnetwork.com/h2oboilcalc.html

Any amount of flying (not ground running) is better for the engine than
not flying at all. A lot of people are too wound up with the 180F oil
temp thing. If you're so concerned, block part of the oil cooler with
duct tape in the winter, and change your oil (not necessarily the
filter) more often. If you keep your 50 hour filter/oil change
interval and add an additional oil-only change in between at 25-hr
point, your 25-hr oil only change will get rid of about 85% of
contaminants in the oil, and it can be done very cheaply (Phillips X/C
20W50 can be purchased around $40 a case).


Larry wrote:
For the past year or so I've been doing more 30-45 minute flights
rather than cross country pursuits for several usual reasons. I have a
0200 Continental... fellow at the airport was telling me lately that
its better not to fly than such short flights due to water condensation
and premature wear rust etc.. I'm not sure if that is really true. I
live in a dry SW climate. If it is true is there a way to desicant out
the moisture after every flight with some kind of lid over the oil
filler port?? I fly maybe 50-100 hrs per year. I just did a "top end"
so would like to keep her in top running shape. I'd have to talk with
my wife about flying more than 100 hrs/yr. I don't think I want a
partner either at least for now. Appreciate your thoughts.

Larry

Thanx... I knew there was a reason.. could not remember why.
BT

"john smith" wrote in message
...
180-200 on the gauge is 220-250 in the cylinders.
Oil temp is 40-50 deg F higher in the cylinder than the sump.
(per Ben Vissar, Shell Oil Research, retired)

BT wrote:

The oil needs to be heated to the point to "boil" water contaminates out
of the oil.
Normal oil temps to 180F-200F is not the 212F of boiling water, but it is
enough to keep the oil out.

On Dec 7, 11:59 pm, "BT" wrote:
The oil needs to be heated to the point to "boil" water contaminates out of
the oil.

As I understand it, the issue is to keep the oil temp above the dew
point of the combustion products (which is about 180 degF) so that
blowby doesn't accumulate water in the crankcase & instead it goes out
the breather.