Jay,
I had an mystery oil leak as well. It took me several weeks and wash
downs to find it.
When the engine was "cold" it did not leak. When it heated up it did.
Mine turned out to be a crack in the oil filter adapter housing. (you
and I have the same basic case design) Specificly the vernatherm
housing. When cold and retracted the crack was closed. When hot, the
vernatherm extended pushed the crack open. I followed the oil up as far
as I could. The problem was the oil was coming out under pressure and
going everywhere! I found it be looking with a mirror. What I saw was
missing paint in a area that did not have anything rubbing on it.
I was about to fully clean the engine have some one run the engine while
I looked for spraying oil.
I replaced it with a remote filter housing....
Michelle

Jay Honeck wrote:

The thing that irks me when I get in this situation (like a cylinder that
might be going South) is that I cannot FLY the thing anywhere with
confidence except a local hop. Until the problem is resolved, the plane is
"down" as far as I'm concerned. No freedom to take a 400 mile jaunt
whenever I want is as good as no plane at all. Worse, in fact. I have a
potential financial liability simmering on the ramp that I cannot use.



Well put, Mike.

This is an aspect of ownership that is not often discussed. Nagging little
problems that, as a renter, don't even enter you mind, become HUGE deals as
an owner.

Right now I'm still chasing the "mystery oil leak" that leaves a little
puddle under my plane over time. Although it's not stopped me from flying
(the weather, on the other hand, *has*), it grates on me every time I open
the hangar door. It just isn't *right* -- even though everyone (including
my A&P) has told me that air-cooled engines just do this from time to time,
and you can spend $10K chasing it down, or you can live with it.

In the past, I've had alternator problems (will everything in the panel
suddenly die?), nose-wheel shimmy problems (will it get worse?), crunched
aileron sheet-metal (will it suddenly flutter without warning?), and a
plethora of smaller nits that drove me (more) nuts. The only solution is
to keep on top of them as they occur and fix them, one by one.

Maule Driver's case is, of course, far more critical. It'll be interesting
to hear what the inspections turn up.