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Does your Rotax use oil?


CT4ME

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I'll present this as an open question, rather than a Poll...

Does your Rotax use any oil? After 510+ hours, mine has yet to need a drop between oil changes. If you do use oil, tell us the number of hours, and if there are any leaks. I've been told, because of the extremely tight tolerances, Rotax 912s just don't burn oil.

 

How about you?

tim

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If I use any oil between changes, it's not noticeable. I'm sure some negligible amount is used otherwise the engine would not be getting proper lubrication.

 

After years of frequently adding oil to lycomings and continentals this is a welcome characteristic of the rotax. But even those were better than the old radials where oil was self changing :) But, you can't beat that radial sound!

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I very rarly add any oil to our CTLS between 50hr oil changes, it is our training and rental plane with now 1100hrs on it. On the other hand the Cirrus SR22 we fly takes a quart every 5hrs and requires a belly cleaning after every flight!

 

Love the Rotax!

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A 912 shouldn't use oil in between changes unless there is a small leak or a problem. It's like a motorcycle engine, it typically doesn't use oil either. I think many believe problems exist because the oil level can lie to you at times and you don't see the true oil level.

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"Junior" doesn't appear to use any oil although I agree with Roger in that the oil level seen on the stick may not be true. I decided as long as it comes into the flat area, I'll go with it. Sometimes it's higher or lower, but always in the flat zone...which I guess is only a 1 pint range? I have put 52 hours on the plane so far. (201 TT) Oil was changed at Annual when I got it, and 30 hours afterward because I had used some AvGas and the oil was darkening.I also planned a big trip to Texas but that was scuttled due to high winds in the region. Took the car. It was mandatory I be there...not a good deal in any VFR airplane. In the last 22 hours on Premium, the oil is still clean looking. Just did two long cross countries into central CA from San Diego, No noticable change in oil level. -George

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you have to be very consistent about your burping process to measure oil use. I do two full turns after the first gurgle, and I'm getting more consistent readings. I have seen half a quart "appear" on the dipstick depending on how much burping you do.

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Ian - IMHO, no. At least not to ensure safe oil level. I always like to spin mine a few times by hand just to loosen it up. This habit probably goes back to my radial days where you did that to make sure you did not have hydraulic lock.

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This was originally requested because of old oil filters and owners mounting the oil tanks too high or too low. This was done to check the oil level and as John states to check for hydra lock. This isn't a problem like yesteryear with new designed oil filters. If the oil is on the flat area it will only increase with the gurgle because it is pumping back a little oil that is sitting in the bottom of the crankcase. This is a dry sump engine so the majority is in the tank. Some engines can hold more back in the crankcase so it takes more prop turns to get a gurgle and it will bring a low level on th stick to a higher level. Usually only a couple of ounces, but I have seen as much as a quart which will take for ever to get a gurgle.

 

I won't tell you yes or no on the gurgle to check the engine, you'll need to make up your own mind.

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0.1 lt is a big difference. 0.1 lt could easily be the Rotax irregularity in oil level check. That can be 0.1 lt up to 1 lt. and this depends on the engine set up.

0.1 lt = 0.105 qt. or 3.3 ounces

 

That's a real possible number (3 oz.) for use, but even then it still may be the irregularity from the Rotax oil level checks.

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My post said .1 quart but I should have posted it as 0.1 quart for greater clarity.

This is per 10 hours of flight time. I'm estimating a long term average, so its not affected by irregularity in oil level checks. It has increased slowly over the life of the engine, now about 1200 hours.

As compared to the 172 I used to fly, this is nothing. I'm perfectly happy.

I hope we get more responses to the poll listing both total time and estimated oil consumption. so far we don't have enough data for it to be meaningful.

Mike Koerner

 

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